The recent loss of confidence in our government is potentially dangerous.  Americans have always been cynical about politicians and the lawmaking process but at a certain point we begin to question its legitimacy.  Today, the Congress is highly unpopular and Americans are clearly becoming restless.  Despite these problems Congress has exhibited a disturbing lack of turnover with the undemocratic entrenchment of career politicians.  Term limits is a common sense reform that would help break up the dominance of career politicians and create more opportunity for changes in the Congress.

A Congressional term limit is the most popular Congressional reform that has been proposed.  Over 70 percent of Americans support them.  Americans are inherently distrustful of political power when it is concentrated in one person or group.  However, Congress has avoided this problem by hiding themselves in the anonymity of a 535-member body, giving the impression that power is evenly divided among them.  Unfortunately that is not the case.  Power is typically concentrated with a small number of senior Congressmen that are safe from election challenges.

Even with extremely low approval, most politicians in Washington have been able to thrive without concern for losing their jobs.  When their job is safe, the interests and concerns of their constituents becomes a relatively minor concern.  Politicians become concerned only with their own influence or ambitions within the Congress or in Washington DC in general.  When lawmakers are fixated on such narrow, parochial interests, the rest of the country suffers.

There are several ways an incumbent politician protects herself from being challenged.  Politicians gerrymander districts to include as many of their supporters as possible.  When you are able to choose who you elects you, your odds of winning are extremely high.  Being an incumbent Congressman also gives you a number of other advantages.  Not only do you have a head start in fundraising, you have Congressional staffers that eagerly work as campaign volunteers in order to keep their jobs.

Once you win election, keeping your job gets easier and easier the longer you are in Congress.

Gerrymandering and the power of incumbency are enhanced by another factor: seniority.  Most of Congress operates under the seniority system, which rewards long-serving career politicians with a disproportionate amount of power and influence.  Rather than newer, younger Members having an equal voice, they are almost immediately co-opted into being a loyal party Member in order to move slowly up the ladder.

This system has produced a Congress that has expanded its own power, continually ignores the major issues, and has performed so poorly it now has an approval rating below 25 percent.

Term limits would end the seniority system and destroy the legislative monarchies that have been established within each chamber.  Power could then be more evenly distributed within the Congress.

Another benefit would be the weakening of the close bonds between lobbyists, bureaucrats and the Congress.  It is the responsibility of the Congress to oversee the federal bureaucracy.  However, the federal bureaucracy routinely hires lobbyists to help establish close relations with members the Congress, which can compromise their judgment.  For example, intelligence committees have term limits because Congressional leaders decided it must avoid Members developing loyalty to the intelligence bureaucracy that could undermine their ability to exercise critical and independent judgment over it.

Isn’t critical and independent judgment desirable in all areas of public policy?

There is also the issue of Washington’s culture.  Many former Congressmen stay in the capital to become lobbyists or work as political appointees in the federal bureaucracy.  The result is a political class, elected and unelected, that spend their careers in the capital with virtually nothing tying them to the rest of the nation.  Congress is supposed to be representative of the American people not starting point for a career as a Washington insider.

In addition, career politicians live a life of comfort and privilege while those in the rest of the country have a far different experience.  Politicians are asked to pass laws, formulate rules, and make decisions that have an impact on the real world and on all Americans.  If politicians have no experience or understanding of the real world, how can we expect them to make proper judgments?

The United States was founded upon the principle that power cannot be concentrated in one person or governing body.  Despite the low approval of Congress, the low approval of the President, and the palpable anger of Americans at the direction of the country, three out of four Congressmen kept their jobs in the “big wave” election of 2010.  It is obvious the barriers guarding against the concentration of power are too weak.  Term limits would help force higher turnover in the Congress, end the era of career politicians, and more evenly distribute power.  A limit of twelve years would give Members time to accomplish their legislative goals while also ensuring they cannot spend their entire adult lives in Washington.