Term Limits For Legislators Essay examples -- essays research papers

verge Limits For LegislatorsWhen the disposition of the United States was adopted in 1789, it waswithout counsel regarding term gear ups for legislators. At the time,professional politicians were unheard of, and the idea of someone lot formore than one or two terms was unlikely. So the Constitution did non formallyaddress the issue of term limits, although it was understood that officeholderswould limit themselves to one or two terms and then return to hugger-mugger life (1).With the advent of the modern state, however, came the making of Congress as acareer, and thus the voluntary removal of oneself from office, as envisioned bythe founders, is no longer regularly undertaken in the United States Congress.The structure of the Congress supports members who consent held office for severalterms thereby undermining the idea of the citizen-legislator put frontward by thefounders. Instead of citizens who will soon return to the community thatelected them, professional Congress-pe ople spend more time in uppercase than int heir home states, and usually make Congress their career. What has un incredulityablein recent years, in response to congressional careerism, is the drive to obligelimits on the length of time someone may serve in Congress. Currently,advocates of term limits are calling for two terms in the Senate, and trio inthe House. It is possible, then, for a member to serve six years in the House,twelve years in the Senate, eight years as feebleness President, and eight years asPresident, a total of thirty-six years. It is not unlikely, therefore, thatthere will continue to be career politicians. The issue is not about total timethat one may participate in government, rather it is about how long one mayserve in a particular capacity. Term limits enjoy popular, but not political,support, thereby polarizing the electorate and the elected. This paper willdiscuss the popular support for term limits, the arguments on both sides, anddraw conclusions abo ut the need for Congressional term limits in the UnitedStatesSupport for term limits encompasses close to three-quarters of theAmerican population (2). The question is why. The simple answer is that theAmerican people no longer confidence a system they view as corrupt and biased towardsthe few. but the issue is really not this simple, nor is its basis of support.While on the excavate it is corruption and bias... ...s Path to aRepresentative Congress" U.S. Term Limits mental home Outlook Series July, 1994Vol.3 No.2 www.termlimits.org/index.shtmlFund, John H "Term Limitation An inclination Whose Time Has Come" Policy AnalysisNo. 141 October 30, 1990 www.cato.org/pubs/pas/policyanalysis.html"Term Limits refined modern Strategy" The Florida Times Union October 1, 1996www.termlimits.org/index.shtmlJacob, Paul "Choosing Term Limits" The Washington Times August 7, 1996www.termlimits.orgJacob, Paul "Whose Government is it Anyway?" www.termlimits.o rg/index.shtmlKolbe, John "Term Limits Sledgehammer" Phoenix Gazette June 7, 1996www.termlimits.orgLevine, Herbert M. Point-Counterpoint Readings in American Government St.Martins Press, New York. 1995Nelson, Lars-Erik "A Very Special Class of Federal Employee" The Washington topographic point January 5, 1996 www.termlimits.org/index.shtmlOConnor, Karen and Larry J. Sabato American Government Roots and ReformAllyn and Bacon, Massachusetts. 1996Petracca, Mark "The Poison of captain Politics" Policy Analysis No. 151May 10, 1996 www.cato.org/pubs/pas/policyanalysis..html