Is it possible to find candidates who will vote for term limits in congress?

[cbc58]

Is it possible to find candidates who will vote for term limits in congress? Who will vote to cut lobbying influence, reduce pay and benefits for congress, change the tax code, and seriously reform the system?

Are there any viable candidates who are willing to do that for the greater good and not just think of themselves?

[sailingaway]

Ron did, as long as it was for everyone. He self term limited the first time, the bad sort didn't, and when he came back, guess who had the power? it has to be across the board. However, he introduced the first term limit bill in modern history and voted for all since.

What we have to do is ask them to introduce them and vote for them, and make it a tracked category of vote. Maybe C4L will add it to their score card or something. I think Rand said he'd be for them for everyone but not just unilaterally term limiting. Not sure I remember that correctly, but it did come up in his Senate campaign. It should come up in everyone's.

[ghengis86]

No.

Will welfare recipients vote to reduce their own welfare?
Will the unemployed vote to reduce their unemployment benefits?

[cbc58]

if congress won't vote for term limits - is there a way to have the population vote to change the constitution for that at the next election?

congress has the lowest approval rating in history (or close to it) and nothing is getting done. they get outrageous benefits and perks and have forgotten that they work for US, we don't work for them...

[itshappening]

it aint ever going to happen and is a waste of time. also good candidates self-term limiting is pointless.

[sailingaway]

it aint ever going to happen and is a waste of time. also good candidates self-term limiting is pointless.

you could have said that about auditing the fed, yet at least a partial audit happened and it is toxic now for a conservative to not be for it.

It can be done if we people care enough.

[cbc58]

it aint ever going to happen and is a waste of time. also good candidates self-term limiting is pointless.

an honest viewpoint BUT if there was some movement/organization put together to try and make this happen... would you support it? even if "good candidates" had to bow out after a time?? there would be plenty of time for that "good candidate" to find and promote their replacement.

[akforme]

The president has term limits and all we get is another asshole every time.

[cbc58]

The president has term limits and all we get is another asshole every time.

Yeah, but we all are partly to blame for that by letting things get to the way they are.

Before this post fades into the back pages I would like to find out if folks would support this if an effort was started. I think there is enough anger towards Washington now that more people are getting tuned into the problems - a big one which is the fact that congress is so in bed with special interests that things never change. Looking to shake things up among the masses and just want to know if you'd sign a petition for changing the way congress operates. would you?

[Acala]

I see term limits as a red herring. The problem is power, not which crook gets to wield it. Figure out how to put the restraints back on government power and you will not care about term limits.

[sailingaway]

If they had less money there would be less corruption.

To be honest, I'd be interested in hearing what Ron thinks. He sounded less sold on them in later questions about it, although he still said he'd vote for them if they applied to everyone. He just sounded a bit skeptical as to what good we could expect them to do. It might be because the lobbyists don't have term limits.

[cbc58]

I see term limits as a red herring. The problem is power, not which crook gets to wield it. Figure out how to put the restraints back on government power and you will not care about term limits.

These guys make the laws. The only way to get the laws changed is to change the lawmakers. It's too corrupt and ingrained as it stands now and while it's likely not an end-all solution - it's a start. What you want to do is get candidates in who will vote to decrease their power, pay and privileges. They are more likely to do that if they don't look it as a career - at least that's my thinking.

[Zippyjuan]

Remember that if you had term limits, Ron Paul would have been out of congress long ago. Shorter terms can also encourage more bad behavior- they know they won't have to face the voters again. It also takes away experience which would give more power in actually writing laws to the lobbyists who WOULD have the experience.

[cbc58]

As much as I hate to admit it - those are valid points. But the system is broken and not working. Our country is going down. We have to do something more than type messages on a BB and complain. There has to be a way to get people into Congress who will act for the benefit of the people and not the special interests - or themselves. Most of those politicians you speak of that may have experience don't even read the laws they vote on. It's a big mess. It is all about getting the laws changed...

[Acala]

Some of the most independent of representatives - as in willing to buck the party leadership - are those who have held office a long time. I don't think there is any relationship between years in office and integrity or respect for liberty.