Why should congressmen and women have term limits? With an undercurrent of uprising American citizens clamoring for a Convention of States, many new proposed issues and limiting factors for the government have circled through the internet. Not least of all being term limits to Congressmen and women, limiting them to a max of 12 years in a particular office. Here is a very brief list reasons for term limits:
- Allows regular replacements of people who don't live in the "DC Bubble". Many congressmen have campaigned and promised their constituents much in order to be elected, but after many long years at Capitol Hill, politicians seem to lose track of what's happening around the rest of the country. Renewing the office with fresh representatives allows for people from the area to know what the voters want.
- Provides incentive to help their state and federal governments, because they'll be just another average joe dealing with those policies when their term is up. How will legislators vote for increases in taxes or forced health insurance coverage if, once their term is up, they'll be reaping what they sow?
- Incumbent legislators have access to funds that challengers just don't have, creating a steep difficulty curve to campaigning. These funds may come from donors of special interest groups that will want to keep the sitting legislator if they favor their needs, or the party they're affiliated to will want them to stay, but withhold financial support to a challenger.
- Realistically, voters participation is extremely low with congressional elections, and voters will likely vote down party lines. Having new people may increase interest in voting. While I admit this can be a stretch, but it would certainly be interesting to see if this works out like that.
- Allows regular replacements of people who don't live in the "DC Bubble". Many congressmen have campaigned and promised their constituents much in order to be elected, but after many long years at Capitol Hill, politicians seem to lose track of what's happening around the rest of the country. Renewing the office with fresh representatives allows for people from the area to know what the voters want.
- Provides incentive to help their state and federal governments, because they'll be just another average joe dealing with those policies when their term is up. How will legislators vote for increases in taxes or forced health insurance coverage if, once their term is up, they'll be reaping what they sow?
- Incumbent legislators have access to funds that challengers just don't have, creating a steep difficulty curve to campaigning. These funds may come from donors of special interest groups that will want to keep the sitting legislator if they favor their needs, or the party they're affiliated to will want them to stay, but withhold financial support to a challenger.
- Realistically, voters participation is extremely low with congressional elections, and voters will likely vote down party lines. Having new people may increase interest in voting. While I admit this can be a stretch, but it would certainly be interesting to see if this works out like that.
