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Editor says, what if a different kind of term limits was proposed? Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the November 2012 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
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In 2008, just days after Barack Obama's landslide defeat at the polls, the Democratic Party proposed a "no more amateurs amendment".
No More Amateurs AmendmentUnder this principle of progression of offices, candidates would be required to serve two full terms as either senator or governor as a condition of eligibility for the Presidency.
Because inside the beltway, it was fully understood that the US had constructed a political maze that only the insiders could understand. But suitable experienced candidates such as six-term senator Joe Biden were always disadvantaged by populist candidates such as Obama who were less experienced but more photogenic. And worse, such an imbalance also ran the larger risk of a dysfunctional government whereby the electorate would be tempted to vote for a progressive candidate of hope that would inevitably fail to enact the promised kind of legislative program. Whereas a terms-limit would ensure the Chief Magistrate had a record of voting that would unambiguously demonstrate their ability to build bipartisan support on the Hill.
Entry posted by Todayinah Editor
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Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Politicians Source: Wikipedia Labels: Term Limits, Barack Obama, Presidency, Mr America, Election. Editor says, this idea was developed with Scott Palter, also the flipside whereby the original constitution required such a two-term service as a condition of eligibility.
~ How did this "landslide defeat" take place? POD, please. 2008 implosion would have needed a different Republican, and Lehman not being allowed to fail. The different Republican goes after the gaps in Obama's record. Gets his university records unsealed 'proving' that he got into Columbia as an Indonesian exchange student
~ Predictions I am hearing seem to favor a narrow win for Obama, but it is conceivable that the Dems might go for more training, or certainly find ways to better sell their top candidates. For that matter, so could the GOP.
~ Obama could have been defeated, had the MSM not been so thoroughly on his side. Maybe in this TL the PUMAs and Hillary managed to open the closet and let his skeletons out for a dance? And the theory of progression of offices sounds like the _cursus honorum_ of ancient Republican Rome, where one progresssed up the ladder of offices, one at a time, until (hopefully) the Consulship.
~ Three problems immediately come to mind. The Vice President would also have to be qualified for President under the new amendment. Some states only have a two year term for a Governor so potentially a person with 4 years of executive experience (say Bill Clinton when he was much younger) would qualify while others with 5 to 8 years experience who were still in their second term would not. Thirdly, Members of the House would never pass an amendment that cut them out of the possibility to run for President. I think if it were worded that to be Qualified the candidate would have to have served 8 years as a Governor, 8 years as a Representative or 8 years as a Senator you would have much better odds of passage and ratification.
Hillary only had 8 years when she ran in 2008 so if you want her support you need to cut down that two term requirement for Senators.
Paul Ryan would also qualify for VP under this modified form but not under the one you originally proposed.
Something else I just thought of, the line of succession to the Presidency goes Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Temp of the Senate, then through the Cabinet members of the Administration. To be in the line of succession you would have to be qualified under the amendment so the Cabinet would either need more experienced elected appointee's or a further modification. Cabinet posts are occasionally held by people who would qualify now, Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State 8 years in the Senate or Tom Ridge, Governor of Pennsylvania for example. This would require more effort to recruit retired Governors or Congress persons to the Cabinet.
~ Well, that would certainly leave out a backwoods country lawyer named Abe Lincoln.
~ That would be a blatant attack on democracy and an Establishment stitchup. What's wrong with populist outsiders,anyway?
~ Jackie, considering the Lincoln is long dead by 2008, this amendment doesn't affect him.
I doubt such an amendment would ever pass. However, this idea could be taken as a guideline for both parties and their nomination systems.
~ Brian, my point is that the amendment would be disqualifying some pretty great candidates.
~ There would be many, many naysayers (as we've already seen) and pessimism could spread as Washington does what it wants anyway.
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