 SCHEDULED IN THE SENATE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY MORNING – WE OPPOSE THIS RESOLUTION. |
US CONSTITUTION REQUIRING TERM LIMITS
HJR 0005 by *Todd , Sparks, Warner, Zachary, Bricken, Hawk, Lynn, Richey, Garrett, Powers, Capley, Carr, Vital
Constitutional Conventions – Makes application to Congress for the purpose of calling an Article V convention to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution to set a limit on the number of terms to which a person may be elected as a member of the Congress of the United States.
BACKGROUND: Last year HJR0005 passed the House floor 66-27-3
WE UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO GET SOME OF THE PRESENT OCCUPANTS OUT OF D.C.(I would be happy to start the list!!), BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO DO THAT THROUGH THE CONSTITUTION RATHER THAN THE BALLOT BOX.
PLEASE REVIEW THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BELOW:
The Problems with ARTIFICIAL Term Limits
1. We have ‘term limits’, they are called “elections”, every two, four, and six years. Just because voters are derelict in their duty, does not mean we must change our process.
2. ‘Artificial’ term limits means giving the bureaucracy a LOT more power; in addition, institutional memory and experience is no longer available.
3. Voters are prohibited from voting for the person they believe to be the best choice for that office.
4. Term limits create multiple classes of ‘lame ducks’ and successive ‘freshman’ classes. We all know that in the last term any official serves, without re-election on the horizon, there is no longer the accountability that was once there.
5. This would prevent legislators from gaining the experience they need to become skilled lawmakers.
6. This would also interfere with experienced legislators gaining seniority to gain committee chairmanships and leadership positions.
7. Term Limits give Lobbyists more influence.
8. A term limits amendment is a feel-good palliative which distracts us from dealing with the real problem: People in Congress disregarding the Constitution.
Here’s a look at congressional tenure, by the numbers:
The average years of service for Members of the 117th Congress, as of January 3, 2021, when the Congress convened, was 8.9 years for the House and 11.0 years for the Senate. In comparison, the average years of service for Members of the 116th Congress, as of January 3, 2019, when the Congress convened, was 8.6 years for the House and 10.1 years for the Senate
The way to effectively reform Congress lies in supporting and voting for candidates who uphold the belief in a stronger local government rather than a stronger national government. Term limits will not achieve the reform that is needed in our federal government because term limits will NOT RESTRAIN the power of our federal government.
Don’t Be Fooled by Article V Conventions.
Five reasons to oppose congressional term limits
“Term limits won’t deliver you to this promised land of functioning government. Term limits exacerbate all the worst features of American governance, while improving little about our candidates or elections. The quality of lawmaking goes down, the influence of lobbyists goes up, and public spiritedness erodes even further.“
JAMELLE BOUIE
PLEASE CONTACT THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE AND URGE THEM TO VOTE NO ON HJR005:
Sen. Richard Briggs sen.richard.briggs@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Page Walley sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Mark Pody sen.mark.pody@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Ed Jackson sen.ed.jackson@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Sara Kyle sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Adam Lowe sen.adam.lowe@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. John Stevens sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Ken Yager sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Jeff Yarbro sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov
