Republicans Say Term Limits for All Members of Congress Would Bring About ‘Real Change’ in Washi

Here is change that you can actually believe in. To bad the Dems. will shoot it down.

A Republican senator has introduced a constitutional amendment that would apply term limits to all members of Congress. U.S. Representatives would serve a maximum of three two-year terms, and U.S. senators would serve a maximum of two six-year terms.

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," said Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who sponsored the amendment. Co-sponsors include Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), and Sam Brownback (R-Kan.).

They have truly hit the nail on the head. This is no secret but, it is refreshing to hear this coming straight from the horses mouth.

"As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buyoff special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork – in short, amassing their own power,’ DeMint said in a news release announcing the proposed amendment.

DeMint noted that over the last 20 years, Washington politicians have been reelected about 90 percent of the time because the system is heavily tilted in favor of incumbents. “If we really want to put an end to business as usual, we’ve got to have new leaders coming to Washington instead of rearranging the deck chairs as the ship goes down.”

Sen. Coburn echoed the call to replace “career politicians” with “citizen legislators who care more about the next generation than their next election.”

It just gets better

As for those who argue that only long-serving, experienced politicians have the skills to lead the nation – look how it’s working out, DeMint said: “It wasn’t the ‘people’ who gave us a $12 trillion debt, an IRS tax code seven times longer than the Bible, over 1,700 departments of the federal government, trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see, $100 trillion long-term shortfall in Social Security and Medicare, the Wall Street and auto bailouts, and the pending health care takeover.”

I will try not to get my hopes up. What would a man like Charlie Rangel do without this gig?

www.cnsnews.com...

I hope this works. A dictatorship aint' wokin' to well.

This would punish good representatives. What if I like my representative to congress?

I'd be more impressed with term limits for supreme court justices.

Well, kudos to those three senators for actually thinking about what's best for the country.

Sadly, I agree with you that this will probably go nowhere. There are far too many career politicians in Washington, and they would never vote away their cash-cow.

However, OP, I really would recommend against making this about partisan politics. There are career politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, and I can guarantee you that there will be republicans voting against this measure. When it comes to something that directly affects the politician's lifestyle, party politics go out the window in favor of self-preservation. This is, sadly, why something like this will probably never pass.

And as another poster said, SC justices are also desperately in need of term-limits. As it stands, these people hold far too much power in this country.

S&F from me...

I think this is something everyone needs to think about. This is the only way we are going to get change in this government. That way you don't have these "Dynasty" families running a corner of this government.

definetly a really good idea

sure hope they actually do it

i have a feeling most congressman and senators won't pass somethin that doesnt help them though!!

Look, there will never be change until the democrats and the republicans are sacked, and a new peoples party installed, with honest people, working for the people.

The dems & reps are just two big mafia familys warring with each other. If the republicans were in power right now, you could be as sure as hell we would be still in the mess we're in now today with the democrats.

People seem to have a short memory here on ATS, look at the mess the republicans made last time.

Democrats + Republicans = Same old. Why cant people see this.

I want to stress, that a majority of the partys are corrupt, not all. The thing is, the small minority isnt enough.

[edit on 11-11-2009 by Ignorance Denied]

First, each of these congressmen/women were in congress during the 1995 to 2000 era and the 2003 to 2006 era, when the republicans controlled both houses. Why didn't they pass something like this, then?

Second, "6 year" senate terms would be a step backward.

Third, Kay Bailey Hutchison is leaving congress, anyway. Unfortunately for us Texans she is running for Governor.

Fourth, we, the voter, have the power of term limits in our hands, when we cast our ballots.

I agree term limits are necessary. Life time politicians equals corruption in most people.

Originally posted by WTFover
Third, Kay Bailey Hutchison is leaving congress, anyway. Unfortunately for us Texans she is running for Governor.

Fourth, we, the voter, have the power of term limits in our hands, when we cast our ballots.

Kay Baile....

Governor....

Aww ... crapola!


Yeah, we have the vote but we don't control the big money that puts the nominees on the ballot and promises all kinds of benefits in exchange for votes.

We pretty much get to vote for the lesser of two evils.....or the incumbent of two evils..... or the most photogenic of two evils.

You get the drift.

[edit on 11-11-2009 by badgerprints]

I'd like to see the 17th Amendment repealed first.

I would also like to see term limits or direct elections of Supreme Court judges. I don't like the lifetime tenure that they receive. The term limit should be 4 years.

i said this! i said this!

i'm sure everyone has thought why they don't have term limits already.

Good find, hope even the dying, old diluted viewed senators can see this would be a good thing

A congress that doesn't fear losing their power? No thanks. If you think it's corrupt now, just put in term limits, there will be a whole new meaning of corruption.

The issue we have at hand is an ignorant population. Those few that do vote, vote for all the wrong reasons and keep on voting in the wrong candidates. You want change, get out in the trenches and campaign for the good guys, educate people.

An extremely good idea.

I always said that no person should be in office for more than one term at a time without a break in between.

want to be in office for 1 term then you take a 1 term break.
or even if you wanted to be in office for 2 terms. you could but then you take a 2 term break.

Originally posted by drwizardphd
Well, kudos to those three senators for actually thinking about what's best for the country.

Sadly, I agree with you that this will probably go nowhere. There are far too many career politicians in Washington, and they would never vote away their cash-cow.

However, OP, I really would recommend against making this about partisan politics. There are career politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, and I can guarantee you that there will be republicans voting against this measure. When it comes to something that directly affects the politician's lifestyle, party politics go out the window in favor of self-preservation. This is, sadly, why something like this will probably never pass.

And as another poster said, SC justices are also desperately in need of term-limits. As it stands, these people hold far too much power in this country.

The title came straight from the article and I agree that are certainly career politicians on both sides. Neither side is in the clear. However, the idea is coming from the Right and for this reason alone the Dems. will likely put this fire out as opposed working out a straight deal that will reach a common goal. Restructuring capital hill would the power back where it belongs into the hands of the public and out of the hands of lobbyists and the like.

As for the Supreme Court... I still have yet to understand the lifer term that they serve.

At least some legislation has been introduced.

It will get popular support from both sides.

But for some unknown reason it will never get out of committee.

Kind of reminds me of another bill still lanquishing in committee.

Anyone know what I am talking about.

Just another carrot, it will be blocked by representatives that are not near an election cycle.

Revolution is our only way out. The ballot box is an illusion of choice.

Let me see, do I choose A-backed by lobbyists or B-backed by lobbyists.

Corporations are not people, how can they lobby?

How about an amendment barring corporate lobbyists?

It's easy for a life-long polititian to pass laws dealing with the private sector knowing that they will never work in the private sector and will never have to deal with the laws they passed.

The problem with govt. today is these politicians who have never had nor never will hold ANY private sector job. These people have no concept what it takes to be successful in the REAL WORLD. They continue to pass laws for "the masses" never knowing what it is like for us to have to get by day to day living under the laws they have passes. It truely is a case of two sets of laws, one for the political class and another for the rest of us.

If the political leaches were to know that after their term limits were up, they would have to live by the laws they have created, they may have to think twice before imposing new laws and regulations on the rest of us.

In facy I think we should take it a step further and prohibit any officeholder who has used up their term limit from holding ANY office of public trust, for 5 years after leaving office. Make them live in the REAL world for awhile to see what it is that they have done to us.

I say bring on those term limits and force the political class to live under the same laws as everyone else! Make them get a job in the real world so they have to abide by the monstrocity they have created.

Only then will we see REAL CHANGE!

reply to post by jibeho
It's called posturing for reason jibeho.I find it ironic that the issue of term limits only seems to come up when one of the two "parties."Are out of power only then it's considered important.

That's the best idea I've ever heard come from Congress, and it did not take 2000 pages to write.
Sadly I think it's just fluff but there will be change nezt year and they will have to look for jobs elsewhere.

[edit on 11-11-2009 by Alxandro]

[edit on 11-11-2009 by Alxandro]