Oligarchs For Term Limits!

Senator Kelly Loeffer is a die hard supporter of term limits. She believes in them so much that, despite being in the Senate since January, she has not served her first term yet. Since she was appointed for a Class 3 Senate seat, even if she wins in 2020, her first term will not not start in 2021. Her first term can only begin if she is then re-elected in 2022 — makes you think.

Her first ad going after Rep. Doug Collins specifically criticizes Collins for not supporting term limits. Mind you, I could not find Doug Collins saying anything about term limits one way or another.

Here’s my idea for a Doug Collins campaign slogan “I may not have committed insider trading, but I’m also against term limits so I guess it evens out.” Something sarcastic that shows term limits for members of Congress as the utter non-idea they actually are.

I’ve talked about this a number of times, but the people considered “walking arguments for term limits” are often just replaced with people who have the same ideology. Hardcore Republican Strom Thurmond was replaced with hardcore Republican Lindsey Graham, hardcore liberal Ted Kennedy was replaced with hardcore liberal Elizabeth Warren, and moderate Democrat Robert Byrd was replaced with modern Democrat Joe Manchin.

The Kelly Loeffer’s of the world will not be harmed by term limits, even when she is forced to leave office, she will be replaced with another well connected oligarch who runs on being the exact same as her. In truth, Congressmen being in for too long is not the issue — by itself, at least.

A similar issue comes with the idea proposed by the likes of Jesse Ventura, someone who I do have a lot of respect for, that we should abolish all political parties. Political parties are not the reason Congress is bad, even a two party system is not the reason why Congress is bad.

Congress is bad because we have an uninformed and apathetic population, much of which does not vote. Mind you, this is because that is what the oligarchs want, because that causes them to stay in power for much longer.

Implementing rank choice voting, allowing more than two parties to take part in the debates, and making election day a federal holiday would do much more than demanding this oligarch can only serve a certain amount of years before being replaced with another oligarch.

Term limits appeal to members of Congress because it’s a way to look noble while maintaining the status quo. Hey, anyone remember when Newt Gingirch became Speaker Of The House and tried to limit members of the House to only having six terms — when he was in his ninth?

Mind you, none of this is talking about those who would actually be hurt by term limits — the good members of Congress. Those who actually fight the establishment and get the support of the people, those who the establishment really wants out. What easier way to get them out than tell them that they are not legally allowed to run anymore.

This is why the first time term limits came up in our national debate was in 1944, when Republican Thomas Dewey promised a two term limit for Presidents if elected. Republicans knew they could not beat Franklin Roosevelt, so they instead tried to change the rules so they would no longer have to run against them.

Term limits are an Astroturfed solution by oligarchs, nothing else.