<b>Major</b>: My assumption is that there are many talented and capable people capable of serving. Term-limits guarantees a regular influx of new voices and fresh ideas. It would diminish the power-brokering that chokes the system. Experience is valuable but experience at what? Experience at manipulating a closed system (what we effectively have now) is no great shakes. How much pork can we tolerate?! I guess wrecklessness and unaccountability could conceivably be a problem except it has not been with our presidents. If these men and women had to return to a private life of accountability (which they would I assume) then they should have the character to just do their elected job to the best of their ability. A diverse and dynamic nation deserves a diverse and dynamic political process. Just by looking at the re-election stats you can see that we do not have that. Perhaps the lengths of terms should be lengthened, but then again we wouldn't be losing so much work time if time and energy were not needed for re-election concerns.
If I'm not mistaken you could easily make the case that term limits are unconsitutional. But I have long since forgotten how to make that case. I believe the founding Fathers hammered this out in when they first developed the articles and then again when they created the consitution. They all had outstanding points against it. I just wish I could remember them.
This is a bit of a silly analogy, but here goes: As originally constituted, basketball had a jump ball after every made basket. Can you imagine that in today's game? The world has changed in unimaginable ways just as Dr. Naismith never met a Shaq or a KG or a Yao Ming!!!!!! We need to adapt to the realities of the world without surrendering the spirit of the Constitution. How would term-limits be any more unconstitutional than age-limits or any other requirement put on seekers of elective office?
Term limits, while it's true that they would take out very good leaders like McCain or Kerry, would also take out many corrupt ones. I think we can all agree that the bad severely outnumber the good. Problem is, without MAJOR reforms in the areas of lobbying and fundraising our government will still be for sale. Fact is, I think we need both. Institute term limits to get these sellout son-of-a-b****'s out of office and clean up the money so they can't get to the new guys.
