Posted on 01/03/2017 8:34:35 PM PST by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) are pushing for an amendment to the Constitution to place term limits on lawmakers, arguing the move will help overhaul Washington.
"The American people resoundingly agreed on Election Day, and President-elect Donald Trump has committed to putting government back to work for the American people," Cruz said in a statement on Tuesday. "It is well past time to put an end to the cronyism and deceit that has transformed Washington into a graveyard of good intentions.”
Under an amendment the two GOP lawmakers filed on Tuesday, House members would be allowed to serve three two-year terms and senators would be able to serve two six-year terms.
DeSantis added that the measure would be a "first step toward reforming Capitol Hill."
GOP Sens. Deb Fischer (Neb.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Mike Lee (Utah) and David Perdue (Ga.) are backing the proposal. Cruz and DeSantis previously pledged in a Washington Post op-ed to introduce the measure this year.
According to the resolution, any congressional term before the amendment becomes law wouldn't be taken into account when determining if a lawmaker can run for reelection or not.
Trump backed term limits during his White House run, but the measure could face an uphill battle in Congress.
Neither House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who has said he supports term limits, nor Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has signaled it could come up for a vote.
McConnell appeared to shut down Trump's push after the election, telling reporters, "We have term limits — they're called elections."
In addition to clearing Congress, the Cruz-DeSantis proposal would also need to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures before going into effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Yes, to include the Senate.
Wonder if any Dems will hop aboard this bandwagon?
Term limits is an old saw for climbing career politicians. Always a popular talking point to tell the base. DeSantis and Cruz certainly fit that bill.
Doubtful many will vote themselves out of the a job.
They should implement a grandfather clause deal where they kick the longest serving members out first.
McCain goes first. Every 3 months they give another the boot until they get it their ‘service’ down to 12 years maximum.
Cruz to lead by example by limiting himself to one term.
“GOP Sens. Deb Fischer (Neb.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Mike Lee (Utah) and David Perdue (Ga.) are backing the proposal. Cruz and DeSantis previously pledged in a Washington Post op-ed to introduce the measure this year.”
It is interesting that these people are all single digit “seat warmers” in the Senate.
Just wonder when Chuck Grassley (36 years), Urine Hatch (40 years), Richard Shelby (30 years), John McLame (30 years), and Bitch Mc Connell (32 years) are going to sign on as “co-sponsors?” This bill is DOA because the “Senate Brahmins” all are looking forward to their state funerals. You just have to wonder what’s wrong with the voters who keep returning these worthless turds to office year after year have between their ears.
Actually, I would be OK with anyone serving that is over the proposed limit be allowed to stay if that’s what it takes to get it passed.
That way, no one would be voting themselves out of a job.
We all would like to see McCain and Collins and Leahy and Pelosi outta there. But they aren’t going to vote themselves out.
Cruz will grandstand on this ‘bold’ move for a long time.
He speaks fluent Spanish and would make a great ambassador to some place South of the border.
So then Trump, DeSantis and Cruz are "climbing career politicians" BSing the base about term limits, while all the rest of the silent politicians who apparently don't support term limits, they are the good eggs. Right?
He speaks hardly a word of Spanish.
I was just kidding with that proposal. They built this in to the proposed amendment.
“According to the resolution, any congressional term before the amendment becomes law wouldn’t be taken into account when determining if a lawmaker can run for reelection or not.”
However, except for the extremely elder congressmen, all would be effectively voting them self out after they serve this term if its past 12 years. McCain may have wanted to stay to 100, who knows.
“McCain goes first. Every 3 months they give another the boot until they get it their ‘service’ down to 12 years maximum.”
I wish you well on your “quest.” You have a lot of “material,” since there are twenty-eight Senators with 12 or more years of “servicing us” under their belts, and 13 of those have been “on the job” for twenty or more years. The truth of the matter is that if the Senate “went away tomorrow,” things would improve in DC immeasurably. Top Hits: Patrick “Leaky” Leahy (RAT, VT, 42 years); Urine Hatch (RINO, UT, 40 years). And a total of 5 are 80 years of age or older (Fineswine and Grassley are tops here at 83! If you made “retirement” mandatory at 65, 38 Senators would have to step down.
Wisdom is gained as one ages, so the 65 age limit is not a good idea. We need mature leadership.
But not all of the “senior” Congressmen are wise, unfortunately. Definitely an individual case by case.
The meeting with Trump and Cruz leads legislation on term limits. Interesting meeting. Maybe Cruz will get a federal judgeship.
They have to address congressional pensions at the same time!
Current deal is ridiculous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBu2x5eX-Jo
You got to admit, how entertaining it was to watch Cruz debate Rubio in Spanish. All the while, Trump stands in the middle rolling his eyes.
Cruz likely understands a great deal of Spanish and could effectively deliver Hispanic campaign speeches. However, choosing the correct words in a Q & A session would require a refresher course. But he’s so brilliant, Ted could do it!
The Founders' view of serving in government was a concept of individuals who would leave private life and temporarily serve in government, and then return to private life after their service.
Nowadays, being a politician has become its own lucrative profession. In the past, when this was less the case, term limits were rather unnecessary. But in this modern era which affords opportunity for people in government to enrich themselves at the public's expense, and to use the power of incumbency to perpetuate that state, I have come around to the belief that term limits may, on balance, be a net positive as far as reducing corruption, self-aggrandizement, and careerism in government.
To me, the negative aspect of preventing a "good person" from serving indefinitely in government is probably outweighed by the positive benefit of preventing entrenchment of power.
After all, if term limits are imposed, a person who truly wants to serve in government for a long time could always seek a different elected office, for example.
I'm still somewhat torn on the issue, but I think that the modern situation of a large and powerful central government is possibly better controlled by imposing Congressional term limits.
Having said that, I believe the 12-year limits sought by the authors of this particular bill are indeed too brief, and I would support something closer to, say, 18 years (9 House terms or 3 Senate terms).
All things considered, I think it would be most healthy to return to the notion of private individuals serving in government non-permanently, and then ultimately returning to private life.
Also, since the Presidency has term limits, I don't see any reason that Congress doesn't deserve them as well. Conversely, if there are no Congressional term limits, maybe there should be no Presidential term limit either.
In any event, I also believe that the 17th Amendment should be repealed, and a national debate conducted on the topic of US Senators returning to being appointed by state legislatures.
Unfortunately, the People are probably so addicted to the word "democracy" that they place hysterical significance on it without considering the negative factors which, for thousands of years, have accrued to its excessive practice.
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