# 4-year terms, 2-term limits **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 4, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662 "2015-11-04T23:40:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/1 "2015-11-04T23:40:50Z")
I’m sure this issue’s been discussed on the SDMB before, but what exactly would be bad about subjecting every single governor, Congressman and state legislator to two terms of 4 years apiece? I’ve always felt 6-year terms for Senators and 2-year terms for Representatives were a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/2 "2015-11-04T23:46:30Z")
If it takes longer than that for a replacement to come along who can do the job, it’d suck to be stuck with somebody incompetent just because the law said so. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/3 "2015-11-04T23:51:14Z")
There are two different questions in there. What would happen if we converted all Congressional and Senatorial terms to four years, and what would happen if we limited them to two terms. For the change in length of term: the House and the Senate were meant to have different roles. The House was intended to be much more populist, and to turn over with the passions of the moment. The Senate was intended to be much slower to react and consider proposed bills in a mush more deliberate manner. You’d basically eliminate both of these effects, and have two houses that are somewhere in the middle. Depending on the degree to which you synchronize terms between the individual congressmen, the houses, and the presidency, you could very well end up with the entire Federal government elected at once with no two-year checkpoint back with the voters. And the Senate would no longer be a braking mechanism. Removing term limits would strengthen unelected lobbyists. To a greater degree than today, inexperienced Congressmen would rely on them to author entire bills. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/4 "2015-11-04T23:51:53Z")
Yeah, that’s the question for the OP: what specific problem(s) with the current system do you want term limits to solve? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/5 "2015-11-05T01:14:09Z")
**Do Not Taunt** nails it. Want to give lobbyists even more power? Term limit the legislators. If you want to see term limits in action, just visit a typical state legislature that has them. In the bluntest terms, the legislators have no idea what they’re doing and the lobbyists run the show. I say that having worked with lobbyists. Take an issue – any issue at all – and you’ll find lobbyists on both sides of it with years of experience and deeper understanding of the ins and outs, financial ramifications and potential long-term effects than any of the two-terms-and-you’re-out people who are elected supposedly to control the lobbyists. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/6 "2015-11-05T02:29:59Z")
Just as a thought experiment: if you have money to invest, would you be more inclined to risk it with a company whose board is composed of people with twenty years’ experience with that company? Or with a company with term limits on the board, so there’s nobody in charge of the company who has been with the company for more than 8 years? Where do you put your money? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/7 "2015-11-05T14:47:04Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **Do Not Taunt** nails it. Want to give lobbyists even more power? Term limit the legislators. > > If you want to see term limits in action, just visit a typical state legislature that has them. In the bluntest terms, the legislators have no idea what they’re doing and the lobbyists run the show. > > I say that having worked with lobbyists. Take an issue – any issue at all – and you’ll find lobbyists on both sides of it with years of experience and deeper understanding of the ins and outs, financial ramifications and potential long-term effects than any of the two-terms-and-you’re-out people who are elected supposedly to control the lobbyists. QFT. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/8 "2015-11-05T15:02:21Z")
Term limits make automatic lame ducks. It’s been attempted in congress, it came to nothing. It has created a disaster for the presidency where presidents run their first term as a non-stop campaign for a second term in which they are powerless. Term limits are a stupid idea that encourage corruption. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/9 "2015-11-05T15:25:48Z")
If the people want term limits, then they should just vote the bum out themselves. And if they don’t want them, then we shouldn’t have them. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/10 "2015-11-05T17:21:42Z")
IME at the state level when we passed termed limits it increased partisanship. Everyone in the House was looking for the next job with a different constituency. There weren’t any more elder statesmen who had the skill, or the history of generally supporting the party line, who could or would take the risks. Even those that would try didn’t have the relationships or reputation to get enough in line to make the deal work. That’s just what we need, even more pointless partisan bickering and finger pointing. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/11 "2015-11-05T17:23:30Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **Do Not Taunt** nails it. Want to give lobbyists even more power? Term limit the legislators. > > If you want to see term limits in action, just visit a typical state legislature that has them. In the bluntest terms, the legislators have no idea what they’re doing and the lobbyists run the show. > > I say that having worked with lobbyists. Take an issue – any issue at all – and you’ll find lobbyists on both sides of it with years of experience and deeper understanding of the ins and outs, financial ramifications and potential long-term effects than any of the two-terms-and-you’re-out people who are elected supposedly to control the lobbyists. But with term limits, the Congressmen would have \*less \*reason to listen to lobbyists in their 2nd term. No upcoming elections to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/12 "2015-11-05T17:51:25Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But with term limits, the Congressmen would have \*less \*reason to listen to lobbyists in their 2nd term. No upcoming elections to lose. In reality, they wouldn’t know how to do their jobs well, so they will turn to lobbyists for technical expertise on what should be in various bills. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/13 "2015-11-05T17:52:44Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But with term limits, the Congressmen would have \*less \*reason to listen to lobbyists in their 2nd term. No upcoming elections to lose. They’d be lining up their post elected-office position. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/14 "2015-11-05T18:17:52Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But with term limits, the Congressmen would have \*less \*reason to listen to lobbyists in their 2nd term. No upcoming elections to lose. For professional politicians there can still be upcoming elections. Those elections just aren’t in the job they are currently holding. That’s before you consider moving in to the lobbyist ranks. They know they need work when they enter that second term so they are more beholden to those that can help them find what comes next. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/15 "2015-11-05T18:29:12Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **Do Not Taunt** nails it. Want to give lobbyists even more power? Term limit the legislators. > > If you want to see term limits in action, just visit a typical state legislature that has them. In the bluntest terms, the legislators have no idea what they’re doing and the lobbyists run the show. > > I say that having worked with lobbyists. Take an issue – any issue at all – and you’ll find lobbyists on both sides of it with years of experience and deeper understanding of the ins and outs, financial ramifications and potential long-term effects than any of the two-terms-and-you’re-out people who are elected supposedly to control the lobbyists. In Michigan since we’ve passed term limits, the turnover means we’re constantly scraping the bottom of the barrel to find candidates. Every legislator’s history in Lansing is virtually nil. They don’t give a shit about what constituents want, just what their lobbyists and donors want; they’re all lame ducks just going berserk to squeeze as much as their extreme legislation through as quickly as possible. And they have no future, so they never have to actually deal with the consequences of their actions (or inaction). Plus, since they have no history with any of the other legislators, or any sort of future with them, they never have to reach across the aisle to forge partnerships or compromises. Term limits are destroying Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/16 "2015-11-09T18:00:41Z")
We already have term limits – it’s called “Vote the Suckers Out.” Term limits are a good idea when you dislike a particular politician for “being there too long.” When it is YOUR hero, who has been representing YOUR district for decades, who gets things done that you approve of, based on his extensive experience, then term limits do not seem like such a good idea after all. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-year-terms-2-term-limits/736662/17 "2015-11-09T18:16:35Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **Do Not Taunt** nails it. Want to give lobbyists even more power? Term limit the legislators. > > If you want to see term limits in action, just visit a typical state legislature that has them. In the bluntest terms, the legislators have no idea what they’re doing and the lobbyists run the show. > > I say that having worked with lobbyists. Take an issue – any issue at all – and you’ll find lobbyists on both sides of it with years of experience and deeper understanding of the ins and outs, financial ramifications and potential long-term effects than any of the two-terms-and-you’re-out people who are elected supposedly to control the lobbyists. No: we need to think out of the box. Term limits for auto mechanics. Term limits for physicians. Limit them to 8 years practice. Because experience is a bad thing. After you spend 8 years in a profession, it’s time to move on and do something completely different. Maybe reality TV or comedy. Many democracies have thrived without Presidential term limits, but at least there’s some justification for avoiding concentration of power on one person. Though if the electorate was well informed I don’t think it should matter. But putting term limits on legislatures is just an awful idea. For one thing it destroys accountability - career politicians don’t get punished for piss-poor legislation because they’ve already moved on to another office. That can be seen in California: career politicians suck at their jobs, but they remain great at campaigning.