The amendment proposed above is the correct way to address the problem, and would result in widespread agreement if pursued with the vigor that the time limit proposals have been. The idea is simple: there shall be no such thing as an incumbent. If you are presently serving in an elected position, you are not eligible to serve in that position next term.
It should be clarified what this proposed amendment does not say. It does not prohibit a person holding elected office from returning to that office the term after next. It does not prohibit a person holding office from running for a different office.
It also doesn't say that it applies only to the U. S. Congress. It applies to all elected positions in the country, including state and local. The Twenty-Second Amendment is the one that limits Presidents to two terms, and this should be repealed so that the limit of one term at a time, with no limits on total number of terms, applies to the office of President as well.
What it does do is prevent a person in office from using the power of that office to get reelected. And that is where many of the problems have occurred.
There would be a few results to be expected: For one thing, one would hope that politicians would spend a little more time their last year in office working rather than campaigning, and a little less of taxpayers' money on campaigning!
But there are further implications: If a politician wished to be elected to a position sometime in the future, he would have to do a fairly good job in office. If trying to return to that office after someone else has filled the seat and blamed him for whatever went wrong, his previous performance will have had to withstand a test of time.
At the present time, much of the power in Congress, as well as in state and local legislatures, resides with those who have held their office the longest. This leads to incredible misuses of power. Since seniority would no longer be available as a selection basis, committee chairpersons and the like would have to be selected on other bases -- like competence, fairness, integrity, etc.
It can be hoped that this amendment would have an effect on voters as well. Rather than just brainlessly voting for the person who already holds the office, they will be forced to actually choose among equal newcomers. Perhaps some of them will actually apply a little thought to the decision for a change.
It could also be hoped that this amendment would spell the end of the
career politician. While some claim that people who have made a career
out of elected office have done some good, it is only too clear that the
career politician has been a disaster for our form of government. Our country
would be much better served by people who are inspired to run for office,
serve a single term, and then return to whatever business they were in
before.
Return to Kirby Palm's opinions page.
Return to Kirby Palm's home page.
Of course, if you have questions or comments, you are welcome to send e-mail to me at "palmk at nettally dot com".