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Metaphorical

(2,588 posts)
9. Term Limits
Sat Dec 27, 2025, 05:49 PM
10 hrs ago

I like the 6 term House, 4 term Senate, 2 term president, and 20 year SCOTUS limits. I would also put age limits in place: no person can hold office if they will be 80 years or older at the end of such a term.

When the Constitution was created, it was extraordinarily rare for men or women to live beyond the age of 80 so there was no reason to add it. Now it's fairly routine, though physical health and stamina frequently decline rapidly thereafter, while the chance for debilitating diseases - cancers, strokes, dementia, and so forth, increases dramatically. I like formalising the concept of an Emeritus role (formally an Elder Statesman role) that would give people in that role exceptional access (Tribal Elders) but no formal authority.

Yes, you can point to people who have been powerful politically into their 80s and 90s (Pelosi, Biden, Ruth Baders Ginsberg, etc.) but it would also reduce the problem with people in decision making roles that shouldn't have been (Reagan, Trump, Strom Thurmond, etc. ).

I'd also be open to a 3 term president (present incumbent not withstanding). Twelve years is actually a pretty good arc - it gives you long enough in office that if you are an effective president, you will accomplish the changes that you want without becoming a permanent institution, and it mirrors that of other representative democracies. Yes, you will occasionally get the Trumps (though an age limit would solve that problem) and it would also have allowed a popular president such as Obama the chance to cement his legacy - imagine what Obamacare would have been like if he had been allowed to shape its passage another four years.



Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I am ready for Term Limits..... [View all] FarPoint 12 hrs ago OP
What say I? Greg_In_SF 12 hrs ago #1
I have ended up there. mr715 12 hrs ago #2
No Emile 12 hrs ago #3
It is both .... FarPoint 11 hrs ago #5
Break up some of these giant monopolies too. pwb 12 hrs ago #4
Yes on term limits and end partisan gerrymandering. mikewv 11 hrs ago #6
Long overdue. patphil 11 hrs ago #7
There is some evidence drmeow 10 hrs ago #8
Exactly. markodochartaigh 10 hrs ago #10
Great analogy drmeow 10 hrs ago #11
The fact that it is another limitation on democracy markodochartaigh 8 hrs ago #18
Our system drmeow 6 hrs ago #26
I think a balance is required Metaphorical 10 hrs ago #12
Term Limits Metaphorical 10 hrs ago #9
I'm opposed to term limits on elected positions, totally pro for appointed positions. eppur_se_muova 10 hrs ago #13
Voters get the opportunity to impose term limits on members of Congress every 2-6 years. tritsofme 9 hrs ago #14
Agree. However, mikewv 8 hrs ago #17
What other choice do we have? Let voters vote for the candidate of their choice. tritsofme 7 hrs ago #19
With all due respect. mikewv 7 hrs ago #20
If the "rules of the past" consist of democracy and citizens voting for the candidate of their choice tritsofme 7 hrs ago #21
May peace and good fortune be with you... mikewv 6 hrs ago #22
You are explicitly arguing that democracy ought to be limited and restricted. tritsofme 6 hrs ago #27
No anybody doing anything past the age of 69.... Melon 9 hrs ago #15
Yes. We would be smart to run on this. The Revolution 9 hrs ago #16
Without campaign finance reform, all that does is put the lobbyists in charge. Iggo 6 hrs ago #23
Yeah, im on board. And, since republicans say they want it anyway, Volaris 6 hrs ago #24
I oppose term limits more than ever Polybius 6 hrs ago #25
Pukes came up with term limits to shut down another FDR run. Bad idea. Blues Heron 6 hrs ago #28
How about an age limit? Xolodno 6 hrs ago #29
I think any specific term limit plans should yorkster 6 hrs ago #30
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»I am ready for Term Limit...»Reply #9