# Term Limits **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 23, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430 "2012-01-23T20:52:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/21 "2012-01-25T20:45:04Z")
> [@Dob](#): > > Thanks all. I was actually not aware of term limits in FL and CA… but that does explain a lot. Consider my ignorance defeated for today at least. I’m another California resident who can echo what has already been posted. I think the root cause for term limits is the view of many people that being a legislator is not having a real job. All they see is the bloviating and the voting, they don’t see committee meetings and research and support for constituents. It is why some people have a fit when high level government officials - who command staff and budgets rivaling large corporations - get paid salaries of middle managers in industry. Term limit for Steve Jobs? Terrible idea? For a senator? Great idea. Feh. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/22 "2012-01-25T21:28:32Z")
In Ohio, with term limits the longest serving politicians simply move to new positions. Termed out as a state rep? Run next as a state senator! When that is done, try for a state wide job, or one of the many elected court positions or county commissioner. In other words not so much new blood as any expected. Where new people have moved in to the system, they have been highly polarized. The state has been gerrymandered to within an inch of its life. There is no need to ever move to the middle, most office seekers need only win the Republican primary. Nothing new, but now they have no incentive to work with the few Democrats, moderate Republicans, or anybody who disagrees with them. If you are only going to be in that position for couple of terms, why do you need to stockpile favors from anybody? Plus, once term limits are in place, no matter how badly things go, nobody is going to realistically support removing them. ---
**Author:** ![dorsk188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f05b48/32.png) [@dorsk188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorsk188)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/23 "2012-01-26T04:21:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I say, if we are to have term limits, they should not be lifetime limits. I.e., you serve a term in Congress, you sit out a term, you can run for the same seat again next cycle. You and a friend in your own party might even simply, publicly agree to alternate in the office so long as your party holds the district. (In the interim, you might fill your time by holding some local office, or private-sector work.) That way the incumbency advantage is broken, which is the whole point of term limits; but, instead of a bunch of amateur “citizen legislators,” we always have a large pool of experienced legislative talent in office and out of office. There is a common arrangement like this in Virginia, which has a single 4 year term limit on governors. If there’s an outgoing Democratic governor, they often run for mayor of Richmond, and the mayor runs for governor. You can ask Virginians how well that works out for them. There will always be an incumbent advantage as they are known quantities. If the voters like what they have, they can keep it. Other advantages (fundraising, connections, etc.) should be tackled through targeted legislation, I think. For a start, public funding of elections would do wonders. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/24 "2012-01-26T05:26:54Z")
> [@howye](#): > > Termed out as a state rep? Run next as a state senator! When that is done, try for a state wide job, or one of the many elected court positions or county commissioner. My current state representative has been in the General Assembly for 17 uninterrupted years. He’s switched houses now twice, since term limits expire after only four years. He’s already planning to run for his old Senate seat in 2014, 20 years after he was first elected to the House. ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/25 "2012-01-26T07:00:07Z")
We’ve been spoiled. The Constitution set term limits. Two years for a Representative, six years for a Senator, four years for a President. They chose those limits because throughout history the limit for a term was always a lifetime. The Republicans fucked us by limiting the number of terms for a President at two and a half. This automatically makes a President a lame duck in his last term. If any term limits provided in the Constitution are to be changed, the first change should be limiting the term of a Supreme Court Justice to less than a lifetime, and repealing the 22nd amendment. ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/26 "2012-01-26T08:05:05Z")
> [@dorsk188](#): > > Term limits are an emotional reaction to a set of very real problems. But “throw the bums out” doesn’t do anything when there is an endless supply of bums to replace them. Really no different than the “we need a business person to run this country like a business” or any of a dozen other bumper-sticker instincts people sign on to without good reason. This. Populist notions should be treated with suspicion. Sound ideas for good governance are apt to sound a at least a little geeky. ---
**Author:** ![Cpat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@Cpat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cpat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/27 "2012-01-27T16:47:29Z")
I’m for time limits, whereby no one workd for the federal government for more than say 13 years. This would apply to anyone from the janitor at the Washington Monument to politicians. This would not only get rid of self serving politicians but to double and triple dippers. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/28 "2012-01-27T19:20:42Z")
> [@Cpat](#): > > I’m for time limits, whereby no one workd for the federal government for more than say 13 years. This would apply to anyone from the janitor at the Washington Monument to politicians. This would not only get rid of self serving politicians but to double and triple dippers. Oh yeah, let’s get rid of the experienced scientists at the National Institutes of Health and replace them with kids right out of college. That seems like a great idea. Just the first problem with this idea that popped into my head. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/29 "2012-01-27T20:16:36Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **Cpat**! ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/30 "2012-01-27T20:29:52Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Oh yeah, let’s get rid of the experienced scientists at the National Institutes of Health and replace them with kids right out of college. That seems like a great idea. > > Just the first problem with this idea that popped into my head. No military commander with more than 12 years experience. ---
**Author:** ![Cpat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@Cpat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cpat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/31 "2012-01-31T00:24:06Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Oh yeah, let’s get rid of the experienced scientists at the National Institutes of Health and replace them with kids right out of college. That seems like a great idea. > > Just the first problem with this idea that popped into my head. Who said anything about replacing experienced scientists with inexperience college grads. Replace them with experienced personnel with 10-15 years experience in the private sector. That’s how we got to the moon in 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/32 "2012-01-31T01:29:30Z")
> [@Cpat](#): > > Who said anything about replacing experienced scientists with inexperience college grads. > > Replace them with experienced personnel with 10-15 years experience in the private sector. That’s how we got to the moon in 8 years. And you’re going to get these people to quit their high-paying private sector jobs for government service exactly how? How about you quit your current job and do government service for only 12-13 years and then try to go back to the private sector? ---
**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:** [January 31, 2012, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/33 "2012-01-31T04:40:13Z")
Besides which, some government jobs don’t really _have_ private-sector equivalents. The vast majority of researchers in this country get paid primarily by some branch or another of the federal government. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/34 "2012-01-31T07:49:13Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Plus I think it would incentivize politicians to suck up to rich interests as quickly and as shamelessly as possible, since they know that they’ll need a new job in a couple years, know they have limited time to suck up and impress contacts that can get them those jobs and know that even if they alienate voters, they won’t be able to use those voters to get re-elected more then once anyways. This has always been my greatest fear about term limits. You think politicians are corrupt NOW? They won’t even be slightly circumspect about it if re-election is no longer a worry. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/35 "2012-01-31T10:46:43Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > North Florida has a relatively low population as opposed to South Florida, our counter-balance used to be that we had long-term pols that eventually gained some political power. I see this as the problem. Long termers have “more power” than new blood. It’s a disincentive to voting the bums out. I may have a new rep with fresh ideas but he won’t get anything done, and my district will lose whatever advantages we had under Old Codger. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/36 "2012-01-31T14:33:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Besides which, some government jobs don’t really _have_ private-sector equivalents. The vast majority of researchers in this country get paid primarily by some branch or another of the federal government. Yea, I don’t know of many private sector Generals. ---
**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:** [January 31, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/37 "2012-01-31T15:36:31Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Yea, I don’t know of many private sector Generals. Well, there’s a [few](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Prince), but I’m not sure they are the kind of leaders our country really wants. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/38 "2012-01-31T16:16:24Z")
Term limits are advocated by people who want to put limits on _other_ voters, and are willing to limit themselves in order to do so. If you want to “vote the bums out”, than vote that way, but don’t try to limit other people, particularly people in other districts, who may like their current representative. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/39 "2012-01-31T17:20:37Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > And you’re going to get these people to quit their high-paying private sector jobs for government service exactly how? > > How about you quit your current job and do government service for only 12-13 years and then try to go back to the private sector? Hey, it would be a great job if you were 53. Other than that, not so much. ---
**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:** [January 31, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430/40 "2012-01-31T17:21:05Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Term limits are advocated by people who want to put limits on _other_ voters, and are willing to limit themselves in order to do so. This is exactly it. As I said before, the Constitution had term limits when it was written. Republicans amended the Constitution to take away people’s rights to re-elect Democrats to the presidency. Now they want to take away your right to elect Democrats to other positions. If Americans weren’t such a lazy ignorant lot, they would realize how lucky they are to have their legislatures and executive under term limits already. And they might wise up and realize that the modern ‘pro-limit’ effort doesn’t address the problem originally in the Constitution, no term limit for judges. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-limits/610430.md?page=3)