The Case for Congressional Term Limits.

My case for congressional term limits is based on the premise initially expounded by Roger Sherman of Rhode Island during the Constitutional Convention of 1787:

"Representatives ought to return home and mix with the people. By remaining at the seat of government, they would acquire the habits of the place, which might differ from those of their constituents."

Ronald Reagan echoed this sentiment in more recent years:

“The one thing our Founding Fathers could not foresee -- they were farmers, professional men, businessmen giving of their time and effort to an idea that became a country -- was a nation governed by professional politicians who had an interest in getting re-elected. They probably envisioned a fellow serving a couple of hitches and then eagerly looking forward to getting back to the farm.”

The danger of the professional politician in DC has been seen in the ever expanding federal government, creating an increasing number of ways to impose government control on the American people.  This is a problem because those making the rules never actually see the effects of those rules in the lives of everyday Americans.

Patrick Henry stated it well:

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."

Government has massively dominated the lives of the average American—from the amount of water our toilets flush to the type of light bulbs we can use in our homes.  There is not any aspect of American life that isn’t touched by the government.  This is definitely contrary to plans of our founding fathers and many other proponents of liberty.            We are now not served by citizen-statesmen but the nation serves the interests of a professional political class who, once they are elected to Congress, spend the next 20 or 30 years working to stay there. Some find power in their “service” to their country, others look at their office as an inherited right, still others enrich themselves through massive corruption.  Here are my three justifications for term limits:

Justification #1: Power

A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired.

Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, February 23, 1775

Robert Byrd (D) of West Virginia, known as “Pork Barrel Byrd”, served in the US Senate from 1959 until his death in 2010, and in Congress for a total of 61 years.  Byrd was on several influential committees over his tenure, but became infamous as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and did not hesitate to send federal monies back to West Virginia, securing over one billion dollars in federal funds between 1989 and 1991 (Three years earlier than his stated goal.).  If you wanted an appropriation bill to pass there had better be some moneys in it for West Virginia! More than 50 buildings built with federal dollars are named for him or his wife, Emma, in West Virginia.  He steered many federal agencies to West Virginia as well.  It is hard to drive through West Virginia without seeing Robert Byrd’s name on roads, bridges, schools, federal offices, etc…Rather than be embarrassed about his pork-barrel spending Robert Byrd called himself “Big Daddy”. West Virginia has a population of less than 2 million people, but in 2008 received $325,799,541.00 in federal pork. Senator Byrd was only one of many senators who kept their seat through the “buying of votes” by bringing home the pork.

 

Justification #2: Entitlement

As our president bears no resemblance to a king so we shall see the Senate has no similitude to nobles. First, not being hereditary, their collective knowledge, wisdom, and virtue are not precarious. For by these qualities alone are they to obtain their offices, and they will have none of the peculiar qualities and vices of those men who possess power merely because their father held it before them.

Tench Coxe, An American Citizen, No.2, September 28, 1787

Edward (Ted) Kennedy (D), the youngest of the three “Kennedy brothers”, never held a job outside of government. After winning his brother’s seat in the US Senate in a special election in 1962, stories of his drunkenness and womanizing were hushed up by his family as well as the complicit press.  The Kennedy family is often referred to by a fawning press as “America’s Royal Family”.  He was an ardent liberal and his support for abortion was no surprise to many of us considering his womanizing.  There seemed to be much leeway given for Kennedy’s bad behavior based on his family, after all in Massachusetts, the Kennedys are seen as entitled to have a senate seat; in a 2010 election debate host David Gergen, referred to  Candidate (now Senator) Scott Brown(R) sitting in “Ted Kennedy’s seat”, Brown replied that "Well, with all due respect, it's not the Kennedys' seat, and it's not the Democrats' seat, it's the people's seat..." Kennedy had died while still “serving” in Congress in 2009, even though he had a brain tumor for over a year, he was unwilling to give up the prestige (and superior health benefits) of being a sitting member of Congress. He was a Senator for 47 years.  Massachusetts is not the only state to seemingly have a “family seat” for a political family: Indiana has the “Bayh seat” and Delaware has the “Biden seat”.

 

Justification # 3: Corruption

I am not influenced by the expectation of promotion or pecuniary reward. I wish to be useful, and every kind of service necessary for the public good, become honorable by being necessary.

Nathan Hale, remark to Captain William Hull, who had attempted to dissuade him from volunteering for a spy mission for General Washington, September, 1776

Charles Rangel (D), member of the US House of Representatives since 1971 and prior Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, recently discovered that you must disclose rental income, trips paid for by groups with business before your Committee, and the parking space your 1972 silver Mercedes occupied for 5 years (the car had no registration/plates and had to be towed away) in the garage run by the House of Representatives.  It seems the man in charge of writing US tax law, was unable to follow the rules he made for everyone else.  Rangel’s crimes includes everything from using Congressional letterhead to solicit donations for his center ( known as the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College, NY), from groups with business interests before his committee, unreported income from a rental property in the Dominican Republic, renting four apartments in Harlem at below market rates, more than $500,00.00 in unreported assets and income in 2007, trips taken at the expense of groups with business before his committee, and the aforementioned House garage issue.  Rangel stepped aside as House Ways and Means Chair due to these ethical problems, but he won re-election with 80% of the vote in his district.  He was later censured by the House for violating 13 House rules and federal laws.  He was also ordered to pay any unpaid taxes, but not the fines.  Rangel is only one of several members of the Congress that have been found guilty of ethics violations and crimes that concerned their committee assignments in Congress.  Rangel was lucky not to spend time in jail as Dan Rostenkowski (D IL) did in the 1990s.  Having a long term seat on a committee seems to set the stage for personal enrichment.

It is time for the people of America to say enough is enough and to term limit our Congress.  I suggest three 2-year terms for the House and only two 6-year terms for the Senate.  This would limit each office holder to 18 years in the capital, before they return to their home state.  Many senators and members of the house stay in DC to become lobbyists when they “retire” from the positions.  The influence and power they accumulate serves them well as lobbyists.  Former Senator Richard Lugar (R) of Indiana lost his Senate seat in a primary and never returned "home " to Indiana - he still lives in Virginia where he and his wife raised their children.  I also would suggest removing the retirement benefits from the Senators and members of the House; they are supposed to be of service to the nation, not lining their own pockets through that service. That would also discourage the professional politician as well as save the American taxpayer a great deal of money. 

 

Introduction

Okay let me be clear- I am NOT a Hoosier- I was born and raised in Maine and moved to Indiana protesting loudly! I consider myself a New Englander- my ancestors settled New England beginning in 1620 (yes they were on the Mayflower) and never saw fit to leave.

 

I am from a very small town (warning: I despise small towns - but that's another topic!) and eagerly waited to turn 18 so I could leave. I actually left 1 month before my 18th birthday- which was 1 month after I graduated high school. Yes, I was a wee bit excited to be travelling FINALLY!

 

I matriculated to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where there were more girls in my dorm than people in my hometown! Yes I am LDS- which has had its own challenges throughout my life! I met the love of my life there; we married and had our daughter before he graduated.  He then moved me to Indiana so he could attend graduate school.  29 years later we are still here. We have moved within Indiana and I find myself pleased with our community- most of the time!

 

I will share my rather unique perspective as a New Englander living in “flyover” country in today’s political landscape. I have always been a political junkie – I remember watching the Watergate hearings with fascination at age 11.  I followed politics from then on – considered myself a Republican from the start.  I became a huge fan of Ronald Reagan when he campaigned in neighboring New Hampshire my senior year of high school.  I consider myself a conservative Republican. I am conservative both fiscally and socially. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.  As I have famously stated : “If I offend someone by accident it’s a SLOW day!”. So here is where I’ll share my thoughts, insights, and criticisms of today’s politics- let the reader beware: I am a blunt New Englander and I tell it like I see it! If I think someone a fool or ignorant I will say so. If I find a policy or law I disagree with there will be no question as to why – no need to “read between the lines”.