AmericanFederalGovernmentDisc

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Discussion 3 (Complete by

Sunday, Nov. 20) 1 1

This discussion aligns with Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 4.

Direction

Use this forum to address the following prompt:

Political gridlock has become the mainstay of congressional operations. A

number of factors contribute to this stalemate. America’s predominate two-

party system adds to this deadlock with its propensity towards partisan

politics. Another dynamic in this instance can be found in the lack of term

limits for members of Congress. Many believe that in the absence of such

restraints, members of Congress are not motivated to cooperate with their

partisan counterparts in the interest of the American public. With this mind,

reply to the following question:

Should members of Congress be subject to term limits? Why or Why not?

Submission

11/11/22, 7:09 PM Page 1 of 5

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Rosita Yaworskir (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/65283/users/10700)

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11/11/22, 7:09 PM Page 2 of 5

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The United States Congress needs to have term limits.  There are a

number or reasons for term limits to be instituted to include increasing

the number of citizens who participate in governing the people, for the

people and by the people.  A second reason is to reduce the impact of

special interest and lobbyists and decreasing their influence in the

execution of the United States government.  Finally, term limits will also

reduce the amount of corruption in the government.  The United States

government has many problems but these problems can be reduced with

the institution of term limits.

                The United States government, beginning with the constitution

and the founding fathers attempted to escape tyranny but creating a

government that was operated and executed for the people and by the

people.  However, the House of Representatives serve a two-year term. 

The normal election cycle for offices is about the same two-year

timeframe.  Essentially, as soon as a congressman gets into congress

they already have an eye toward re-election.  It becomes a continuous

cycle and in that political cycle, there is not much room for unknown

candidates.  Without regard to political party, an incumbent has a distinct

advantage whether it is in a primary or general election due to name

recognition, already existing fund-raising contacts and a pre-built team

of campaigners.  By limiting the number of terms they can serve, it would

decrease the inherent advantages and enable more newcomers to run

and serve within the government.  Greenberg (n.d.) writes, “Congressional

term limits are a necessary corrective to inequalities which inevitably

hinder challengers and aid incumbents. Each House Member, for

instance, receives nearly a million dollars per year to pay for franked

(free) mail, staff salaries, and office and travel expenses. While

campaigning, incumbents continue to receive salaries upwards of

$130,000 a year, which typically dwarf the income of challengers (who

often must resign from their jobs while running for office)” (para 14). 

11/11/22, 7:09 PM Page 3 of 5

often must resign from their jobs while running for office)” (para 14). 

                Special interests and lobbyists have a place within our political

system.  However, there is a certain amount of familiarity that goes

beyond strictly professional familiarity and crosses into corruption.  When

a member of congress begins to have extended relationships with these

special interests and lobbyists, they become committed to the lobbyists

interests and begin to lose sight of their constituents’ interests, which is

the reason they were sent to Washington D.C. to begin with.  By limiting

the exposure of congressmen to the special interest section of the

nation’s capital, congress can be more specifically focused on solving

our country’s problems without undue influence on them from outside

groups.  As Greenberg (n.d.) writes on the topic, “Special interests

oppose term limits because they do not want to lose their valuable

investments in incumbent legislators” (para. 10).  These risks are easily

evident when special interests fight the topic within the government. 

                 The combination of the first two elements of the argument for

term limits leads to the final reason, corruption.  The combination of

familiarity and special interests leads to corruption of multiple levels. 

One of the forms of corruption in the United States Congress includes

insider trading and having extended knowledge about the industries they

are passing laws on or approving of regulations.  Government’s decision

can greatly influence stock prices and having early knowledge of what is

happening with those companies combined with campaign contributions

for those decisions creates a recipe for corruption.  Limiting the terms

served helps limit the exposure, need for funding for re-election as well

as developing those long-term quid pro quo relationships that force

those in congress to forget about their constituents and focus on the

election-to-election processes.

The United States Congress needs to have term limits imposed for

several reasons.  In order to help combat corruption, decrease the

influence of oligarchs and special interests and help decrease corruption

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influence of oligarchs and special interests and help decrease corruption

are but a few of the benefits of term limits.  It would also help expose

and provide opportunities for new faces, new ideas and more

involvement in our governmental processes.  The government in this

country faces the same dilemma as any other country.  It will take a

humble approach to serving in order for them to pass term limits into law

and will be a hard sell due to the aforementioned traps built for those

currently serving.  However, in order to create something special, it takes

new ideas and new people to move beyond where we are now.

 

References

Greenberg, D. (n.d.). Term limits: The only way to clean up Congress. The

Heritage Foundation. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from

https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/term-limits-the-

only-way-clean-congress (https://www.heritage.org/political-

process/report/term-limits-the-only-way-clean-congress)

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