President Obama FOR EVER. No More Term Limits?

DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
edited January 2009 in A Moving Train
Earlier this month, Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y. introduced H. J. Res. 5, a bill that would repeal the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment prohibiting a president from being elected to more than two terms in office

Democratic New York Congressman, Jose Serrano, introduced a bill to congress on January 6th proposing the REPEAL OF THE 22nd AMENDMENT.

HERE IS THE BILL

This would end a tradition symbolic of the limits to power that our constitution originaly imposed on the federal government and leave the door open for a populist dictatorship to entrench itself in the executive.

Thomas Jefferson was probably the most outspoken advocate of term limits amongst our founding fathers (and was, privately, probably the most anti-authoritarian of our founders in general), and had this to say:

In 1805:
“General Washington set the example of voluntary retirement after eight years, I shall follow it, and a few more precedents will oppose the obstacle of habit to anyone after a while who shall endeavor to extend his term. Perhaps it may beget a disposition to establish it by an amendment of the Constitution.”

And More Forcefully In 1807:
"if some termination to the services of the chief Magistrate be not fixed by the Constitution, or supplied by practice, his office, nominally four years, will in fact become for life."

What do people on this board think about such a bill?
How do you feel, not only about the intent and implications of repealing the 22nd amendment generally,
but also about the timing of the introduction of this bill, specifically?

I mean, do you see this being some sort of set up for "King Obama The Great" to rule indefinitely?
If I was to smile and I held out my hand
If I opened it now would you not understand?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    It has begun...

    It won't happen Drifting. Don't worry.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Yeah, this one will pass. :roll:
  • If you send in 25 UPC symbols from aluminum foil packages, Rep. Jose Serrano's office will send you a framed copy of the bill.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • If you send in 25 UPC symbols from aluminum foil packages, Rep. Jose Serrano's office will send you a framed copy of the bill.

    From Congressman Serrano's Biography
    He is the only Congressman from New York City on the exclusive House Appropriations Committee and serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government

    He doesn't appear to be very fringe to me.
    Subcommittee Chairman, and member of Appropriations Committee are pretty heady roles.
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • If you send in 25 UPC symbols from aluminum foil packages, Rep. Jose Serrano's office will send you a framed copy of the bill.

    From Congressman Serrano's Biography
    He is the only Congressman from New York City on the exclusive House Appropriations Committee and serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government

    He doesn't appear to be very fringe to me.
    Subcommittee Chairman, and member of Appropriations Committee are pretty heady roles.

    I'm not saying that he's fringe (I know nothing about him), but anyone who is concerned about this bill actually having a chance in hell of even coming to a vote (let alone passing) has got to be a bit out there.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    [I'm not saying that he's fringe (I know nothing about him), but anyone who is concerned about this bill actually having a chance in hell of even coming to a vote (let alone passing) has got to be a bit out there.

    I have a sneaking suspicion this bill is similar to the one put up every year for mandatory military service or resurrecting the draft or whatever that one does... ie. it's more about making a political point than any desire to actually enact the legislation in question.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    If you send in 25 UPC symbols from aluminum foil packages, Rep. Jose Serrano's office will send you a framed copy of the bill.



    :mrgreen:


    it won't happen, and i don't think it's any ploy for obama to be president supreme for life. but that's just me. :P
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • yokeyoke Posts: 1,440
    I think we should have term limits.

    POTUS - 2, 4 year terms
    Sentate - 1, 6 year term
    House - 2, 2 year terms


    These people are career politicians at this point. If they understand that they have to actually get out and work after they yay or nay bills they will see the affect of them. The problem we have with a lot of our Reps is that they are in there forever or at least it seems that way. Do your job and leave. Not to mention with some new blood in there we maybe able to get some real changes made.
    Thats a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?

    www.seanbrady.net
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    yoke wrote:
    I think we should have term limits.

    POTUS - 2, 4 year terms
    Sentate - 1, 6 year term
    House - 2, 2 year terms


    These people are career politicians at this point. If they understand that they have to actually get out and work after they yay or nay bills they will see the affect of them. The problem we have with a lot of our Reps is that they are in there forever or at least it seems that way. Do your job and leave. Not to mention with some new blood in there we maybe able to get some real changes made.

    I think we need longer terms too though. Those limits were set when people didn't live long and the country was comparatively small and easy to manage. I say:

    POTUS- 1 6-year term
    Senate- 2 9-year terms
    House- 3 3-year terms
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 40,628
    seeing as how it wasn't enacted until mid-twentieth century what exactly is your problem.

    http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am22
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

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  • yokeyoke Posts: 1,440


    POTUS- 1 6-year term
    Senate- 2 9-year terms
    House- 3 3-year terms






    I have to disagree with the Senate terms. Thats too long, maybe 2, 5 years terms?
    Thats a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?

    www.seanbrady.net
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    yoke wrote:

    POTUS- 1 6-year term
    Senate- 2 9-year terms
    House- 3 3-year terms

    I have to disagree with the Senate terms. Thats too long, maybe 2, 5 years terms?

    Their terms are 6-years now... you want to decrease it? Part of the design was that the House was supposed to be a very populist and high turnover body and the Senate was intended to be a more moderate, longview body. Maybe 9 years is long... I kinda liked the neatness of keeping them proportional. But I think 6 years has to be the minimum.
  • What's even worse than Career politicians in my opinion is political dynasties. Where your grandfather, father, then you, then your child, then your child's child, etc. all form a stranglehold on a political position.

    Granted I'm probably exaggerating a bit, but sometimes it seems all you ever hear are the same several last names popping up.
  • yokeyoke Posts: 1,440
    What's even worse than Career politicians in my opinion is political dynasties. Where your grandfather, father, then you, then your child, then your child's child, etc. all form a stranglehold on a political position.

    Granted I'm probably exaggerating a bit, but sometimes it seems all you ever hear are the same several last names popping up.


    Caroline Kennedy comes to mind at this point, lets home little Chelsea doesn't take this route.
    Thats a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?

    www.seanbrady.net
  • yokeyoke Posts: 1,440
    yoke wrote:

    POTUS- 1 6-year term
    Senate- 2 9-year terms
    House- 3 3-year terms

    I have to disagree with the Senate terms. Thats too long, maybe 2, 5 years terms?

    Their terms are 6-years now... you want to decrease it? Part of the design was that the House was supposed to be a very populist and high turnover body and the Senate was intended to be a more moderate, longview body. Maybe 9 years is long... I kinda liked the neatness of keeping them proportional. But I think 6 years has to be the minimum.


    honestly I think my problem is that they stay in there for a really long time. I think the longer they are in the further from the people they tend to get. I would say a lot have high hopes when they get into the House or Senate but those hopes get crushed by the Veterans.
    Thats a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?

    www.seanbrady.net
  • evenkatevenkat Posts: 380
    There was the same talk about changing term limits when Bush became President. I don't think it's going to happen. However if we have a really good President like FDR I wouldn't mind a third term, but if we have an awful President like Bush It could be a nightmare.
    "...believe in lies...to get by...it's divine...whoa...oh, you know what its like..."
  • yoke wrote:
    What's even worse than Career politicians in my opinion is political dynasties. Where your grandfather, father, then you, then your child, then your child's child, etc. all form a stranglehold on a political position.

    Granted I'm probably exaggerating a bit, but sometimes it seems all you ever hear are the same several last names popping up.


    Caroline Kennedy comes to mind at this point, lets home little Chelsea doesn't take this route.

    Yeah, to me, all signs are pointing to the preparations of Chelsea taking over the family politics when the spotlight is open.
  • evenkat wrote:
    There was the same talk about changing term limits when Bush became President. I don't think it's going to happen. However if we have a really good President like FDR I wouldn't mind a third term, but if we have an awful President like Bush It could be a nightmare.

    You know what i admire most about FDR?
    He may have fucked some things up, but he was still an honest man on paper.
    Maybe he got corrupted, or was an unwitting dupe, in his capacity as president -- tainted by a system that could bend almost any many of his will.

    BUT HE WAS AWARE OF THAT FACT, AND MADE A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO "REPENT" FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS BY WAY OF HIS WRITINGS:

    "The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial
    element in the large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since
    the days of Andrew Jackson. History depicts Andrew Jackson as the last
    truly honorable and incorruptible American president." - 11\21\33, Letter to Col. Mandell House

    Warning of Vigilance Over Government:
    "The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government
    strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and
    a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain
    its sovereign control over the government."

    Warning Desperately Against a "New Order" (this quote is even on his memorial in DC!):
    "They who seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers call this new order. This is not new and it is not order."

    There are a half dozen other choice quotes,
    but as i have said, the point is, for all of what i perceive as his faults during his presidency, i admire him greatly for his honesty in posterity.
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • AusticmanAusticman Posts: 1,327
    I think polictical situation in US should be reversed. Limit the terms of the upper and lower house and take the limitations off the Presidents term of office. Voters can always vote out a president if he is unpopular enough, but voting out a dud senator seems to be an impossible task. But of course the reality is that you'd never get the two houses to vote themselves out of a job.
    I can't go the library anymore, everyone STINKS!!
  • fanch75fanch75 Posts: 3,734
    Part of the design was that the House was supposed to be a very populist and high turnover body and the Senate was intended to be a more moderate, longview body.

    I would love to have your knowledge of Civics.
    Do you remember Rock & Roll Radio?
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    fanch75 wrote:
    Part of the design was that the House was supposed to be a very populist and high turnover body and the Senate was intended to be a more moderate, longview body.

    I would love to have your knowledge of Civics.

    It's a mixed blessing... often it's kind of infuriating to see how far we've strayed from how things were intended to be.
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