The Need for Term Limits
Should there be term limits on Congress?
Introduction
Ideally, elections for members of the House of Representatives are held every two years. However, a person may run for this particular seat and serve as many times as possible since there are no term limits. Likewise, the Senate’s elections are held every six years, with no term limits for the members. Several attempts have been made to bring the term limits rule to fruitage over the past years, but none was fruitful. Most Congressmen and Congresswomen always aim at being reelected; thus, they are often creating the right image for themselves to the Americans with whichever method, to have their legislative seats again and again after every election.
Term limits or no term limits
I believe that there are several reasons for either side to make their case, to limit or not to limit. If there were term limits, these political leaders would be on their toes; thus, they would do their best to serve the Americans’ interests so that they can be reelected to complete their terms in office. With the term limits in place, there will be reduced corruption, favor towards a specific group of people and increase competition for these legislative seats to give the term “Election” a meaning. On the other hand, there being no term limits for members of Congress, creates a political career for these leaders. In that, they are more experienced and more prone to serving their interests and those of their supporters that deal with the problems for the sake of common good.
With specific policies and ideas such as gerrymandering, polarization and filibustering, the Congress has made it clear its intention to support the minority through filibustering, while at the same time encouraging divisions through the gerrymandering practice. A case where redistricting takes the gerrymandering approach, most of the states will have to be divided between the majority and the minority; thus, giving the majority power over the opposition. If there are no term limits, the rule over minorities will continue growing stronger since there is no active rotation in the Congress. Even with the filibustering policy in effect, it is at times easy for the majority to get the sixty votes that will overturn the system, and they can have their way. Where the term limits proposal is to be put into a ballot, the majority members of Congress would not want to lose their political careers just yet. Thus, by diminishing gerrymandering’s power by increasing the number of representations from 435, approximate representation, and having multiple members in different districts, the power of the minorities will increase, thus creating an opportunity to pass the term limit amendment.
Conclusion
With the above under consideration, it would be beneficial for the country to enact term limit laws for the Congress as is the case for the presidential seat. With term limits, most politicians will be forces to run for different offices in different periods, creating a cycle that does not support the creation of political careers and class within the Congress. Term limits will also bring back the competitive definition of an election, making every political aspirant be on their toes for the next election, or else they be kicked out. Therefore, for the common good of Americans, it would be of great advantage to enact a rule that sets term limits for members of the Congress.
