GOP senators push for term limits...again

[OnePimpTiger]

Well, maybe we could extend the length of the term in conjunction. But you should know that these people spend way too much time, sometimes more than a year, campaigning for re-election. And if you're a representative who serves only a 2-year term, you're going to be doing that every 2 years, and you're going to spend literally half your appointment doing nothing but campaigning for re-appointment. What an unforgivable waste. What a poorly designed system that allows this.

Very good point, I like that a lot. Something like one 8-10 year term...no worries about campaigning, etc. I hadn't thought of that, very good idea.

And on the other end of the spectrum, you have your Wild Bill Rehnquists spending years and years rotting to pieces right there on the bench, whose minds probably turned to clam chowder a decade ago, still sitting there because they know the law allows them to do so until they die, just so their party can maintain that much more power for a few more precious weeks.

Have you ever thought about how much it must suck to be an aging Supreme Court justice while the other party is in power in both the executive and judicial branches? The story of the Bush administration was pretty much 5-4, 5-4, 5-4 over and over, except on the occasions when they were able to swing Kennedy and make it 6-3. I'd go out of my mind and feel like stepping down, because it would all seem so pointless...except for the fact that I would know that if I did, the president would just replace me with somebody else from his side of the aisle and give himself an even bigger majority on the bench. It must be maddening.

Very true...must feel like the Lions. But no one even talks about changing terms for justices, so I wouldn't expect a change in the next 20-30 years at least.

[duane1969]

Very true...must feel like the Lions. But no one even talks about changing terms for justices, so I wouldn't expect a change in the next 20-30 years at least.

My guess is that if it happened then someone would challenge it and it would get reviewed by the Supreme Court and....well, you know what would happen then.

[OnePimpTiger]

True, much like Congressmen voting to limit their terms and give themselves raises...the whole system is pretty freakin discouraging.

[gatorboymike]

Right now you've got representatives serving 2-year terms and senators serving 6-year terms, with 1/3 of the Senate and the entire House going up for re-election every two years. I think if you limited them all to a single term but increased a representative term to 4 years and a senatorial term to 8 years, and re-elected 1/2 the House and 1/4 of the Senate every two years, that might increase productivity. And I think congresspeople should all start out at a base pay rate, but every two years their constituents can vote to either increase or decrease their salary for the next two years based on how much they accomplish. They should not have control of their own salaries.

But of course, you'll never get Congress to agree to limitations on their own money and power, because they care more about that than they care about getting anything accomplished for America.

[WantToTrade]

We have had Senator Herb Kohl here in Wisconsin for 20 years and he is the man. I have met him personally once at Milwaukee's Hoop it Up in '93 and he sent me 12 Milwaukee Bucks Tickets in the mail. I still have a picture we took together at the event. He is a great guy and great politician. He is not one of them Bougie(bourgeois) politicians but is truly for the people. If we take him out of the picture who knows what snob will get in here.

[Williy@anker]

Very good point, I like that a lot. Something like one 8-10 year term...no worries about campaigning, etc. I hadn't thought of that, very good idea.



Very true...must feel like the Lions. But no one even talks about changing terms for justices, so I wouldn't expect a change in the next 20-30 years at least.

Wait a minute not cool there.

[shamrock77s]

Seriously...but a Congresswoman from Texas is supporting it even though she's in the middle of her third term (under the proposed amendment, should wouldn't be allowed to serve any longer). But the point is definitely true. I find it similar to Congress voting on whether they receive a pay raise...duh! The people should get to vote on that too.

That's Kay Bailey Hutchinson, who is concurrently running for Texas Governer. She justifies the bill to keep people from becoming 'career politicians', even though she wants the opportunity to spend 30+ years in high-paid, elected office...Hypocrite much?

[pwaldo]

We already have term limits....it is called VOTING THE PERSON OUT!

If people weren't so dumb and continued to vote for somebody who had an R or D by their name instead of somebody who was better than you wouldn't need this.

That corrupt Governor from New Jersey somehow got over 40% of the vote and was supported by Obama the "hope and change" candidate. How could any Democrat in that state vote for Obama because he was fresh and new and then turn around and support an old win™™™™ who is corrupt as they come? Simple people just vote for "their" party even though the party doesn't give a **** about them.

Stop voting for and stop donating money to these fools and watch them disappear. Vote out EVERYBODY (unless they are the rare person that is doing any good).

[MadMan1978]

GOP senators push for term limits



Now here is some "change" I can get behind...any hope of it passing?

This will never pass
And i think we all know this
This has been suggested before and has NEVER gone to a vote on the Senate or House floor!