In my first article, appearing in the March issue of the Independent Gazette, I made the case that term limits are merely a solution to the wrong problem. Our federal Constitution provides the proper mechanism for congressional turnover, namely, regular elections. I also noted that according to surveys only about one-third of voters actually want to return an incumbent to Washington, yet incumbents are rarely defeated in their re-election bids.
In recent days, Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey has submitted a bill calling for amending the US Constitution to limit the terms of Congressional representatives in the House to three and members of the Senate to two. Many people have come out in support of this proposal, particularly conservative Republicans and those frustrated in general with our Congressional members. Toomey’s legislation possesses a certain degree of appeal, to be sure. Gone would be the days of 30- and 40-year careers in the congress. Gone would be the stranglehold on our nation by the same corrupt group of cronies getting re-elected ad nauseam.