Say we elected a savant President. A guy who is unequivocally loved, by both sides. A man whose forethought and insight has led us to new definitions for quality of life, who if given the chance could do this his whole life. But we would force him out after only 8 years. There are one of a kind people out there.
Jeff D
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There aren't enough saints like that to worry about. How many US Presidents were truly qualified for more than two terms and were loved by everyone? Washington, maybe. That's about it in my book. I suspect a few Presidents could have won a third or more terms, if they'd wanted to and been allowed to, but I seriously doubt they would have accomplished much in their later terms. And then you have the opposite problem--how many potentially great Presidents wouldn't get a chance because their predecessor was clinging to power (Presidents who was popular enough to keep getting re-elected, but not really doing much).
The way I look at it is that, in a nation of some 300+ million people, there's got to more than one person who's fit to lead the country. If not, then we've got a lot bigger problems to worry about.
NEVER SUBMIT... to evil
power corrupts...... absolute power corrupts absolutely...... term limits.... the key word is limits....... we do not need another FDR
?
That is certainly a point. Term limits in the USA were only introduced after FDR got elected for a fourth time, the only thing that ended it was that he died, and people got to thinking that's far too long. But why should it be too long? If the guy is still a good leader, I agree, why can't you keep him? Obviously people thought FDR was and kept voting to keep him.
Look around the world at parliamentary systems, where it's impossible to have term limits because the national leader is chosen in a completely different way, and what you tend to find is that national leaders tend to decide to go after about ten years anyway because it's such a high-pressure job. And ten years is actually possible in the USA - say the President dies or is removed from office just over halfway through his term, the VP takes over for nearly two years, does a good job, and then gets elected for two terms of his own - total nearly ten years.
OK, yes, a new President means new ideas, but not every President has run out of ideas after two terms, and if you get one like that, the people should be allowed to choose him again.
Kchess07
Term limits cause a lazy electorate.