I'm just curious to know if I'm the only one who feels that there should be term limits for Senators as we have for Presidents.

Senator Ted Kennedy served for 46 years. Takin nothing from him cause he did some great things while in office. But let's be serious, in my opinion this kind of thing just perpetuates the 'Good Ole Boy, Politics as usual' game.

When a new senator goes into office, if he's not willin to play the game with the boys that have been there longer, nothing that new senator wants to get done will get done.

Term limits were instituted for presidents, why the heck not for senators????

100% in agreement with you.
The only bad thing, even after only one term, they live high off the hog on retirement. Cut retirement benifits also.

interesting idea....but how long....you state(in so many word) that the senior senators are the one that get things done......so...

20 years 40 years 10 years???????

or should it be like jury duty....and everyone must participate....

I'm undecided

on one hand, the founding fathers never intended for us to have a professional politician class. Their vision was for "citizen statesmen". For the merchants, farmers, and tradesmen to take turns coming to the Capitol and running the country and then go back to the plantations and stores

on the other hand, it seems that most of the Congrssional leaders are pretty self serving and greedy. Once in awhile if you get some one really good, you would want them to stay in Washington

so I dunno

Yeah should be the same with governors and Sheriffs too.

IMO they should be allowed to serve 2 terms an then go do something else. I totally agree that retirement benefits should be cut also. Most regular joe smoos have to live on SS benefits after retirement. I say let the politicians do the same darn thing. Think of the money this country could save in doin this.

yeah realy...

They want better than SS retirement, let em pay into a 401K just like every other workin person has to do

I am absolutely all for term limits, two terms then back to whatever your real life is. Professional politicians, well, we all know what they're like. I think if they knew they only had X amount of time, they'd work harder to get things done for everyone's benefit, which is the way our government was intended to be run. Now, they can take all the time they need.

Also, it puts a lot of responsibility back on the American people, where it belongs. Instead of just apathetically voting in Joe Schmo because why rock the boat, we would be forced into, at least every 8 years, paying attention to what the hell is going on in our country.

I'm decided.........Once they leave office, benefits should be stripped, and get a real job like all of us little folks do......

In a way they do have term limits, they are called elections.

agreed

I would definately like to see term limits applied to legislators, perhaps not in the way the presidency is term-limited. I would like to see terms limited to maybe 3 terms in the senate (maybe 2) and maybe 6 2-year terms in the house.

The issue that needs to be heeded is to avoid what I'll call the suicide bomber congressmen. I'll tell you what mean by that. The way it's set up presently, congress is held to account in elections (ideally) and when the people are dissatisfied with their representation, they (we) have the power to change that represntation.

If we take away the threat of voting them out of office by limiting their time to just one term or maybe two, then you get in a lame-duck situation. When that happens the outgoing legislator cannot be held to account for the legislation they supported or voted for.

the concept of the suicide bomber legislator is well embodied in Eric Massa, Democrat House Rep from NY, who was recorded saying that he would vote against the interest and wishes of his constituency if it meant getting the legislation passed that he wanted to see passed.

If there is no safe guard of being held accountable to your constituents, whatever party is in power is free to legislate against the interests of the people and free to do so with virtual impunity..

Term limits for presidents is understandable to keep from a dictatorship forming. The senators who can successfully get voted in again and again in my mind says they do a great job and the people want them in. I say let it be.

Mayors have term limits at least here, to prevent small dictatorships from forming.

I think it is fine, if people want the same senator back again.

Good point.

Well said.