Congress is now a place for career politicians. Over the last 100 years, average terms increased from 2 to 5 in the House and from 1 to 2 in the Senate.(Congressional Research Service report to Congress, 2015). About 20% of legislators in the House or Senate have held office for over 16 years and about 50% of our current Senators have held office in the House. Unlimited terms have led to the rise of individual power bases, special interest money, and the current stagnation in Congress. Just as Presidential terms were restricted so should Congressional terms. The President should propose legislation and public Congressional hearings held. Term limits would allow more time for members to devote to governance and a return of the legislature to a diverse citizenry.
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