Term limits for Congressmen have been hotly debated for some time now. Even political experts tend to be divided on this important issue. There are some who believe that Congress benefits from fresh blood, while there are others who see the value in government continuity. Each side of the debate has points to make, so with that in mind, let’s take a deeper dive into the pros and cons of Congressional term limits.
The Pros of Congressional Term Limits
1. There are many who believe that Congressional term limits help to root out corruption. Being a member of Congress is an awesome amount of power and those who are exposed to vast amounts of power over longer periods of time are more likely to start making decisions based in their own self-interest, as opposed to listening to their constituents.
2. Serving as a member of Congress is not supposed to be what one chooses as their choice of career. Those who choose to serve as members of Congress are supposed to do because of noble reasoning, not as a means to make money and ensure that they are employed in perpetuity. Term limits keep those who desire power and money out of Congress.
3. Congress thrives when new ideas are allowed to flourish. When the same old people sit in the same old seats year after year, this can lead to stagnation and a lack of fresh decision making. A government body works best when people are allowed to infuse new ideas and come up with plans that exist outside of the box.
The Cons of Congressional Term Limits
1. When someone spends a long period of time at a job, they tend to become far more skilled than they were when they began working at it. Term limits for Congress limits the chances of someone growing into their position and becoming even better at it. A job of this importance can be overwhelming in the early going, so giving Congressmen time to grow into is recommended by some.
2. Should a member of Congress rise to the top and become a trusted voice, their career could end up being cut short by Congressional term limits. Even if a person has no history of taking bribes or being corrupted by their power, they are unceremoniously ushered out the door along with all of the embezzlers, the power hungry and the incompetent.
3 Getting rid of those who have served for too long ensures that there will be a new class of rookie Congressmen who are not up to date on legislation and all of the rules and regulations that their job entails. If a government body consistently has to break in new members and teach them the ropes, this cuts down on the amount of time that can be spent on real work.
