The U.S. Congress is a failed institution, with the public approval rating being consistently at around 20% over the past few decades (public-approval-rating-of-the-us-congress). One possible way to resuscitate it is to introduce strict term limits, for the same reason as they are necessary for the American Presidency (i.e., two terms).
1. Congress is a failed institution
Three examples:
- “We the People” have lost faith in it (public-approval-rating-of-the-us-congress).
- Congressional acts have severely damaged America, from the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 to 2022 visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
- They, the law-makers, know it, as shown by the image below.
2. Why has Congress failed?
The image below highlights the key reason behind our failing political system.
3. How to get re-elected for a public office?
Running for re-election every day while in office!
To know what a typical Congressman like David Jolly did on daily basis, read Republican congressman exposes one of Congress’ dirty little secrets on ’60 Minutes’. Below is an excerpt.
4. Term limits for Congress as a solution
Here are two arguments against term limits:
- Our political system is fine. We just need to elect the right people.
- Term limits for Congress are already there – Just stop electing the incumbents if you do not like them.
To briefly dispel both, one by one …
4.1 Why can’t we just elect the right people?
Most people we elect are “right,” at least the first time when they are elected. It is the political system that turns them “wrong.” Here is an extreme example: in 2006, Senator Obama correctly voted against raising the debt ceiling to $9 trillion, which he labeled “unpatriotic”. But under President Obama, our national debt ballooned to well over $19 trillion!
The House is infinitely worse than the Senate, as the election cycle is much shorter (i.e., two years vs. six years)!
4.2 Term limits for Congress are already there, really?
When an incumbent like Jolly focuses solely on his own re-election, do you really think a challenger will have any chance?
Oh, do not forget about this: many incumbents are unchallenged, thanks to decades of Redistricting and Gerrymandering. As a result, we do not choose them, but they choose us!
The cruel reality is that the incumbents have so many advantages over the challengers that most of them keep getting re-elected.
Even more problematic, most Americans like our own Members of Congress, because they bring home the “pork.”
What, then, is pork?
It is often pure theft from the public treasury!
Still wondering why our national debt is more than $36 trillion, rising rapidly (https://www.usdebtclock.org/)?
Wonder not – The money has been used to buy votes!
5. Why is America failing?
Lack of governance!
The image below offers one highlight.
Bottom line: There is no governing in America, but only campaigning, constantly
6. Closing
The U.S. Congress is a failed institution! As a first step to reform it, let us introduce term limits.
For more, read History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline.
