Rare News Desk
During primary season, conservatives are likely to hear candidates claiming that they support term limits. But if conservatives want to take control of Congress and keep it, they should abandon the idea.
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Some of the exuberance for term limits seems to come from a nostalgic notion of the “citizen legislator,” the person who sets aside his or her job or duties to serve a few years in the state house or Congress—or even the presidency.
Not a bad idea when government was limited, small and manageable, but that day is gone. Today, government is involved in virtually every aspect of our lives, especially at the federal level. It shouldn’t be but it is.
Fighting Democratic efforts to expand government intrusion even more requires elected conservatives who know the issues and how to manage, and stop, legislation. It’s a steep learning curve, and a person doesn’t get that knowledge and experience in just a few two-year terms.
Take Obamacare, for example. The Democrats have completely screwed up health insurance and the health care system. Republicans rightly want to repeal and replace Obamacare; but to do both they have to know politics and policy, in this case health policy. There is a small number of Republicans who have mastered health policy, but they didn’t learn it overnight. It takes years.
Term limits creates another problem: They increase the importance of the elected official’s staff. When newly elected members come to Congress, they usually look for some old hands who have managed congressional offices and issues before. And they look for legislative assistants who know their policy areas well.
The new members have to rely heavily on their staff until they begin to learn the issues and the process. If members are forced to leave after, say, six years, they are leaving Congress just about the time they are starting to become knowledgeable and effective. It would be like putting a student right out of medical school in charge of complicated surgeries, and just about the time she’s been in it long enough to know what she’s doing, telling her she has to retire.
There are also conservative candidates who know it’s unlikely that term limits will ever pass Congress, but decide to impose term limits on themselves. The irony is that the most ethical conservatives—the ones you want to stay—would be the ones who felt compelled to honor their pledge (e.g., Tom Coburn, when he left the House).
Finally, there is the quest for getting and keeping a conservative Congress. Incumbents almost always win reelection, while open seats, even in relatively safe districts, create an opportunity for the other party. If conservatives voluntarily leave Congress because of a self-imposed term limit, there will be more conservative turnovers than liberal turnovers.
Democrats are not concerned with term limits; their goal is to win a seat and keep it for a long as possible. Our goal should be to get as many good conservatives elected to Congress as possible, and once they’re in keep them there.
