A Practical Look at Term Limits for Congress

A restructuring of Congress and the Senate with term limits would be a monumental task.

In order to accomplish the task, Would  we, as a people, have to find enough politicians willing to participate in voting term limits through our current system of lawmaking in Washington to amend the Constitution of the United States as stated below:

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The Constitution of the United States

Article 1 Section. 2.

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Article 1 Section. 3.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
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Can we as Independents, Tea Partiers, Republicans and Democrats elect enough new politicians in the various fifty states willing and/or able to get the task done; or would there be enough people willing to act as non-partisans to elect enough politicians into a new Tea Party or Independent
position?

Would the individual States ratify the new amendment as required by law?

Can we act as a majority to replace partisan favorites and career politicians who would most certainly resist? If not, will the new politicians have enough influence to sufficiently making a difference?

In the case of partisan favorites, there would be states and districts who would not want their favorite politician to be replaced.  They ‘have them in their pocket’ and would re-elect them in spite of the movement to elect politicians favoring term limits.

We must also define what we mean by time limits. In order for any politician to accomplish a campaign for a worthy cause, he would have
to present his cause and find enough support to vote it into law.  If he could not, he would have to wait for the playing field to change enough to find that support.  Four years would not be long enough to do that.  Would six years, eight years or even ten years be needed to get a job done? Changing political ideals depends on who is currently President and what the current majority opinion is in the House and Senate.

The idea of term limits is appealing but, if the American people really want this to exist in the House and Senate, there are many things to consider in order to create an atmosphere that will accomplish the desired result.

Please leave your comments. This is the purpose of this Blog. We must formulate new ideas and make them workable or abandon them to prevent their being only a distraction to what we all want to achieve; a federal system at the top level that truly represents the people and not special interest and big money.