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Friday, October 5, 2007
Term limits for Washington?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A new book from University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato proposes sweeping changes to the U.S. Constitution — 23 often innovative measures that Sabato believes will make America fairer. Among them is an idea to limit the president to one six-year term. In the fifth year of that term, the president would have the option of standing for an up-or-down election, without an opponent, to serve an additional two years. If the people vote yes, the president’s in for two more years; if they vote no, he or she is out in one.
In the House, Sabato would have candidates run every three years, instead of every two, and he would impose term limits on all federal elected officeholders. Finally, Sabato would increase the membership of the Senate to at about 140, which would include former presidents and vice presidents serving (at their option) as “national senators.” He also would raise the membership of the House to 1,000. These moves, he believes, would make Congress more representative.
What do you think? How would you structure term limits for Congress, if at all? And do you think the current limit on the presidency (two terms) is adequate, or would you support a change? (Learn more about Sabato’s proposals at the site for his book A More Perfect Constitution.)
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