George - Third term?

No. Two terms are enough. FDR should have stopped after two as well.

 

No. We weren't even at war in November 1940.

 

I would favor a constitutional amendment to limit the President to a single term of six years.

 

I think the only limit there should be to any elected person's term should be the limit of the vote of the people. If they keep electing idiots like Kennedy and Durbin, they deserve what they get.

Joseph Botwinick

 

They also keep electing idiots like Tom Delay and Bill Frist, but that doesn't mean that terms shouldn't be limited, particularly for the president. Money is the key to winning elections, and in a system where a plurality or simple majority is the requirement to assuming office, the idea that "the people" have spoken isn't accurate. Majorities can become tyrannies, especially when they are fractional in size, and the fact that a simple majority of voters has been convinced to vote for a particular candidate is not a sign that what is being expressed is the "will of the people." In most cases, it is a sign that what is being expressed depends largely on how much money a candidate has to spend on a national election.

 

We do have means for removing them from office if they are that bad. We choose not to utilize them. We deserve what we get.

Joseph Botwinick

 

I disagree at times with both Mr. Delay and Mr. Frist, but they are not idiots.

Are you a liberal, Jack?

As for Mr. Durbin and Mr. Kennedy they do often support quite foolish policies that enlarge the size and scope of the federal government.

 

The simple fact is that re-election is much easier than the initial election. Term limits are a great idea and most of America supports them, but the people that would need to pass it to make it law are the currently elected politicians and they don’t like the idea of giving up power.

Politics was never meant to be a career. I think we should cut their pay, eliminate their retirement and benefits, and establish term limits. That would in my opinion be a great improvement to our political system.

 

I disagree with term limits because of the lame-duck terms they create.

 

Question for all:

Do you think Washington would have OK'd the Alien and Sedition Acts?

 

I agree with KenH, two terms is enough for anyone, including my favorite, RR. GW set an excellent precedent that should have been followed by FDR.


MP,

IIRC, it was one of the proposals in the Constitutional Convention in 1787. I like the 4 x 2 limit. I like the possibility of sending a bad one home after four years.

Term limits were also proposed for those in Congress in 1787 but it was rejected. I understand their appeal but I both agree with JB, that voters should be able to continue to elect idiots, whether R or D, whether of the Left or Right, and I like the possibility of keeping a good one. However, I don't like the fact that longevity gives incumbents the opportunity to build large war chests that make unseating them such a long shot, as in the case of our generally liberal Congressman from Huntsville.


NCT,

Actually, as you may remember, it was in fact passed and ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, a decision with which I agree. It was an excellent SCOTUS debate in that both sides made some strong original intent arguments, I think it was Breyer on one side and Thomas on the other. Regulating the terms of Congress should only be done under the Constitution. I certainly agree that their retirements and benefits should be scaled WAY back.


StefanM,

Excellent question. IMO, he would not have. He was in support of a Bill of Rights. Though he was strongly influenced by Hamilton, with whom he wound up concurring on the National Bank, I believe that both Jefferson and Madison would have prevailed on him to veto such acts. Actually, he might have signed the Alien Act, which was less onerous and at least within the right of a sovereign state, IMO.

What do you think?

 

You may be right on the Alien Act, but I agree with you that I doubt he would have signed the others. Washington's rejection of political parties probably would have prevented the whole "power-grab" mentality of the Sedition Acts, IMO.