Should Congress Have Term Limits?

Term Limits
Congressman should only be allowed to serve two consecutive terms. Just about every time the issues of term limits appear on local or state election ballots, it passes. (Priest) The most important argument when it comes to term limits has to be what the voters want. In this case the voters obviously are in favor of term limits. Having term limits would allow Congress to be infused with new people and new ideas. It would instantly get rid of the “career politician”. The new legislators would have a sense of urgency to get results and would have better ideas of the challenges that ordinary Americans face every day. (Siefman) A country cannot be a democracy in theory. In order for this country to live up its creed and to do what the constitution says we have to have term limits on our legislators. Without term limit this country is nothing less than a dictatorship disguised as democracy.
Allowing legislators to serve more than two terms can lead to what is referred to as a “seniority system”. In theory, each member of Congress has one vote and that vote is supposed to represent the wishes of the people that he or she represents. With the seniority system that is not always the case (Siefman). Senior Congressmen often use their influence to swing votes in their favor; when this happens, the American people
usually lose. The career politician is only concerned about being re-elected. Their allegiance lies not with the average citizen but to those who have the money to contribute to their campaign to ensure re-election. . . Term limits would bring more average Americans to Congress, which would bring an end to the “career politician”. A steady flow of new Congressmen would also mean a steady flow of new ideas (Siefman). Thing would be addressed that would have never been touched by tenured legislators because to risk of political reprisal would not be there.
Another consequence of unlimited Congressional term is the over-spending that is done by the old regime. Most Congressmen who are up for reelection get their funding from lobbyist on the promise to push through some legislation to benefit the lobbyist. The bills that are proposed and usually passed do not help the American people in any way and are passed due to some deal between Congressmen rather than what is good for the people whom they are charged to represent and serve. With term limits legislators will be more likely to vote on principle instead of party lines. Legislators will be able to better serve the people and the back scratching that is going on in Congress now would be a thing of the past. The increase in taxes and the increased size of the government is a direct consequence of the unlimited term limits of Congress. Term limits would bring more average Americans to Congress, which would bring an end to the “career politician". Another flaw in the in our current system of government is that it discourages the average citizen from seeking public office because the incumbent is entrenched and has almost endless resources due to years of making deals with lobbyists and special interest groups.
As a result the American people have stopped turning out to vote. Voters have a feeling of apathy because it is almost impossible to defeat an incumbent Congressman especially if he or she is well funded by lobbyist and special interest groups. Term limits would restore America’s faith in the democratic process and give the common man a chance to serve his or her country.
(Priest)
The argument can be made that term limits would get rid of the good politicians along with the bad. Good politicians are an asset to this country they are often out of touch with what is going on with the common man. A total and complete reform of Congress is an option but Congress would have to initiate such reform and looking at Congresses track record of regulating themselves that is not likely to happen. The argument could also be made that term limits would result in a loss of experience and knowledge. Congress was intended for the common man to have a say about the direction of this country. Term limits has drawbacks but the country would be better with them.
When President George Washington stepped down after serving two terms, he sent a message to the country that no one person should be allowed to hold power forever. President Washington could have very easily been president for life but he stepped down to give the county a chance to practice this new idea called democracy. This country has lost sight of that and in the process has squandered to gift that our fore fathers fought and died for. The voters want term limits. Nearly every time the issue is put on a state or local ballot it passes. (Priest) A country cannot be a democracy in theory. In order for this country to live up its creed and to do what the constitution says we have to have term limits on our legislators. Without term limit we have not achieved the “perfect union” as defined by the preamble to the Constitution of the United States. As a solider my job was to fight and to preserve the American way of life, to attempt to spread American democracy thru out the world. I have watched as a lot of my friends die in Iraq and Afghanistan attempting to do just that. In my opinion a government where the fate of its citizen is being decided on the sole basis of money and power by legislators who are more concerned about staying in office over serving the people needs to be reformed before it can be spread.

Works Cited
Priest, Dana. "Voters in Several States Want Term Limits." Washington Post (2011): A3. Newspaper.
Siefman, David. "Paladino calls Steve Levy 'pretty boy ' slaps Bloomberg on term limits." New York Post (April 2010): D4. Print.