Letter to the Editor - Congress needs term limits

Editor,

In 1977, I watched admiringly as Orrin Hatch ran for U.S. Senate on a platform of voluntary term limits. He ran against three-term Utah Senator Frank Moss, saying, “What do you call a Senator who’s served in office for 18 years? You call him home.” Hatch’s point of view had solid backing in American constitutional history and tradition.

James Polk ran for president in 1844 on a pledge to serve only one term, as did the candidate for the other party. The citizenry at that time were well aware that term limits were necessary wherever power was involved. When Polk’s party asked him to run for a second term, he reminded them of his promise and refused to run again.

Orrin Hatch, elected in a different time, quickly forgot his concern about the dangers of unlimited terms of power, as did his electorate. Utah returned him to Washington for 42 years, seven full terms of six years each. A similar situation exists in the U.S. House, where representatives are routinely returned to serve political careers of decades.

The founders of our nation included a provision in the Constitution to prevent exactly what has happened. They prohibited the granting of any titles of nobility. In England, a title of nobility gave an individual the right to serve for a lifetime in Parliament, just like the king served in his office. Without limits on congressional terms of office, individuals effectively have been granted titles of nobility in America. A president with the powers of a king is still a king. A senator with the longevity of a noble, is still a noble.

It is time to recognize and apply the “nobility” clause of the United States Constitution, and ratify an explicit provision limiting terms of office to perhaps one or two for senators, and four or five for congresspersons. In 1951, Americans ratified an amendment to limit the term of the presidential office so we could not have a king. We must now do the same for Congressional offices.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross, Utah