standpoint

Term limits

By NED SADER
Posted 12/20/20

No matter where you stand in the political spectrum, in fact, I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t agree that in order to save our republic we must now amend Article 1, Section 2 …

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standpoint

Term limits

Posted

No matter where you stand in the political spectrum, in fact, I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t agree that in order to save our republic we must now amend Article 1, Section 2 and also revisit the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution to eliminate career politicians who have driven us to the precipice we are all witnessing by enacting term limits.

Imagine, special money would eliminate itself as members of the HOR would be limited to say, eight terms or 16 years, the Senate to three terms or 18 years and one six-year term for the President.

No longer would corporations, Wall Street, unions and other special interest monies, which were allowed after Citizen’s United v. FEC in 2010 ruling by SCOTUS to eliminate key provisions of McCain-Feingold, the bi-partisan law signed by George W. Bush in 2002 which restricted campaign financing to prevent unlimited influence from special interests and PAC’s which today throw unrestricted millions into each election cycle.

By enacting term limits we eliminate how campaign financing dictates elections. No longer will outside money back the same person in perpetuity, special interests would be forced to evaluate how they position themselves with candidates based on the potential time those individuals are eligible to serve. Instead, we will see a new future where much shorter terms for members of Congress are normal.

Leadership would transfer quicker; new members would have the opportunity to make substantial impacts as termed-out members exit from the stage. We would never again witness duplicitous behavior like those of the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, the Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader or just about every member in the leadership from both parties.

If you think the shenanigans we are experiencing with career politicians alone over this election in which the people have spoken loud and clear, the same people who have repeatedly ignored their oaths to the Constitution is going to be reformed internally than you better not hold your breath.

We have the ability to eliminate divisive partisanship, to facilitate consensus and promote compromise for the benefit of the people and the principles for which our republic truly stands; we must strive together to ensure that future generations will never experience such as dysfunctional government as we have today.

The Presidency has also reached a point where we need a leader who can deal with the issues without the distractions of a campaign and special interests, so we also amend the Constitution to allow for a single six-year term for our nation’s highest office. Article 2, Section 1 was changed with the 22nd Amendment passed by Congress in 1947 and ratified in 1951 to limit the office to two four year terms and limits a person who fulfills the vacancy of an elected President after two years of a term to only one four year term if they seek the office.

Imagine how effective our President can be without such distractions, plus they’ll be able to support new people running for office as they will no longer be beholden to congressional leadership or career members, especially those in both houses who have attempted to ignore the will of the people as clearly witnessed with backing the outgoing President with zero proof of any domestic or international interference in the November election.

There is no better time to push for such an amendment as enough states; 3/4th of which are needed to ratify, are in a strong position given a majority of citizens have zero faith in the Legislative and Executive Branches.

Remember that it was courage that founded and has sustained this nation through some of its darkest chapters– not complacency in the face of threats both from external and internal entities.

term limits, constitution, 22 amendment

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