position that they could be influenced? In other words, could they be bought? Many have hundred-thousand-dollar salaries, large staffs of up to forty, and million-dollar pensions. Along with the benefits of office, incumbents have become accustomed to privileges and power.
Our society needs to have checks and balances for these types of situations, that is why it is so important to pass term limits for our Congress. Times have changed since our founding fathers argued against the idea of term limits.
On the other hand, if we limit Congress to term limits, it will allow inexperienced people in office. It is much better for society to have elders who know how to handle situations. Incumbents know what constituents want and need and if term limits were enforced, just when they "become most useful" would be removed from office.
The Framers of the Constitution rejected term limits, because they knew that holding frequent elections were a form of term limits. In order for incumbents to stay in office, they have to be reelected. That is, they have to go before "voters and earn their support." Having frequent elections in it self prevents Congresses abuse of their power.
James Madison "called regular election "the cornerstone of liberty," and argued in The Federalist Papers that effective legislators should be returned to office frequently." Therefore, James Madison believed that it is important to have experienced legislators in office in order "perform in the people's best interests." John Adams believed that the people are able to choose for them selves through the election process the "ablest and best men." Alexander Hamilton stated "Nothing appears more plausible at first sight, nor more ill-founded upon close inspection (than term limits). One ill effect of the exclusion would be a diminution of the inducement to good behavior. There are few men who would not feel much less zeal in discharge of a duty when they were conscious that the advantage of the station with which it was connected must be relinquished at a determinate period, than when the were permitted to entertain a hope of obtaining, by meriting, a continuance of them." (The Federalist, #72)
"The Constitutional Convention of 1787 clearly shows that James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, Roger Sherman, and most all of the Founders were firmly opposed" to term limits. They referred to it as "ineligibility for reappointment."
If so many of our Framers were against the idea of term limits,
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