Term Limits?

 

Looking to term limits to reduce corruption is focusing on a symptom more than addressing the problem. The problem is lack of accountability. Due to the corrupting influence of power, whether a public official serves in the same office for one year or fifty years, corruption can be expected if a public official is not held accountable. For example, if States don't hold US Congressmen representing their State accountable we shouldn't be surprised if those delegates act contrary to the interests and welfare of their States, if the US Congress assumes powers not delegated to the US Congress by the US Constitution, if massive amounts of money go toward departments, agencies, and programs that are not constitutionally mandated, or if the US Congress fails to impeach public officials that commit crimes or violate the US Constitution.

A term limit merely limits how long we will trust a public official, and the first problem with that is we should not trust public officials, we should be holding them accountable.

The several States should be exercising the constitutional right of recall. Article 5 of the Articles of Confederation gave each State the right to recall and replace its congressmen at any time. The right of recall is not denied in the US Constitution, which means the Tenth Amendment protects the right of each State to recall and replace its congressmen.