Why We Need Convention of States: Term Limits

Previously in this series, we unpacked 11 reasons why we need an Article V convention to rein in federal spending—one of the three major components of the Convention of States movement.

While fiscal responsibility and federal restraint are popular tenets of the COS mission, we sometimes encounter pushback from those who say that term limits are not necessary, arguing that “elections are term limits” (an argument which, apparently, did not apply to the president). However, congressional incumbents, in particular, enjoy clear (and arguably unfair) advantages over newcomers, solidifying the corrupt and self-serving nature of Congress. Furthermore, many of the most powerful figures in American politics today are federal bureaucrats who hold unelected positions, enabling them to accumulate power without being held accountable.

In part two of this series, we’ll delve into why we need to use Article V of the Constitution to secure term limits for both members of Congress and the bureaucracy… NOW.

1. In 2022, incumbent members of Congress in the House boasted an impressive 94.5% reelection rate, while in the Senate, incumbents achieved a staggering 100% reelection rate.

2. Since 1964, the reelection rate for House incumbents has remained consistently high, never dipping below 85% (in 1970).

3. As of June 2024, the top ten longest-serving members of Congress have held their positions for a combined total of 452 years.

4. Incumbents typically have access to significantly larger funds. In the 2021-2022 Senate races, for instance, the average incumbent raised $29,663,644, whereas challengers raised an average of $2,129,872. In the House, incumbents raised $2,855,968, trouncing their opponents’ $307,857.

5. After spending decades in Washington, career politicians tend to become unresponsive to their constituents, who continue to vote for them largely because their names remain recognizable.

6. According to the Pew Research Center, 87% of American adults favor term limits for members of Congress, making it one of the most widely supported issues in American politics.

7. Despite the overwhelming bipartisan consensus, recent efforts to enact term limits were swiftly struck down.

8. Over the past several decades, the administrative state, often dubbed the unofficial “fourth branch” of the federal government, has arguably surpassed both Congress and state governments in terms of power and influence. Despite this, members of the federal bureaucracy are not elected, meaning they are completely unaccountable to the American people. While proponents often emphasize term limits for members of Congress, our resolution goes further by empowering the states to impose term limits on bureaucrats, too.

9. Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, Americans have become increasingly wary of unchecked bureaucratic power, especially concerning figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci, who wielded enormous influence during the pandemic despite never being elected by the American people. By 2021, polling showed a majority of voters believed Fauci, who had held his position since 1984, should resign.

The above constitutes a mere handful of the many examples why we need an Article V convention. Congress is unwilling to rein itself in—now, it’s up to We the People to do it.

As writer and policy analyst Dan Greenberg wrote 30 years ago, “It is difficult to overstate the extent to which term limits would change Congress. They are supported by large majorities of most American demographic groups; they are opposed primarily by incumbent politicians and the special interest groups which depend on them. Term limits would ameliorate many of America’s most serious political problems by counterbalancing incumbent advantages, ensuring congressional turnover, securing independent congressional judgment, and reducing election-related incentives for wasteful government spending. Perhaps most important, Congress would acquire a sense of its own fragility and temporariness, possibly even coming to learn that it would acquire more legitimacy as an institution by doing better work on fewer tasks.”

To show your support, sign the Convention of States petition below. Read part one of this series here (and be on the lookout for part three, coming soon)!