...Currently, Congress does not have term limits. Members of the House of Representatives are elected for two years per term. Members of the Senate are elected for six years per term. The main problem with not having term limits is having the same people being in office for decades. “Rep. John Dingell of Michigan became the longest-serving member of Congress on Friday with 57 years, five months, 27 days and counting on Capitol Hill.”#1 Having these same individuals in office for this long means there is no new ideas or perspectives. “The current Congress is a dismal failure and is desperate need of new ideas, procedures, and influence.”#2. With no new ideas or different perspectives on issues, there is no progression. With having term limits, we can get new people with different opinions and concepts. We can then help change our great country for the better. We, as a country, need a new amendment that would limit Congressmen to four full terms in office. Being a congressman is not a career, though many see it as one. It is a privilege given to very few to have the ability to represent the people of our country in...
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...ENG 105 23 April 2024 Why We Need Term Limits in Congress? Recently the debate regarding further term limits for elected officials has exploded, there are many arguments on whether term limits are necessary and what they would look like. This debate is still ongoing today and is hotly contested. Many states have enacted term limits on statewide positions and have seen remarkable results from these laws. Term limits are essential for us to put confidence back into our political system, term limits would help increase the number of citizens that can get involved in politics as incumbents would be vastly reduced. Another way term limits can help fix the problems in our government is by ending the possibility of lifetime tenure our elected officials have today, which in turn would help curb the corruption our...
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...Congressional Term Limits. Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.cato.org/publications/congressional-testimony/congressional-term-limits This article was written and submitted to the constitution committee as an argument for term limits to be set Congress. Mr. Crane addresses one of the main issues the opposing side has with putting term limits on Congress which is amending the constitution. I think this would be useful for my research paper because it is a normal citizen’s point of view. This piece helps to solidify my argument for why term limits should be an amendment. While this source is biased he does help argue the opposing viewpoint. Gest, T. (1995). Term limits: Detour ahead. U.S. News &...
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...Congressional Term limits is a pending topic which has received a lot of attention from the media: it has garnered public and political support from many individuals; Democrats, Republicans, and third parties. Limiting the term of U.S House and Senate representatives is a tedious constitutional battle involving a lot of loopholes. Creating term limits for U.S House Representative and Senates sounds easy, with Congress support, but the problem is how to gather and maintain Congress support despite the incongruous nature of Congress. U.S House of Representatives currently serve 2-year terms and Senators, 6 years changing this would require the approval of the majority of Congressmen: this is very elusive. Instituting a congressional term limit on the House and Senate requires 2/3 votes from both parties (the House and the Senate) but gaining such support has been difficult due to bipartisanship and Congress’s refusal to adhere to public demands. Congress’s refusal to constitutionalize term limits raises the issue of how to bypass Congress and create an Amendment that would limit U.S House of Representatives and Senate terms which would give other individuals the opportunity to be involved in Congress. Congress decreasing the term a U.S Senator serves as a way to...
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...Congressional Term Limits The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land (U.S. land). Empowered with the sovereign authority of the people by the framers and the consent of the legislatures of the states, it is the source of all government powers, and also provides important limitations on the government that protect the fundamental rights of United States citizens. Professor Larry J. Sabato introduced a number of proposals for Constitutional revisions in his book, A More Perfect Constitution: Why the Constitution Must Be Revised: Ideas to Inspire a New Generation, all of which worthy of consideration, but one stands out to me as the most deserving candidate to become a new Amendment to the Constitution…Congressional Term Limits....
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...Term limits, which basically is the idea of putting boundaries on the time holders of political office that are permitted to serve. Term limits will cause well respected politicians. Term limits are necessary to avoid unfair advantages given to officeholders and to permit a multitude of extra benefits. I do agree that there should be Congressional term limits. New blood needs to enter Congress more frequently, in order to prevent the highly affected Congress that is filled with old people with old ideals. In the Articles of Confederation, a turn in office system was depicted, so that no individual could stay in a position for quite a long time. However, this was deserted in the Constitution since it was considered unnecessary. At the time of...
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...The 22nd Amendment sets a two-term limit on the office of the President. The limit on the President’s tenure was inspired by George Washington, who established the custom of Presidents voluntarily leaving the office after two terms. The move was seen as an important safeguard against tyrannical power. In 1947, a Republican-controlled Congress sent a 22nd Amendment to the states for ratification, and on February 27, 1951, the amendment was finally ratified. Congress and the president are very different however, one branch being controlled by one person, and the other controlled by hundreds. Many Americans argue that term limits could bring in more ideas and get more done in the shorter time congressmen would have. On the other hand, many feel that longer serving members bring experience to the table that new members lack. Pros to term limits includes new ideas constantly being brought to the table and a better lack of corruption, while cons are lack of experience and the fact that they are seen as unnecessary. One positive of term limits would constantly be bringing in new ideas to the Senate and the House. With a constant shuffle of new members, congressmen would be fresher and more “up to date” on the current issues facing America. Cycling leaders in...
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...if there is good challenger, incumbents with enough resources will be more likely to win (p.775). Jacobson concluded that Congressional candidates are very careful when they decide to run for Congress, state legislators tend to run and win Congressional seats when their party has high approval from...
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...Churchill once stated, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all others” (Langworth). Democracy is not a perfect form of government but all forms of government have their shortcomings. In order to overcome flaws, the three branches of government are charged with using their power and resources to find resolutions. According to Thomas Patterson in We the People, of the three branches, Congress possesses “the greatest of all the powers of government, the power to make the laws” (328). The significant role of Legislators necessitates the need for immediate reform before the other branches due to their unique power. Currently, Congress is “the only form of elected office in American government not regulated by term...
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...When we are electing the people to serve us we should know their skill set and their history of politics. They should be skilled enough to serve and learn fast. They also should have many connections from their past experience in politics. It's not going to be the easiest job ever, but one of the most rewarding because they are serving the people that support them. I believe if there is congressional term limits we will be placing new leaders that are inspired to serve in office that will do best for our country. Congressional term limits will improve our country’s government by placing the passionate and inspired leaders to serve. This will reduce the chance of corruption and greediness in our government. This will give us citizens a chance to have our voice hear and an opportunity for our country to move forward for the future. Congressional term limits in the United State’s congress will be more of a benefit than a harm it will decrease the amount of corruption by career...
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...America's Democracy: Your Report Card Jermaine Rucker POL201: American National Government (ACK1544E) Instructor: Allison Sloan November 30, 2015 The American national government has numerous upsides and downsides. There are numerous routes in which these can be altered with a specific end goal to make less issues for the national government. The key structures, frameworks, parts, and procedures that encapsulate our national government are extremely point by point and need exceptionally pivotal consideration while deciding the upsides and downsides of the administration. It is anything but difficult to take a gander at another nation and think about the legislatures together, as I would see it as taking a gander at America's administration contrasted with that of different nations, our own is in fact the most grounded paying little mind to the negatives that it has. There are many important written documents that we as American language look onto. Probably, one of the most important document that our country does utilize on a daily footing is the United Commonwealth United States Constitution. When the institution fathers created this document, the three watchword probably are “We the Hoi polloi,” this show that the US Constitution is deeply important and that the people are the ones that are protected with this. This is figure on the idea of: lifespan, shore leave and freedom. I believe that the US Constitution has been extremely important because it has lasted for so...
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...when they drafted the Constitution because they wanted to prevent a country run by a dictator. They outlined the delegated powers in Article I for the Legislative Branch that includes: the authority to declare war, raise an army, levies taxes, provide for common defense, make new or change laws and so on. The Legislative Branch is empowered to create new laws “deemed necessary” as cited in the Necessary and Proper Clause sometimes referred to as the Elastic Clause. The Necessary and Proper Clause gives Congress the power "To make all Laws which shah be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution" Congress's other powers...
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...One power of Congress is “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers.” This compliments Lee Hamilton’s statement as the power allows Congress make laws for the people as new situations arise. From this, it is agreed with Hamilton that “Congress is the most important link between the American people and their national government.” Congress takes new opinions and problems from citizens and applies them when making laws. Also, the stipulations for a member of the legislature ensures the bond between the people and the government. Members of the House have short two-year terms, while Senators have six-year terms, allowing new members to appeal modern policies to Congress to service recent...
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...Notes: Chapter 11 “Congress” I. Introduction 1. The Congress that the U.S. and most Latin American countries has is different from the Parliament that most European nations have because in Europe, a person who wants to run for office must persuade his party to nominate him, while in America, politicians can run for themselves. i. In Europe, people vote for parties; in America, they vote for individuals. ii. In primaries, people vote especially for a “person” (and his qualities, traits, etc…), and in general elections, this is sometimes true also. iii. In parliament, legislators can support their leaders or not, and if they don’t then new leaders (prime minister and various cabinet members) must be elected. a. This ensures that more action can occur, since the parties of the executive and legislative branches are practically always the same. iv. Congress is free from the turmoil of possible collapsing executive branches and is more powerful to make decisions; Congressmen don’t have to worry about easily losing their positions come another election. a. In Congress, there is less cohesion in bill passing, and less stuff can get done. v. Parliaments members usually engage in debate, are poorly paid, have little independent power, and receive little power as well. vi. Meanwhile, Congressmen are much better paid, have more power, do many things...
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...James Taylor 10/15/12 State and Local Government Review of 101 Chambers written by Peverill Squire and Keith E. Hamm Squire and Hamm begin their writings with introducing the reader to the historical lineage of American legislatures and their evolution from colonial days to the modern government. The colonial institutions "have greatly influenced the design of the new Congress under the Constitution" (Squire and Hamm 34). The bicameral system had its originations in colonial governments and the original colonial constitutions had a large impact on the future constitutions. The bicameral legislation structure that is now common in the United States began in the colonial era. The original colonies has systems that greatly resembled that of the English system during the Tudor reign with an unicameral system made up of the governor, the councilors, and the general assembly that was made up by the colony's freemen. Massachusetts became the first colony to separate into two chambers, one made up of the council and the other made up of the general assembly. In the 1630s "the councilors and the members of the assembly developed different interests and concerns, and these differences led to conflict between them" (Squire and Hamm 34). State constitutions became more prevalent as the idea of independence from the crown grew stronger. The states wanted to have control over who would be appointed to represent them in their legislatures. Many of the structures had not been changed...
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