The 22nd Amendment - Removing the Politics

[bryant69]

I hope nobody here wants President Bush to get another term. I like most people here would prefer he not serve out the remainder of his second term (and if anybody has a credible time machine idea, well, I'd probably support that too).

That said, is limiting a President to 2 terms a good idea or a bad idea? I see good arguments on both side - on the one hand it is undemocratic to say the People can't elect someone to a third term. The people are either smart enough to vote the bastards out or they aren't - but we'd like to believe they are. On the other hand, I certainly don't think Presidents should have more than two terms - the office goes to their head, I think. IN away I'd like a one six year term in office and then you are out - so you don't have to spend the bulk of your first term running for reelection.

Finally, the elephant in the closet is fair elections - if the elections aren't fair, than of course we should oppose the repeal of the 22nd amendment with all our might - because if they can just put Bush back in the white house, against the will of the people, they probably will. But for the sake of this poll let's assume we would have fair elections.

Anyway what do you think?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[LSparkle]

1. Until we go back to PAPER BALLOTS, no way should this be changed

It could, in essence, turn us into Egypt or Syria or even Saddam-era Iraq (they hold "elections" but leadership is basically passed on from father to son/designee).

[Deep13]

2. At this point, any check on the executive is necessary. nt

[Eric J in MN]

12. Yes. The direction we need is MORE limits on the power...

...of the executive branch.

Repealing term limits would take us in the wrong direction.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. We should repeal the executive branch and move to a parliament.

The president has far too much power and far too few curbs.

[bryant69]

4. That would be an enormous change

I see some clear benefits, but not sure how we get from point a to point b. Because I think in order to do that we'd need to get a new constitution, and a lot of people would oppose that on principle.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Hosnon]

5. No problem with considering its repeal. I am not a gung-ho small "D"

democrat though.

It has many errors and letting the people vote for who they want is not always a good idea. That office has too much power and incumbants already have a huge advantage.

It's not a stretch in my mind for a President to make sure he is always re-elected.

[MrCoffee]

6. I voted for "totally repeal" (assuming fair elections, like the OP asked)

The 22nd is based on backlash against FDR and the "well-defined custom" that Presidents serve no more than two terms.

Article 2 says nothing at all about a Presidential term limit, even though it has plenty to say on eligibility for office.

Personally, I don't think it's that good an Amendment. Which is not to say that I'm not damn glad it's there right now.

[rock]

7. It works so well for the President

that it should apply to all congressmen as well. (Or am I being sarcastic?)

[RobertSeattle]

8. Two Terms and your are out

People get stale. President's get stale. We have 300 Million people in this country - let someeone lead.

It is "amusing" that the GOP pushed the 22nd Amendment and then the first President who might have been able to go 3 terms (though senile) would have been Reagan... Karma.

[tritsofme]

9. Someone like Ronald Reagan makes me glad we have the 22nd

He would have skated to a third term, possibly even a fourth, and as we entered the 90s, his Alzheimer's would have been full blown.

We don't need presidents for life, but I don't think a third term would be going too far.

[bryant69]

11. But if elections were fair

than we wouldn't have presidents for life - people would vote Presidents out.

Bryant

[tritsofme]

13. Fair elections could have reelected Reagan in 1988 and 1992

And his deteriorating health masked by his handlers could have kept a man in the depths of Alzheimer's Disease in the Oval Office.

I think after two or three terms its time for some change regardless.

[greeneyedboy]

10. one six-year term - no campaigning while in office n/t