Unofficial Term Limits

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The United States of America was established upon the principles of freedom. Furthermore, it was established to create a country who stood apart from the oppression of a tyrannical government. It was based off a dream, a dream of establishing a nation where the government was for the people and not the other way around. A great nation, a shining city on a hill. This started with the institution of a leader. George Washington, the first Presidents of this country, did something that was unheard of at this point in history, a peaceful transition of power. Consequently, this began The Era of Unofficial Term Limits. An ideological stance of peacefully removal from power after serving no more than two terms in office. While the country started out united, war ensued. Political movements progressed and Franklin D. Roosevelt bypassed the conceptual term limit, which lead to the foundation of The Era of Official Term Limits. The situation turned from ideological to legislative. Term limits have been contested by many presidential nominees and also by Ronald Regan and it initiates the question about The Era to Come on Term Limits. Are the rash decisions made by presidents a product of having no ability to be re-elected? Would a reform help? What are the issues and how can they be solved? To address any of these questions you have to start at the beginning. The first President of the United States of America, George Washington, set a new precedent of leadership. He approached the American Revolution with a sacrificial view point; his goal was not the acquisition of position, but to expel the oppression of the British and create the nation imagined. Accomplishing his objective, he withdrew from power, despite his military control and influence. An Era of Unofficial Term limit was established he had severed eight years, from 1789 – 1797, two terms. Following the event of Washington’s peaceful exit, their proceeded to be a time period of 143 years before this precedent was broken. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 18, 1940 was elected to a third presidential term; this drew much criticism as an unspoken rule that had been in place for over a century was broken. Nevertheless, F.D.R. felt it was his duty to proceed to serve his country in the chaos that was surmounting. In essence, this initiated a political ploy by the republicans, in an act to discredit and invalidate a democrats’ successful succession of presidencies. The amendment seeming the obvious course of action, after what was decades of an Era of Unofficial Terms, easily passed into legislation and adopted on February 27, 1951. The Era of Official Term Limits began as this transition went from ideological to legislative. In light of the new change, inquiries were raised and stances established against this new Era. The strongest opposition to term limits was from Ronald Regan. “In thinking about it more and more, I have come to the conclusion that the 22nd Amendment was a mistake," Reagan said in a 1986 interview with The Washington Post. "Shouldn 't the people have the right to vote for someone as many times as they want to vote for him?” There are two reasons Regan makes this argument; he sees a democracy as, what the people want, and if the people want a president longer than 8years then shouldn’t he be allowed to serve longer? Secondly, calling a trend of presidents becoming “lame ducks”, in their last terms. Therefore, not fearing the consequences of re-elections, making rash chooses on controversial issues. This is played out in numerous examples, Bill Clinton will be remembered for his second term impeachment, not moves in his first term to balance the budget. Dwight Eisenhower’s second term involved …show more content…
and the Era to come are all thing to examine as the county progresses. America needs sound leaders who can make the right decisions before their political agenda. Understanding why and how the constitutional amendments apply to officials are critical to keeping America a democracy. The American dream can only be preserved with informed citizens and that can all start with simple knowledge of the constitution, and whether it’s the 1st or 22nd amendment, why they were imposed and whether you as a citizen of this democracy agree with

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