Presidential Term Limits

Just a quick thought.
There has been much debate over how long a president should run. Everyone has there own take on it, personally I do also. My suggestion would be to allow candidates/presidents of the United States the ability to run for election indefinitely, just never consecutively! (Maybe even extending the first term to 6 years, once for each individually elected)
It has always been my understanding that in their first term, they spend the last two years campaigning for reelection. This doesn't seem fair to me. If I was given a job to do, would my employer find it ok if I spent the final half of my stay, looking for the next opportunity? Somehow, I don't think they would be too appreciative of this.

What do you all think?
Are there better alternatives?


Thanks. . . AB

I don't think it matters how long the 'puppet' lives in the White House.
Until corruption ceases to be the base of politics, how long the Potus stays in office doesn't change a thing.

reply to post by AnteBellum


That's a interesting concept. So Bush for Example was president from 2000-2004, but he wouldn't be allowed to run till 2008-2012? than would again be allowed to run from 2016-2020? I could see this quickly becoming a du-oply of two candidates interchanging President and Vice President over and over again. It would in essence be the most popular person running and winning every time.

Vice President Joe Biden has an almost nil chance of being elected, however if he was able to run in 2016 with President Obama by his side as VIce-President and Obama giving the wink and the nod saying "I'm only not running because of the law but if you elect Joe Biden, I'll still really be running things and I'll be president again in 2020 ! " Than I could see a problem arising.

I'd like to see the implementation for term limits on political offices that don't have them first, like congressional seats, before I started looking to change the ones that already exist.

reply to post by AnteBellum


It was a gentleman's understanding to limit presidential terms to two for a variety of, I think, more important reasons but including the hopefully apolitical focus of the final term. When that was violated by Roosevelt, we amended the constitution so now it is both the intent and the letter of the law.

Term limits have likely saved more than a few presidents lives. Take the last two for example...if there was a chance they could indefinitely be in office...

reply to post by AnteBellum


I don't want the unlimited nonconsecutive idea put in place.

Picture this:

2016 - Jeb Bush
2020- George Bush
2024- Jeb Bush
and on and on.

OR

2016- Michelle Obama
2020- Barack Obama
2024-Michelle Obama

Either way it is scary to me.

reply to post by AnteBellum


I think its fine the way it is now. We don’t need to go backwards.

I would like to assign term limits to congress though; 2 terms and you’re OUT!!!! That would be progress!!

reply to post by seabag


Hate to break this news to you, but things are far from fine with our political system. If the past few presidents have been a sign, they should keep it at ONE term. Same goes for the career guys in Congress. I'd personally have them all hung for treason.

reply to post by AnteBellum


I don't think this is a good idea.

I'll give you an example.

In Russia, they have similar term rules that you are proposing here. Vladimir Putin and Dimitri Medvedev have been taking turns being the president and premier since Gorbachev was forced to resign.

Personally I would prefer a one and done approach.

reply to post by finitedualities


You're right, I mistook Gorbachev for Yeltsin. But my point still stands as valid.

Source

Krazysh0t
I'd like to see the implementation for term limits on political offices that don't have them first, like congressional seats, before I started looking to change the ones that already exist.

^this

reply to post by watchitburn


I like how you clearly forgot a decade of history between Mr. G and Putin, lol. That similar corporate shill (US supported might I add) to Putin that slowly lost control of his government? Does he not exist in your history books already? And I thought USA education was propaganda...

reply to post by finitedualities

Hate to break this news to you, but things are far from fine with our political system. If the past few presidents have been a sign, they should keep it at ONE term. Same goes for the career guys in Congress. I'd personally have them all hung for treason.

COME ON!! Don’t ambush me! I’m not saying things are great!! LOL

I was answering a specific question about presidential term limits…..it’s fine the way it is now IMO (8 years)!

reply to post by seabag


My apologies, and to nail down the issue, these people wouldn't be campaigning the last two years in office if these wastes of life didn't see it as a career opportunity and instead looked to actually lead a nation. Fact of the matter is, these are career guys in a job where their only duty is to take the money and sign the bills you're told to sign. Even shortened term limits would probably change nothing without changing the people already in the system.

finitedualities
reply to post by seabag

 

My apologies, and to nail down the issue, these people wouldn't be campaigning the last two years in office if these wastes of life didn't see it as a career opportunity and instead looked to actually lead a nation. Fact of the matter is, these are career guys in a job where their only duty is to take the money and sign the bills you're told to sign. Even shortened term limits would probably change nothing without changing the people already in the system.

Agreed! They all need to go! Then we have to look at the election problem! As money shapes the votes once they are elected, it also shapes whom they will allow to be elected!

Government has become a cancerous growth, and we need to find a cure, NOT treat the symptoms!

reply to post by Krazysh0t


Your absolutely right!

I never understood the career-politician train-of-thought either.
It is one of my biggest pet peeves in our political process.

How can it be changed?

reply to post by butcherguy


To answer more then one post on this specific point:
My thought process on this was, the older leaders would eventually be phased out by the new ones.(They would get too old)
But as you displayed this can be greatly manipulated to ones favor given the right circumstances.

Political families tend to scare me a bit. How many times did W call on daddy for expertise in a situation. Jeb will probably just be another clone of the first two.

AnteBellum
reply to post by Krazysh0t

 

Your absolutely right!

I never understood the career-politician train-of-thought either.
It is one of my biggest pet peeves in our political process.

How can it be changed?

Unfortunately it takes an act of Congress, or more specifically an Amendment to the Constitution. In our current political climate, we can't get Congress to pass a budget, let alone alter the very document that oversees our government.

On top of the one term limit I'd like to see some "honor" nonsense that says serving the public is so grand an ambition and so rewarding a task that immediately upon ending your short and only term in office you perform seppuku so your family name will always be remembered as glorious.

I'd happily salute little name plaques or whatever if it meant every politician would spill their intestines and slump over dead.

You know, for the honor. Life as service and all that crap.

reply to post by Krazysh0t


Asking congress to potentially give up there own jobs in the long run.
Yea, like that's ever going to happen! lol

Thanks for the help.

AB