Why We Need Term Limits in All Levels of Government

Public service should be just that, service to the citizens one is representing however it seems that many elected officials coming from local, state, and federal government even from both parties seems to care only about their financial wants/needs and have turned that which was a means to serve as a career opportunity or in some cases a get rich quick scheme. 

Starting with those at the federal level I’ll give you ten good examples of why we need term limits! 

1. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) 

U.S. Senate 1985-present 

2. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 

U.S. Senate 1992-present 

3. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) 

U.S. Congress 1981-1999, U.S. Senate 1999-present 4. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) 

U.S. Congress 1975-1981, U.S. Senate 1981-present 5. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) 

U.S. Senate 1993-present 

6. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) 

U.S. Congress 1993-1999, U.S. Senate 1999-present 7. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)

U.S. Congress 1983-1997, U.S. Senate 1997-present 8. Representative Hal Rogers (R-KY 5) 

U.S. Congress 1981-present 

9. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 11) 

U.S. Congress 1987-present 

10. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ 4) 

U.S. Congress 1981-present 

(NOTE: Feinstein announced in February 2023 that she would not be seeking reelection) 

This list alone is of five Republicans and five Democrats who have been in office for a minimum of at least thirty years and are currently serving. Some starting out in Congress moving up to the Senate and some who have been in one or the other for years alone. Mind you I only included their services in the Federal government, some of the individuals listed have even served in the State government prior. 

Like I always say to you the readers don’t take my word for it alone, check it out for yourselves and you’d be surprised at what you see as this list of ten is just a small example of why we need term limits, just look at those who have been in office in the past such as Senator Robert Byrd, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Ted Stevens just to name a few. 

After the passing of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 who was at the time of his death serving a fourth term, the United States Congress passed the 22nd Amendment which limits the President to two terms as a means of preventing a President in power for life, overstepping their power and even to the point of turning our Republic into a dictatorship. Just look at other countries such as China for example and you will understand why the President is limited to only two, four year terms! 

According to termlimits.com there are currently sixteen states that have term limits in the legislative branch and they are as follows 

1. Arizona – (House and Senate both limited to 4 terms 8 years total for each) 

2. Arkansas – (12 years consecutive combined total for both houses; able to return after 4 year break) 

3. California – (Assembly 4 terms 6 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years) 4. Colorado – (House 4 terms 8 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years 5. Florida – (House 4 terms 8 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years) 6. Louisiana – (House and Senate both limited to 3 terms 12 years total for each) 

7. Maine – (House and Senate both limited to 4 terms 8 years total for each) 

8. Michigan – (Lifetime for both chambers: 12 years total combined) 

9. Missouri – (House 4 terms 8 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years) 10. Montana – (House 4 terms 8 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years) 11. Nebraska – (Unicameral: 2 terms 8 years) 

12. Nevada – (Assembly 6 terms 12 years, Senate 3 terms 12 years)

13. North Dakota – (Assembly 4 terms 8 years, Senate 4 terms 8 years) 

14. Ohio – (House 4 terms 8 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years) 15. Oklahoma – (12 year combined total for both houses) 16. South Dakota – (House 4 terms 8 years, Senate 2 terms 8 years) 

Unfortunately, Virginia currently has no term limits in our legislative branch however in our executive branch the Governor is limited to a four year term starting off and is not eligible for a consecutive term but they may run again. The Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General are not term limited. 

While many may disagree with me especially those who have or currently are serving in the General Assembly, I do believe that it’s time for Virginia to have term limits in the General Assembly and I think personally that a limit of four terms and eight years for members the House of Delegates and a limit of two terms and eight years for members of the Senate of Virginia would be more than appropriate and would do much good for our Commonwealth. 

Of course there are some who have served in the General Assembly for years and even decades that are good public servants to their constituents and even have done a lot of good for the Commonwealth and even though I am for term limits does it mean I would refuse to vote for any of them especially if they were the right choice out of all on the ballot? Absolutely not!

I will always vote for the person who has a good sense of morals, will uphold the Constitution and that has the best content in their character. But I do encourage those running for office to set the example by signing a term limits pledge or even advocate to introduce legislation to have term limits signed into law. Maybe we should all start asking the candidates if they would be willing to do such. Good idea if I say so myself. 

During the Virginia Senatorial Debate in 1996, then former Democratic Party of Virginia, Chairman Mark Warner declared in his debate against then Senator John Warner that he would serve no more than two terms if elected to the U.S. Senate. Senator Mark Warner has now been in the U.S. Senate since 2009 and is currently serving his third term, hmm whatever happened to the “two terms” he said he would only serve all them years ago? Guess he figured out that he can benefit greatly from a career in politics at the constituents and taxpayers expense! 

This example of one benefiting themselves financially, desiring power and even for those who have been in office for decades that refuse to acknowledge poor physical and/or mental health (ex: Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden, Dianne Feinstein etc) on their end are the reasons that we need term limits in all levels of government. 

As for the level of local government which consists of mainly of the following 

● Sheriff 

● Treasurer

● Commonwealth Attorney 

● Commissioner of Revenue 

● Board of Supervisors 

● Town/City Council 

● School Board 

Most of them usually are a term of four years with no limit but why should we still have term limits for the local level even for the positions (ex: Board of Supervisors, Town/City Council and School Board) that don’t pay enough for one to make ends meet? 

For the main reason that we have them for the President and should have them in our federal and state legislative branches and that is for the prevention of one to self benefit on the abuse of their power, ruling their locality like mob rule and even to the point of having the coveted big title and seat. 

All the while they have their cake and eat it too while turning a blind eye to their constituents and their expectations for them to do the job they promised them that they would do. 

Many people would also say that another system of term limits is the ballot box, although in very many cases you will have voters who do not do their homework on candidates and even will go as far as to vote for an incumbent just because that voter is familiar with their name, they have an R or a D beside their name and will even neglect to view their voting record of what they did or did not do on the behalf of the welfare of their constituents.

Bottom line, we need term limits in all levels of government. If the President of the United States is term limited then it’s time we do the same to others on the federal, the state and the local level. 

Too much power for years and even decades can lead to the downfall of a nation, a statehood and even your own community.