Another topic I hear voters talk about all the time is term limits. For some unexplainable reason many Americans believe if we set term limits on Congress, it will suddenly start to function normally. The implicit argument is that Washington, with its corrosive practices, corrupts even the most well-intentioned lawmakers. Because of this, the best—and maybe only—form of inoculation is to limit, constitutionally, the time elected officials can spend in power. At their core, limit advocates contend that elections can’t be trusted to produce incorruptible representatives.
Much of the term-limit reasoning makes sense. However, it ignores the very real downsides that would result. Despite widespread support, instituting term limits would have numerous negative consequences for Congress.
Term limits take the power away from the voters. Many of the voters who rally for this are also the same folks that like to tell us the America is a republic. A fundamental principle in our system of government is that voters get to choose their representatives. Voter choices are restricted when a candidate is barred from being on the ballot.
Congressional capacity will be severely decreased. Policymaking is profession in and of itself. Our system tasks lawmakers with creating solutions to pressing societal problems, often with no simple answers and huge likelihoods for unintended consequences. Crafting legislative proposals is a learned skill, as in other professions, experience matters. The public is not best served if inexperienced members are making policy choices with widespread, lasting effects.
Term limits are also unlikely to make Congress less ideologically extreme. Most folks who are leaving Congress because of extremism and partisanship, often citing this as the reason they’re leaving. Many of the most polarizing and best-known representatives in Congress – think Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican; Colorado’s Lauren Boebert, also a Republican; and Democrat Ilhan Omar from Minnesota – are newer members with less apparent interest in compromise and achievement of long-term policy goals. Most Americans would like to see a Congress that promotes compromise. Term limits would almost certainly fail to achieve this.
Another side of effect of term limits is, everybody leaves after a certain period, even the good and effective members of congress. Whether we want to admit this or not, there are some good statesmen in Congress. This will not matter; the term limit is upon them so out they go. Throwing the baby out with the bath water.
There are several other reasons why term limits are a bad idea, but I digress. I think folks who want term limits are just lazy, do your research on the people running for office. Find out where the stand on the issues and make an informed decision. If research isn’t your thing, here’s a simple solution for you. Every time you walk a voting booth, find out who the incumbent is and vote for the other person. Problem solved!