JD FOSTER: Term Limits Would Be The Swamp’s New BFF |
Editor’s note: Big Tent Ideas always aims to provide balanced perspectives on the hottest issues of the day. Below you’ll find a column from former Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President J.D. Foster, which argues that term limits would benefit the swamp’s entrenched interests. You can find a counterpoint here from U.S. Term Limits CEO Nick Tomboulides, who asserts that term limits are essential to restoring Americans’ trust in Washington.
Some ideas look so obviously right, yet turn out terrible. Ever had a date like that? For conservatives, one obviously right yet terrible idea is term limits.
I get it, Americans’ low opinion of Congress is too often justified. To be fair, today’s congressional membership includes many fine, well-intentioned individuals, many of them Democrats.
Yet there are also so many nutcases like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and scumbags like California Democrat Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzalez. Nor is it just Democrats meriting serial eyerolls. Earth calling Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert. Anybody home?
Under the circumstances, supporting term limits is understandable. Throw the bums out!
But … what happens when you throw the bums out? You get new bums. Same voters; same political dynamics; new bums clone the old bums.
Also, while Americans think poorly of Congress, they generally like their own congressional delegation. Under term limits, real stars like Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan and Utah Sen. Mike Lee would go too.
Term limits run contrary to basic........