DeMint Introduces “Term Limits for All�

[Guest nokoDAD]

I have been saying this for a while and am glad someone has the guts to put it out there. This will take a massive grassroots campaign to accomplish but we can hope and pray. Read the bill and decide for your self. But if you agree please start calling today. Have everyone you know call!

United States Senator - Jim DeMint

DeMint Introduces “Term Limits for All†Constitutional Amendment

Amendment would limit every House member to 3 terms, every Senator to 2 terms

November 10, 2009 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) introduced an amendment to the United States Constitution that would apply term limits to all members of Congress, limiting U.S. Representatives to three terms and U.S. Senators to two terms in office. The amendment is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), and Sam Brownback (R-Kansas). As an amendment to the Constitution, it would require a two-thirds majority vote approval in the House and Senate and must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," said Senator DeMint. "As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buyoff special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork – in short, amassing their own power. I have come to realize that if we want to change the policies coming out of Congress, we must change the process itself. Over the last 20 years, Washington politicians have been reelected about 90% of the time because the system is heavily tilted in favor of incumbents. If we really want to put an end to business as usual, we’ve got to have new leaders coming to Washington instead of rearranging the deck chairs as the ship goes down.â€

Senator Coburn added, “The best way to ensure we are truly a government of the people, for the people, and by the people, is to replace the career politicians in Washington with citizen legislators who care more about the next generation than their next election. The power of incumbency has created an almost insurmountable advantage for Washington politicians. Incumbency allows politicians to raise millions of dollars in campaign funds in exchange for earmarks. Incumbency gives Congress the power to raise money for itself – Congress just approved itself an increase of nearly $250 million from the U.S. Treasury that members will spend to promote themselves. Finally, with redistricting incumbents can choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives. Term limits is the best way to break this cycle.â€

- PDF of Term Limits for All amendment

- Download Senator DeMint's podcast on Term Limits for All -

“Some say only long-serving, seasoned elites have the skills to lead the people, but that’s exactly what we have today and how do you think it’s working out for us?†said Senator DeMint. “It wasn’t the ‘people’ who gave us a $12 trillion debt, an IRS tax code seven times longer than the Bible, over 1,700 departments of the federal government, trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see, $100 trillion long-term shortfall in Social Security and Medicare, the Wall Street and auto bailouts, and the pending health care takeover.

“This nation can no longer afford these entrenched men and women who enjoy lives of luxury wholly insulated from the consequences of their major policy failures.

“I want to be clear: demanding that reformers adopt self-imposed term limits is a recipe for self-defeat on this issue. We lost the battle for term limits after the 1994 Republican Contract with America because we forced our best advocates for reform to go home, while the big-spending career politicians waited them out. We must have term limits for all or term limits will never succeed. Only when we apply the same rules to all will we be able to enact vital bipartisan reforms.

“Term limits will increase legislative turnover, expand the field of candidates who run for office, and instill transparency and accountability in our public officials. By ratifying this amendment, we can end the tremendous advantage enjoyed by incumbents in Washington, break long-lasting ties to special interests and lobbyists, and transform Congress from the body of career politicians that it has become, to a chamber of true citizen legislators,†said Senator DeMint.

[Oh Shoot]

...DeMint Introduces “Term Limits for All†Constitutional Amendment

Amendment would limit every House member to 3 terms, every Senator to 2 terms ...

Like foxes voting to stay out of the hen house - yeah, I'm sure that will pass.

- OS

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

The irony is pass or fail, it will probably get DeMint reelected.

[ukerduker]

This is just one part of the problem I see with Congress. They need to include a termination of benefits amendment with this. No longer should politicians receive lifetime salaries and benefits at our expense. They are public servants, let's start treating them as such.

[Guest KarlS]

Hope it happens but I'm not holding my breath. I'd love to see term limits! I also believe Idiot stick will steal the 2012 election and by then the radical theives will look to go the way of Chavez and enlightened one will have to be physically removed from the White House. Just my prediction.

[1gewehr]

Why can't we impose this on our TN congresscritters, though? What if the State legislature passes a law stating that 'No person who has served two terms as a US Senator, or four terms as a US congressman, shall be eligible to run for that office again"?

We can't clean up California, but we can make sure we don't have any 'dictators for life' from TN!

[Guest HexHead]

Why can't we impose this on our TN congresscritters, though? What if the State legislature passes a law stating that 'No person who has served two terms as a US Senator, or four terms as a US congressman, shall be eligible to run for that office again"?

We can't clean up California, but we can make sure we don't have any 'dictators for life' from TN!

Pfft, we can't even impose term limits on the damn Metro Council. They just go back and forth from district rep, to at-large and back to district ad nauseam.

While I applaud the idea of the Constitutional amendment, there's no way in hell it will make it through the Congress in the first place.

[LagerHead]

Pfft, we can't even impose term limits on the damn Metro Council. They just go back and forth from district rep, to at-large and back to district ad nauseam.

While I applaud the idea of the Constitutional amendment, there's no way in hell it will make it through the Congress in the first place.

Which is very likely why he proposed the Amendment in the first place. Now he can spend the rest of his life saying, "I sponsored a bill that would impose term limits...." but leave out the fact that this is his xth time running for office.

[Guest gunslinger707]

A bill to limit political office holder term's stand's about as much of a chance of passing as a snowball would have of not melting in hell !!!!!

The snow ball would probably have the advantage.:D

[G27]

The irony is pass or fail, it will probably get DeMint reelected.

Call me cynical, but I'd go so far as to suggest he knows it has zero chance and introduced it just so he'd get re-elected...

[Chief07]

This is just one part of the problem I see with Congress. They need to include a termination of benefits amendment with this. No longer should politicians receive lifetime salaries and benefits at our expense. They are public servants, let's start treating them as such.

I agree! These politicians voted for thier own lifetime benifits. (What a scam).

Term limits would be right and proper but I don't see it happening.

This bunch is embarassing:

Robert (KKK) Byrd WVa. 95 and in a wheel chair. (Where is my dog Billie)?

Frank (Is there drool on my chin)? Lautenberg NJ 94.

Arlen (Specticle) Spector Pa. 89 Dem, GOP, Dem, (I'm confused).

You get my point.

[Guest TnDeerHunter]

Would be nice but ain't no way it'll happen

[trblmkr13]

Shocking its taken this many years for someone to realize term limits would be a good idea but things are so corrupt no chance it passes

[Oh Shoot]

I've said it many times, was one of the great omissions by the Founders (to call for term limits).

The idea of the career politician just never occurred to them.

Likely would have changed they way America looks dramatically.

- OS

[Guest nokoDAD]

What upsets me the most about reading this thread is that our government was designed to have member of the House and Senate represent its people. A few weeks ago in a radio interview Representative Steve Cohen was asked if a large portion of his feedback via phone calls and mail/email from his constituents asked him not to support the current health care reform, would he? He went on to say that this is a decision all representatives have to make based on the facts as THEY know them. In essence, his answer was that he could and probably would vote against the wishes of his constituents. As he later did.

I am reminded of the slogan used to summarize the thirteen colony's primary grievance with British government. They believed they did not have enough representation in government. "No Taxation without representation." If our elected official no longer do, have we regressed that far?

As James Otis said "Taxation without representation is tyranny."

Edited November 17, 2009 by nokoDAD

[Retired Navy GMC]

I would love to see a term limits bill pass, but we all know that will probably not happen. Term limits are up to us, the voter. IMO the only reason that some of these idiots get re-elected is because people don't look into what they really stand for. Voters have become used to the idea of an individual or a specific name being their representative without reviewing their stand on issues. What they stood for 20 or 30 years ago has probably changed now. Sort of like getting used to a certain brand name. Just my opinion.

[Warbird]

Why can't we impose this on our TN congresscritters, though? What if the State legislature passes a law stating that 'No person who has served two terms as a US Senator, or four terms as a US congressman, shall be eligible to run for that office again"?

We can't clean up California, but we can make sure we don't have any 'dictators for life' from TN!

Because it is unconstitutional to make such a law. Laws pertaining to the election of federal candidates cannot be interfered with by states. It is explicitly spelled out in the Constitution. The USSC has been clear on it in decisions.

The only way to change it and the only say states would have, would be in a Constitutional Amendment, such as was done pertaining to the election of Federal Senators, and if it passed Congressional muster states could vote and have their say.

[mcurrier]

This is just one part of the problem I see with Congress. They need to include a termination of benefits amendment with this. No longer should politicians receive lifetime salaries and benefits at our expense. They are public servants, let's start treating them as such.

Amen!

[Guest Ghostrider]

The Congress and the Supremes have the same problem. Life time employment. It's what makes France great (sarcasm).

Only the people can take back the government.

[Guest Drewsett]

Bill Frist was the best example of what a Senator should be...

When he ran for office in 96 he said that he would seek no more than two terms.

Guess what...

He stayed true to his word and did not seek reelection after serving his second term (even though I know I would have voted for him again, along with most Tennesseeans).

[Guest HvyMtl]

Hmm. Last I checked, its, what 95%+ Chance to get re-elected?

Ever notice the party, not presently in power, draws up a bill for term limits? And when the party gains in power, and gets "on top," the bill goes away? Then the other party writes one?

Effectively, term limits will not be an easy thing to pass... some may even argue that the limits would have to be a Constitutional Amendment, as the Constitution addresses the length of term for a Congress Member - and did not limit the number of terms...

Seriously, do you think politicians will pass something that cuts off their gravy train?

Another Tennessean that was true to his word on time in office - James K Polk. He was even true to his Presidential Campaign Promises. Who else can claim that?

[Guest Drewsett]

He was even true to his Presidential Campaign Promises.

I seem to remember a little slogan called 54' 40'' or fight....

I don't remember the fight heh.

Edited December 4, 2009 by Drewsett

[MikeW]

This is what we need but will never happen...

[DaveTN]

Term limits are a bad idea.

Besides, we already have term limits; it’s called a ballot.

If any Politician is there for multiple terms it’s because the voters want them there.

If we should happen to get one that tries to do a good job; he (or she) should be able to stay.

If you think it’s not a bad idea just look to the presidency. Four years of making a good show and trying to get reelected; then four years of doing whatever they like with no worries about what the people want.

But let’s don’t do away with term limits for the President while this clown is in office.

You think he’s whacked now, what do think this nut case will do when he doesn’t have to worry about getting reelected?