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August 13, 2009

The Bill of Federalism: Amendment #7

Carroll Andrew Morse

No need for any extended explanation on this one; the seventh proposed Amendment in the Bill of Federalism is term limits for Congress…

No person who has served as a Senator for more than nine years, or as a Representative for more than eleven years, shall be eligible for election or appointment to the Senate or the House of Representatives respectively, excluding any time served prior to the enactment of this Article.
…which doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of room for an extended discussion on the merits!

Prof. Barnett, also taking the minimalist approach, adds only that…

The seventh proposed amendment establishes congressional term limits by allowing two full terms for Senators and six full terms for Representatives. It phases in these limits by exempting the time already served by incumbents from the calculation of the limits on their terms.
Links to earlier proposed amendments are below the fold…


Comments

Term limits is a good idea. We should also put term limits on income brackets to insure that legislation is composed of all economic classes.
OldTimeLefty

Posted by: OldTimeLefty at August 13, 2009 4:58 PM

Barney "keep-your-regulations-off-my-agencies" Frank term limited out. Ahhh.

Posted by: Monique at August 13, 2009 9:46 PM

Monique,
Rhymes with weak
Utters a word,
"Pip-squeek!"
OldTimelefty

Posted by: OldTimeLefty at August 14, 2009 7:46 AM

Once I get over the intial euphoria of term limits, I get a little concnerned. I fear, that over the long term, it will lead to Mandarinzation of our government. Only the bureaucratws will have the first idea of how things work and the elected officals will demure to them. In time the elected officals could become superfluous, and they might like it that way.

Posted by: Warrington Faust at August 14, 2009 7:09 PM