# The Left and Right on Term Limits **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 8, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090 "2020-11-08T22:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/21 "2020-11-10T18:55:16Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Why does the left generally oppose term limits and the right generally support them? I’d like some cites or stats on this. I hear much more in favor of term limits from the left than I do from the right. But that could be confirmation bias on one or both of our parts. For one, tiny, data point I generally consider myself left and believe that the ballot box is the term limit. Beyond that, in almost every job (not just elected ones), it takes some time to figure out the basics of the job - it takes even more to establish a certain level of competence and even longer to get expertise. And I prefer expertise in my elected officials, because I think they’re handling important, complex decisions. So removing them once they finally get the breadth and depth of knowledge they need seems counterproductive to good government. Also, if that subject matter expertise is going to go somewhere - if it isn’t inside government, it will be right outside - with the lobbyists, with nothing to balance it out. For me, that is a far less preferable situation. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/22 "2020-11-10T20:39:14Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > I’d like some cites or stats on this. I have no stats and am willing to find out that the premise is wrong. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2020, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/23 "2020-11-11T06:24:37Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > > > Why does the left generally oppose term limits and the right generally support them? > > I’d like some cites or stats on this. I hear much more in favor of term limits from the left than I do from the right. But that could be confirmation bias on one or both of our parts. > > For one, tiny, data point I generally consider myself left and believe that the ballot box is the term limit. Beyond that, in almost every job (not just elected ones), it takes some time to figure out the basics of the job - it takes even more to establish a certain level of competence and even longer to get expertise. And I prefer expertise in my elected officials, because I think they’re handling important, complex decisions. So removing them once they finally get the breadth and depth of knowledge they need seems counterproductive to good government. > Also, if that subject matter expertise is going to go somewhere - if it isn’t inside government, it will be right outside - with the lobbyists, with nothing to balance it out. For me, that is a far less preferable situation. This. All of this. Plus, it would mean that the most practical way for you as a legislator to bring expertise to your seat would be to re-hire your predecessor’s staff. And staffers aren’t accountable to the voters. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/24 "2020-11-11T14:09:54Z")
I am left and I really support 12 year limits for both houses. It does not take more than a few years to learn how to do that job. It’s a total joke guys stay there 30 , 40 years. Before FDR I don’t think anyone ran for a 3rd term and if so they did not win . ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/25 "2020-11-11T20:12:40Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I have no stats and am willing to find out that the premise is wrong. Cool, so until you provide that data, what would you like to discuss? The OP seems to rely on that premise being factual. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/26 "2020-11-11T20:42:11Z")
Here’s something from 2012 for starters: > **[Americans Call for Term Limits, End to Electoral College](https://news.gallup.com/poll/159881/americans-call-term-limits-end-electoral-college.aspx)** > > Three in four Americans say that, given the opportunity, they would vote "for" term limits for members of Congress and 63% would vote to abolish the Electoral College. Republicans, independents, and Democrats support both proposals. Per the poll above, Republicans support term limits about 17 points higher than Democrats do. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/27 "2020-11-11T20:46:42Z")
I’m a left-leaning libertarian. I definitely would support term limits of 24 years in both houses, with 36 years total between houses. I don’t think I could favor term limits any shorter than that. There’s a bunch of related topic things I wish for as well, but they’re not on topic and not really interrelated with term limits specifically. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090/28 "2020-11-11T21:06:32Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > Here’s something from 2012 for starters Well, the OP asked: > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Why does the left generally oppose term limits and the right generally support them? > > Despite any rationale put forth by either side my experience and cynicism suggests that the reason for one position or the other is to stay in or regain power and any arguments put forth are just a smokescreen. I guess we could debate why both parties support term limits, but one more than the other, or did back in 2012. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-and-right-on-term-limits/925090.md?page=1)