Why We Need Term Limits For Congress

I’m keeping this post short and sweet today…

If the current political climate is any indication of what is flawed about our political system, the root cause is the fact that we do not have term limits for senators and congressmen like we do for the chief executive.

Let me add that Supreme Court Justices should not have term limits because I am of the opinion that the Judicial Branch should have the autonomy that comes with not having to answer to a constituency or experience the cyclical turnover that the Executive and Legislative Branches have to contend with.

That said, our legislators (state and federal) should have term limits just like the president has. A lack of term limits for legislators creates career politicians who are more interested in maintaining their power and perks to enrich themselves vs. serving their constituents with the zealous resolve that only comes with being empowered for a limited amount of time. To paraphrase former President Obama, the fierce urgency of now is a great motivator and knowing that you only have 2-4 years as a congressman or 6-12 years as a senator to make a difference and have a lasting impact can only benefit our great nation.

When a person is elected to Congress as a middle class citizen and is a multimillionaire before their first term is over, there is something egregiously broken with the system.

When a person is elected to Congress and can serve for a lifetime while accomplishing next to nothing and earn emoluments that would make a millionaire green with envy, there is something egregiously broken with the system.

Serving your country should have its rewards. As an Army Veteran, I know I’ve received many rewards and advantages that I would never have received sans my service. However, when preserving the power and perks of office becomes more important to a senator or congressional representative than standing up for what is right on behalf of the American people and being an unbiased check on the Executive and Judicial Branches as codified in the Constitution, then what We the People get instead of honest representation is 535 self-licking ice cream cones who would rather acquiesce in the face of corruption or challenge than stand up for what is right.

We the People deserve representation who truly represents and reflects the constituency because said representation will have to live with the results of their decisions and actions just like their constituents when they come home for good after two terms.

-The Rational Ram