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.

---

UK Elections on the Horizon

With elections on the horizon and Blair looking tired and... Read More

Thomas Paine / Jefferson

Conor MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Will Not Monitor MLM Companies

Having been to every city in the country over the... Read More

Intelligent Design - Why are the Intelligent So Afraid of It?

Why are intelligent people so afraid of the idea that... Read More

Population Control and Water Supply Issues

As we increase our populations every new soul will require... Read More

Continuing Change in the Offshore World

The offshore financial centres have been forced in recent years... Read More

Netanyahu: Too Late For A Fight-back?

The resignation from cabinet yesterday, Sunday, by the Israeli minister... Read More

UAV Decoy Stategies, Theories and The Modern Art of War

Well having studying the need for decreasing America's dependence on... Read More

Anglo-Israelism and the Flesh

Recently a friend insisted that I read a book by... Read More

The G-8 and Other Figureheads

The Presidents Before Washington:From the moment that the first Declaration... Read More

A Viewpoint Not Represented in the Mainstream Media

The news media will regularly present views from Democratic (liberal),... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Franchising Division; Inept?

Why are we over regulating the franchising industry? What are... Read More

Policy Separated from Politics

Alexander Hamilton ? Policy Separated from Politics:I am related to... Read More

Defending Middle Eastern Oil Refineries and Assets

An idea to defend oil infrastructure in the Middle East... Read More

Economics and Politics of Regional Droughts

It cities across America water is an issue, the flow... Read More

The FIRST FAMILY of the United States

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

Quality of Life and Freedom, Unilateral Discussion

City Governments is their quest for; "quality of life" often... Read More

The Glorious Acts of Our Legislature

I always have to remember to take a deep breath... Read More

How Small Business Benefits From Supporting Labor Unions

For a short time I worked as a union officer... Read More

Jobs and the Flow of Fuel

We see today a fierce unspoken competition between trucks and... Read More

Water at the Roots of Twenty First Centurys Conflicts

According to a postulate made by Ignacio Ramonet ecological resources... Read More

Russian State Administration Gives New Facelift to Oil and Energy Resources

With the world's largest oil and natural gas reserves, second... Read More

Michael Moore: The Dumbest People on the Face of the Earth

"Fahrenheit 9/11" auteur Michael Moore recently fueled the epidemic of... Read More

Lets Make Some Things Clear about John Thune/Dan Nelson/MetaBank MetaGate

Let's make one thing clear: This Dan Nelson Automotive fiasco... Read More

Paper Industry

The paper industry in the US is hurting. Due to... Read More

Oil Prices Effect The United States Competitiveness

Just because we have been leading the World in innovation... Read More

OSHA is just more BS from the Blob of Bureaucracy

Is Ohio Manufacturing Sector really unable to compete in the... Read More

PTO - Patent and Trademark Office needs complete overhaul

Recently in Maine, I talked with a gentleman and we... Read More

Why the United States just doesnt get the United Nations

For years I have been amazed as I've listened to... Read More

Liberalism ? A Mark Too Low A Price Too High

After the dance the piper must be paid. To help... Read More

Seven Things That Make Me Angry

I watch the TV news and I get angry. I... Read More

The Macedonian Lottery

Every conflict has its economic moments and dimensions. The current... Read More

The Dragons

I hope to provide a starting point for the serious... Read More