My Case Against Term Limits

[louis c]

I don't want to be limited in my choices. I like to vote on experience. I think experience counts for something.

When I fly on a plane, I like the thought that my pilot has a great deal of flying hours. When I need an operation, I like the thought that my doctor has performed numerous operations.

Let me judge when change is needed. If I want someone different, I'll vote for the newcomer, but that's my choice, not the government's.

By the way, we already have term limits for all elected offices. Two years for Congress, two or four years for Governors and six years for Senators. If you don't like the way they vote, or the way they act, vote them out of office. That's your right, but don't take away my right to vote for who I want.

[Mike Nelson]

1. Correct...

...we have term limits. The proposals take away voting rights. When we get someone like FDR, we should keep him/her.

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. I totally agree.

With you and Mike Nelson.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

3. I'm for term limits (2 terms/8 year max)

because typically people keep voting in the same idiots over and over again. Also, given all the people that live here, I'd like to see someone else get a chance to run. We do have a lot of capable people. I wish the parties could do a better job getting good people to run. I wish they would investigate ways to help more people in their 40's and younger run for office too. The problem younger people have is that they are trying to work and raise families and that doesn't leave room for much else.

[ehrnst]

4. Gerrymandering is the root of the issue.

Term limits are a different matter for executive branch leaders. They can do far more with additional terms as their power is more centralized.

Legislative leaders must work in concert with others, and those with less institutional knowledge rely more on lobbyists - who there would be a new crop of every few years as their term limits expire.

[Hoyt]

5. We would have lost some good Congresspeople -- Kennedy, Sanders, Lewis, etc.

Term Limits are useful when trying to get rid of some deplorables, but it works the other way too.

[Coyotl]

6. Rs want term limits to get rid of powerful Dems in gerrymandered districts they can't win in.

Some of the most powerful Congress members are minority members from district where gerrymandering has concentrated so many Democratic voters,term limits is the only way Republicans can ever get those powerful members out of the House. Rep. Elijah Cummings is the best example right now. To get rid of Kucinich, they had to redraw the district lines. Rep. John Conyers is another example of a thorn in their sides they could not defeat.

Term limits are being pushed by Republicans for this reason.

[WhollyHeretic]

7. Money in politics and gerrymandering are the problems. We need experienced people

I don't believe in term limits.