Should we have term limits for every federal government branch?

I would also be hesitant to extend the terms as this proposal suggests, mainly because the framers, deliberately had the House, in particular, elected every two years to act as a check against a populist movement, and against an entrenched Senate, or tyrannical executive.

I couldn't agree more, and would love to see the 17 th amendment nullified by a new amendment.

The 17 th was a progressive move designed to concentrate power in the Federal government at the expense of the States.

Indeed. The engineer creed not withstanding, I fear that neither method of repair will ever see reality short of direct state intervention. It is a rare thing for a group to give up power and money of thier own volition. And, quite frankly, the sorts of people that would are not alive today.

Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, New Horizons, Hubble, Cassini... NASA is doing a lot of real science and on a shoe string. The cost estimate for Apollo in 2010 dollars is around $100 Billion, NASA 2015 budget is a little less than $20 Billion, which includes the James Webb Telescope. Please pick on a different agency, NASA is actually doing something positive.

I agree with you on term limits, I was skeptical, but now career politicians expend all of their energy raising money and getting re-elected, vs. governing.

CPT Jack Durish - Captain; Why not try something along the lines of "The incumbent can run for re-election but they must receive a higher percentage of the vote than they received in the last election otherwise all the ballots cast for them are irrevocably deemed "Spoiled" and not considered in deciding who DID get elected."?

That way, if you have a good, hardworking, effective, Representative or Senator they can continue serving as long as they continue to increase the trust that their electorate has in them.

I'd even take it one step further and say that any popular vote higher than 60% is to be deemed to be "a higher percentage of the vote than they received in the last election". [This prevents someone who "only" has 75% of the electorate who want them as their Representative/Senator from losing the election because they got 76% of the popular vote the last time. It also would keep someone who only got 13% of the popular vote from being elected.]

I agree 1SG Robert Rush

I would respectfully disagree with the idea of institutional memory in our Politicians. That memory is already in place through the bureaucratic machine that remain in place regardless who is in office. Getting rid of the entrenched political class in DC would only serve to stymie the special interest groups, and would also leave Congress with MORE reason to act as a check as intended by our Constitution, and to resist a dominant Executive, as those in Congress won't have the anvil of needing to get re-elected hanging above their heads. Great arguments, Sandy, Regards.

SSG Gerhard S. - Here is the problem . . . by setting strict congressional term limits you eviscerate the long term institutional memory of the congress . . . while leaving the executive and judiciary senior executives and civil service with fully intact long term multi generational institutional memories . . . leaving the congress essentially defenseless in arguments with the other two branches of government. Not so good idea. Warmest Regards, Sandy :)

1LT Sandy Annala - I understand your argument, and it's a good one. I would only suggest that regardless the collective memory of our sometimes, seemingly perpetual political class in Congress, they still behave as if they're paralyzed, and defenseless against the Executive, and the Judicial branch as well. Far too much power and over-reach has been concentrated in the Executive branch, and to a degree in the Judicial as well. Meanwhile Congress appears to be ever more apprehensive regarding their role as a check against both. Needing to get re-elected, every 2, 4, or 6 years means the political class is too invested in spending money they don't have, and writing checks against the futures of our children, and grand children's labors. It also means long term, and profitable associations are fostered with special interest groups making them even more entrenched, and obligated to those groups. I can only observe that what we have now simply isn't working, and perhaps taking away that need to get re-elected every election, might give those in congress the cajones to do their job and act as a balance through the power of the purse, Congressional oversight, and Supreme Court confirmations. Thanks for your thoughtful comments, always great to converse with you.