Term Limits

The hard working and over-taxed American public is losing faith in the effectiveness of form letters, phone banks, and town hall meetings from their elected “representatives”. The gap between representatives and the represented grows steadily larger. Without a large donation, speaking directly with your representative is impossible. The purpose of a representative democracy as described in the Constitution is not being met. Elected officials, especially those in the House of Representatives, were intended to be present and available to the constituents they represent. The current system, which forces our representatives to physically reside in Washington D.C. for approximately 80% of each year, is the cause of this gap.

My solution to this problem is twofold:

1)

It is imperative that the House of Representatives be subject to terms limits. The lack of term limits has led to the presence of “career politicians” due to voter habits and the refusal of incumbents to step aside. Term limits must be reasonable, however. A new member of Congress should expect an adjustment period. To limit a term to 4 or 6 years would not allow for the representative to become effective in D.C., and would give lobbyists and bureaucrats the advantage, placing them in leadership roles. Therefore, term limits should be set at 10-12 years.

2)

The excessive time spent in D.C. causes the connection with the people and district to easily be lost and forgotten. In terms of “career” politicians, that connection is severed completely. Our representatives no longer experience the effects of legislation on a local level, because they essentially live in Washington D.C. Even term limits would have little effect on this problem.

The solution is simple, cost effective, and would create a measure of security for our nation’s government. It is a concept called “Bring Home the Politicians,” which was proposed to the House on September 14, 2001 under the name of “eCongress.” Members of congress would be required to serve no less than 75% of their terms in their home district, and senators in their state capitals. This eliminates the grasp of lobbyists and allows representatives to become active members of the communities they serve. Travel costs, living expenses, and multiple office requirements would be drastically reduced while accessibility and accountability would greatly increase.

Read more and watch informational videos about “Bring Home the Politicians”, and research for yourself.