Opening the Door Going Backwards

I think that we who believe in term limits feel that too often those who make politics a career become corrupt.

They learn how to work the system with favors given and favors received. And after a time, it's all about them and their financial and power position rather than the good of the country.

As for voting people out - that would be wonderful if voters actually paid attention to what their people in congress were doing and made a choice based on real information. Unfortunately, too many simply vote for the name they recognize.

I for one am fed up with politics. I'd LOVE to see someone running for office who told us what he or she really believed in rather than how rotten the opponent is.

I think that term limits may be a good way to discourage corrupt politicians, but you have some good arguments. As you suggest, you can't legislate good behavior. I'm not sure how to clean out the mess in Washington, but we need to do something.

I am a believer in term limits, for both parties.   A career politician in Washington is living in a Sub-Coulture with a slanted idea of the real world; sort of like living on a college campus and intellectualizing on what is best for a world they have not participated in yet. Remember, some of these politicians have come out of college, worked for maybe a few years, then ran for a post, and haven't stopped running.  How can that person possibly really no what is going on?  Yes people have a right to vote these professional politicians back in, unfortunately many vote on name recognition and not performance, it's easier and hassel free.  

Jon,

Big surprise, LOL, I completely agree with you. I think we should do a better job of putting corrupt politicians in jail but I see no advantage to term lilits. A) I agree that it takes away another freedom and B) We would then have a perpetual cycle of noone knowing exactly just what it is they are supposed to be doing.

Jon - we are in agreement about this. The best tool for term limits is the ballot box. Yes, there are some perennial crooks professional politicians who buy the votes of the electorate with other peoples money, but, that is one of the risks of our republican form of government.

The founders were deeply divided in regard to both term lengths and limits, at all 3 levels of federal government.

I have always opposed term limits - so once again, Jon, we are in agreement.  

There is something to be said for institutional memory and there is some experience that is important and useful.  

That said, our current Congressional system is way too responsive to political contributors.  Money is mother's milk to politicians and both parties have become corrupt because of the process.  The politician does not accept a direct payoff payment personally - but he/she does accept a legal if questionable campaign contribution.  The answer is complex and controversial.  I cannot favor limitations on political speech but do recommend complete and quick disclosure of who is contributing to candidates.  This disclosure should be on the internet within seven days - not reported to an agency on a quarterly basis.  

I agree with Mike, above, that the best tool for monitoring the Congress is the ballot box.  But that requires an informed electorate - and the media is conspiring against us on that one.

I have always opposed term limits too. Locally I voted against them twice in NYC. When term limits did pass here we had a period where the entire city council was "green" I lost a dedicated hard-working local representative that had no other political aspirations other than serving her local neighborhood.

"Term limits" it sounds good until it becomes law and a popular elected official can no longer serve.

Former mayor Guliani wanted another term as mayor after 9/11. He may have been elected but was unsuccessful changing the term limit law. However, the next popular mayor Mike Bloomberg was successful in getting the city council to change the law so he could run for a third term. I'm glad he was elected to a third term. 

There is some truth to "power corrupts" and absolute power "corrupts sbsolutely" but inexperience and no knowledge of the complexity of how government works may be worse.

Ultimately, the people already have the solution to term limits with the ballot box.  How can anything get better just by shortening the time frame available to accomplish the task?  A sense of urgency can motivate, but it would not make a politician more responsible to those they represent, and it could work exactly opposite.

Jon, I agree. It is not a straight way to deal with the  problems and the  problem is not because of the  length of term.