A Workable Alternative to Term Limits

The end of another election once again brings into focus the problem of Washington politicians raising money and running for re-election as soon as they get into office. Many citizens and various government-accountability advocacy groups have done little more than complain from time to time. However, some of them, along with many members of the media, have been pushing for term limits as a solution. But is that really the solution we need? Even with term limits, we would still be left with the same old problems, only in smaller doses, i.e., politicians would still be playing the same old campa igning and fund raising games for whatever amount of subsequent terms they are allowed. Also, we would still be stuck with the situation in which sitting Senators and Representatives (even those with no remaining terms for the office they hold) spend their time running for higher office.

I say forget about term limits in Washington as I have a better solution. I call it ''term interruptions.'' Here's how it would work: No President/Vice President, Senator, or Representative could serve two consecutive terms in the same office and would have to sit out at least two years before being eligible for a different federal office although he/she could be elected to an unlimited number of terms in any number of federal offices. For example, a U.S. Representative could not succeed himself/herself in that office and would have to wait until he/she has been out of office for at least two years before being eligible for President/Vice President, a Senate seat, or any seat in the House of Representatives. In other words, a sitting President/Vice President, Senator, or Representative could not run for re-election and he/she could not run for any elective seat in the legislative or executive branches of the federal government. That way, they could all focus on serving their constituents rather than getting re-elected. They could use the two off-years for campaigning and raising money.

However, this proposal could be problematic for the U.S. House of Representatives, since its members currently serve only two-year terms. Under my plan, the House would see a complete turnover (all 435 members) every two years. Therefore, I would propose four-year terms for U.S. Representatives. Of course, we would still get a complete turnover in the House, only after every four years instead of every two years, so there would still be a problem.

To prevent a complete turnover every four years, terms could be staggered so that half the members of the House are up for re-election every two years. However, in the first House election under my plan, half of the House would get four-year terms, with the other half getting two-year terms. A way to determine who gets the four-year terms in the initial election would be as follows: The House member in each state with widest margin of victory in that election would get a four-year term. The 168 remaining members (on an at-large basis) with the next highest victory margins would also get four-year terms, for a total of 218. The remaining 217 members would get only two-year terms for that election only. For the next election only, members who got two-year terms would be allowed to run for re-election, without sitting out two years. Then, beginning with that election, they would all get four-year terms and the term interruptions rules would fully take effect.

Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Virginia, USA. He operates a website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in meanstream media.

---

Think You Dont Need A License for A Wireless Microphone? Think Again

Believe it or not, every theatre, church, or Britney Spears... Read More

5 Years in Prison for Satirical Flash Films About the President of Belarus

They do not allow the criticism of the president in... Read More

Monetary Flows, Retained Earnings, Over Regulation and Abundant Resources

All countries have specific things that are abundant in the... Read More

OPECs Swan Song?

Indonesia's Energy Minister, Purnomo Yusgiantoro, is unhappy with the modest... Read More

Great Melting Pot Indeed

An interesting conversation that I thought I must share with... Read More

Tax Dollars and Transparency of Government Agencies

As we watch fewer Americans voting it is no wonder... Read More

Mexican Living: A Disabled Man Speaks for Terri

I am an incurably ill American male forced to leave... Read More

Social Security Rant

As the Baby Boomer Generation continue to get older, one... Read More

The Politics Of The American Dream

The American Dream is the promise to have it all... Read More

John Roberts ? Supreme Court Nominee

President Bush's selection of the Hon. John Roberts is an... Read More

More Devastating Than a Nuclear Bomb

Despite their signature on the Biological Weapons Convention of 1975,... Read More

The Elephant Roared and Brought Forth a Turd: A Case Against Democratizing the Middle East

The original vulgarity was bylined: ?The Constipation of America's Mid-East... Read More

Smelter Closures In America Hurt Our Industrial Output

The United States is losing its industrial capacity quite rapidly.... Read More

3D Tactical Image Projection Enhanced Decoy System

I propose a special Projection Device code-named: "TIPED". This system... Read More

A Cheap Holiday in Other Peoples Misery (catching up with Mordechai Vanunu in Israel)

One of my favourite pieces of music is the Sex... Read More

The Pilgrims and Beacon Hill Mob

In 1966, Dr. Carroll Quigley, a professor of history at... Read More

The FIRST FAMILY of the United States

The Randolphs:Peyton Randolph was the first President of the United... Read More

The ?Manchurian Candidate?: Lee Harvey Oswald?

An American soldier is taken behind enemy lines and brainwashed... Read More

Why Can?t We Have a More Responsive Government?

The great people of the United States of America deserve... Read More

A Deal Made With Ireland

SYNOD OF DRUM CEATT (494 - 5):It is interesting to... Read More

Eminent Domain Suggested as Cost Saving Measure in DC

Washington DC council member David Catania actually suggested that the... Read More

Voting Pro-Environment is Good For Jobs, Health, and Security

There are many issues on the minds of US voters... Read More

Snowbirds and American Migration and Mobile Populations

We have seen an increase in Snowbirds from Northern States... Read More

The Criminality of Transition

Lecture given at the Netherlands Economic Institute (NEI) on 18/4/2001Human... Read More

Chinese Rhetoric Over Taiwan, Back At You

It appears we are getting a little bit of Sun... Read More

Kudos For Monsanto Company

I applaud Monsanto for their R and D. I would... Read More

What Ordinary People Are Saying--Robertson Assassination Comment

What ordinary people are saying about U.S. televangelist Pat Robertson... Read More

CBM?s Indo-Pak Peace Process

Will a bus running across the borders bring cordial relations... Read More

Population and Transportation in the Modern Era of International Terrorism

It is important as populations expand to work on the... Read More

Water Conservation, Retention and Better Policies

As the populations expand in Colorado outside of Denver, Las... Read More

Public Notaries

We are having a problem in America with Public Notaries,... Read More

Electronic Commerce Taxation: Emerging Legal Issues - Part I

The CBR taxes the Pakistani source income of nonresident individuals... Read More

Jihad Will Continue

The Jihad against the Western World will continue. It will... Read More