Shane Park

POLS 1100
Online
CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS: GOOD OR BAD?
If you were asked what congress has accomplished within the last two years,
would you be able to produce an answer to that question? If I was asked before today,
honestly, I would not have been able to provide an answer for a seemingly simple
question. I had to do some research to find out exactly what our elected officials have
been doing with the jobs that we gave them; after all we are the people who elected
them and figuratively sign their paychecks.
On December 3, 2015 congress approved the Fixing Americas Surface
Transportation (FAST) Act, a five year legislation to improve Americas roads, bridges,
public transit, and rail transportation systems and reform federal surface transportation
programs (Harclerode, 2015). On another front, Rep. Pete Session put forward a bill
calling for the recognition of magic as a rare and valuable art form and national
treasure (2016). Some may argue that the members of congress have accomplished
much, while others may argue that they havent accomplished much at all. In 2013, a
Gallup poll found that 75% of Americans would vote in favor of term limits for members
of congress, while only 21% would not.
The record for the longest serving member of the senate is held by Robert C.
Byrd, who served for 51 years, 5 months, and 26 days before passing away in 2010.
The record in the House is held by John Dingell, Jr. who served for 59 years before
stepping down in 2015. According to Mick Mulvaney, a contributor for U.S. News, The

arguments against limits are familiar but not compelling: They deny lawmakers the time
necessary to learn a complex system; they empower staff and lobbyists; they preclude
choices in elections; they ultimately deprive the government of talented people. He
suggests that the first two points could be solved by making government simpler, having
Congress focus on doing fewer things better (2015). Is our government so complicated
that it takes 20 years to finally understand how it works? If that is the case, then it may
be time for simplification. Considering the work of representatives for the state of Utah,
my home state, although some have only been in office for a relatively short period of
time they are governing well. Jason Chaffetz, elected in 2008 to represent the third
congressional district, was instated as the chair of the Unites States House Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform after serving only 3 terms, assuming that position
in 2015. Although he had only 3 terms of congressional experience, he had enough
experience to be chair of a very important standing committee.
There have been many arguments made, both for and against, the
implementation of term limits for members of congress. As I read through many
arguments thinking I had already made up my mind, I found that arguments posed for
both sides were at times compelling and somewhat convincing. In an editorial for
Delaware Online, Ted Kaufman suggests, The idea of limiting the number of terms
anyone can serve in Congress has been around for a long time, but recently I have
heard it proposed as a solution to gridlock in Washington. It would almost certainly have
exactly the opposite effect. He suggests that limiting the terms of members of congress
would limit the choices voters have for their representatives. He also states that the
federal government is incredibly complicated. The real work in both houses of Congress

is done in committees, and there is a reason why seniority has always been important in
them. It takes more than a term or two to fully understand the intricacies of tax law dealt
with by members of the House Ways and Means Committee. The same kind of
experience-driven expertise is needed in every major Congressional committee (2014).
Although his arguments pose valid concerns, the implementation of term limits would
not necessarily need to discount the need for experienced representatives. Terms could
be limited to a certain number of terms, or years of service, to allow representatives the
time to become experienced, and use said experience, before they reach their limit.
Perhaps a limit of 12 to 18 years would be the best option to entertain.
In his article for The Harvard Crimson, John F.M. Kocsis counters arguments
against the implementation of term limits. The argument against term limits is so well
known that it has become axiomatic. Such restrictions on the membership of legislative
bodies, it is insisted, would eliminate officials just as theyve grown knowledgeable
about key issues and influential among their peers. Term limits also would be anathema
to democracy, as they necessarily restrict the choices present to voters. He states that
elected officials would possibly argue that the fact they are up for reelection at the end
of the term acts as term limits, allowing their constituents an opportunity to not vote for
them. He counters this argument by stating anyone who makes this latter argument
has either a jejune understanding of political science or, more plausibly, is an elected
official himself. Only a starry-eyed tyro to the workings of the world could possibly
contend with a straight face that elections currently provide citizens with the
unrestrained ability to choose new representatives. After all, the advantage of
incumbency is well documented throughout American history (Kocsis, 2013).

John F.M. Kocsis alludes to the idea that the reason that term limit legislation
continually dies in Congress is obvious. It is poison hemlock, and, unfortunately, so few
of our elected officials are veritable Socratics. Too many politicians look at Congress as
a way to increase their statuses and pad their pocketbooks. After consideration and
conversation, I have come to the conclusion that term limits would be in the best interest
of the American people. John ends his statements perfectly, stating The argument that
the Methuselahs of D.C. are the only ones who can tackle the nations problems is a
sophomoric one. We manage to find a new and capable president every eight years;
there is no reason we cant find fresh blood from each state to protect the nations
interests. Besides, its not like there isnt already a professional government class in the
district ready to help the newbies out. (Kocsis, 2013)

References
Justin Harclerode (December 3, 2015). Transportation & Infrastructure Committee,
retrieved from http://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?
DocumentID=399617
Mr. Sessions, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Donovan, Mr. Dent, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Buck
(March 14, 2016) House Resolution 642, retrieved from
https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hres642/BILLS-114hres642ih.pdf
Lydia Saad, Gallup poll (January 18, 2013). Americans Call for Term Limits, End to
Electoral College. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/159881/americanscall-term-limits-end-electoral-college.aspx
Ted Kaufman (May 24, 2014). The best argument against term limits? The voters.
Retrieved from http://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/columnists/tedkaufman/2014/05/23/best-argument-term-limits-voters/9502295/
Mick Mulvaney (January 16, 2015). Change Is Good for Congress. Retrieved from
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2015/01/16/term-limits-would-bringneeded-change-to-congress
Carl Hulse and Ashley Parker (February 24, 2014). John Dingell to Retire After Nearly
60 Years in House. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/us/politics/dingell-to-retire-fromcongress.html?_r=0
John F. M. Kocsis (January 30, 2013). The Case for Term Limits. Retrieved from
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/1/30/Harvard-term-limits/