“Few things in life are more predictable than the chances of an incumbent member of the U.S. House of Representatives winning reelection,” says Open Secrets, a nonpartisan research group that tracks money and its effect on American politics. “With wide name recognition, and usually an insurmountable advantage in campaign cash, House incumbents typically have little trouble holding onto their seats….”
They’re right. In 2022, House incumbents enjoyed a 94.5% reelection rate. Worse, in the Senate, incumbents can boast of an astonishing 100% reelection rate.
Many argue that term limits for members of Congress are unnecessary but ignore that incumbents have clear (and arguably unfair) advantages over newcomers. With access to the Swamp’s funds and inculcated into the culture of the political establishment, DC insiders can easily fend off outsiders’ threats to their power.
The Founders intended for Congressmen to be everyday citizens who actually served the American people, not career politicians who got rich at the expense of their constituents.
The longer they stay in office, the more deeply entrenched they become in the corruption of Washington, the more ineffectual their “service” to the American people becomes. The more they line their pockets, the more their careers become money-making endeavors.
Currently, the 10 longest-serving members of Congress have served collectively for 434 years! Each has served individually for at least 40 years.
Surprisingly, the list of the 10 longest-serving members does not even include some of the most infamous Swamp creatures. Mitch McConnel was first elected to Congress in 1984. Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters have been in Congress for 35 and 31 years, respectively.
Should “public servants” really be spending 30-plus years in office? Across the political spectrum, voters are fed up with the failures of our federal government, yet our failed leaders stay in power, comfortably making at least $174,000 per year.
Congress is too in love with its power to ever rein itself in. Occasionally, a well-meaning member may introduce a token piece of legislation to term limit elected officials, but it always gets shot down.
The only way to crack down on the amount of time politicians spend in the DC Swamp is to call an Article V Convention of States, by which the states can impose term limits on all federal officials. The Article V process is initiated and led by the states, which means there is nothing Congress can do to stop it.
If you’re ready to send the seemingly undefeatable McConnell home and Pelosi packing, sign the Convention of States petition below, and join us in our efforts to save liberty from the clutches of the DC leviathan.
Historic Swamp reelection rate proves we need COS
Published in Blog on December 19, 2022 by Jakob Fay
