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Term Limitation: Its Time Has Come
| Article
# : |
20194 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
Date : |
1 / 1992 |
2,279 Words |
| Author
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Paul Calamita and Thomas K. Plofchan, Jr.
Paul Calamita is the articles editor of the Journal of Law
and Politics. Thomas K. Plofchan, Jr., is a research
associate at the Center for National Security Law at the
University of Virginia School of Law. |
The 1990s have been an especially troubled time for the U.S. Congress. The 1990 budget fiasco, self-awarded pay raises, the Keating Five scandal, the savings and loan debacle, paralysis in confronting the Persian Gulf crisis, the recent disclosures regarding "rubbergate" and not paying for food service, parking ticket fixing, the growing realization that Congress exempts itself from many laws, and the Thomas confirmation fiasco have resulted in the highest public disapproval rating for Congress ever (72 percent). Predictably, cries for reform have been heard across the nation.
One cry recalls an idea that has been around since the Articles of Confederation: Limit congressional tenure. Why not? We already limit the tenure of many city mayors, 29 state governors, a growing number of state legislators, and even the president of the United States.
Support for term limitation evidences growing sentiment among the electorate that long awaited remedial measures short of such a step, such as reforms of the redistricting process and campaign finances, will not suffice. Indeed, American voters support the idea of limiting congressional tenure by a 72 percent to 24 percent margin.
Despite claims of partisan politics, the campaign for term limitation has garnered support from all of the major sectors of our society: Republicans and Democrats, men and women, blacks and whites, liberals and conservatives. Prominent members of the term limitation parade, to name a few, include President George Bush, Vice-President Dan Quayle, Senators Dennis DeConcini (D-Az) and Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), 1992 presidential candidate and former governor of California, Edmund G. Brown, Jr., Ohio Governor George Voinovich (R), Colorado State Senator Terry Considine (R), Texas Governor Ann W. Richards (D), John R. Silber (D-Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate in 1990), retired Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-N.H.), California Attorney General John K. VandeKamp, columnist George Will, and Ralph Nader. Also, national groups like Americans to Limit Congressional Terms (with affiliated organizations in 33 states and over 100,000 members), the National Taxpayers Union, and Citizens for Congressional Reform are championing the cause in addition to numerous groups organized at the state level.
In 1990, voters in California, Oklahoma, and Colorado passed initiatives that limit the tenure of their state legislators. Bolstered by these successes, proponents of term limits have initiated petitions to limit the terms of state legislators and even state congressional
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