Perspective
America’s founders didn’t envision kings and queens serving a lifetime in their positions. The 22nd Amendment limits how long our presidents can serve by granting two four-year terms, but considering how long people can serve in our other branches of government, it can feel as if we have nine, 100 or even 435 kings and queens. I can’t imagine that the founders would be proud of the people representing our country serving their positions for life.
One solution could be the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The amendment would limit the U.S. Senate to two six-year terms for a total of 12 years, the U.S. House to four two-year terms for a total of eight years and the U.S. Supreme Court to 18 years of service.
As of the start of the 119th Congress, the average age of a U.S. Senator is 64.7, and the average for the U.S. House is 57.5. All this while Americans have long disapproved of career politicians.
Richard A. Epstein, a legal scholar and New York University (NYU) law school professor, wrote for the University of Chicago Law School, “Length in office offers a huge advantage to those seeking localized benefits. Although seniority does not decide everything in Congress, the clout that accompanies long service in office remains a prominent ingredient in obtaining political power.”
Members of Congress can serve for long periods of time depending on the money they raise, which does not encourage them to represent their constituents. 330 members of Congress are estimated to have a net worth of $1 million apiece or more. A true representation of the American people should be of ordinary Americans, not the richest Americans. In Connecticut, other than Jahana Hayes from the 5th Congressional District, all of Connecticut’s congressional delegation have served for longer than the current President can. In fact, Rosa DeLauro has been in Congress since 1991.
The sign of a healthy democracy would be competition between parties, as well as within their primaries, because it means different ideas and leaders will change more often. In a journal article, former congressmen from Minnesota Bill Frenzel said, “The opponents of term limits are easier to identify. They are the ins and their friends. incumbents, staff, lobbyists, and close observers. They have a stake in the present system or know it and are comfortable with it. They do not believe ‘their’ system is broken, and they see dangers in fixing it.”
“Known retirement dates would allow challengers to get their affairs in order and plan their campaigns in advance. That would mean better campaigns, better candidates, and more competition,” said Frenzel.
Supreme Court justices have jobs until they retire or die. When the Constitution was written in 1787, life expectancy was roughly 34. In 2026, life expectancy in the U.S. is estimated to be nearly 80. As with serving for long periods of time in Congress, serving life on the Court lacks more frequent changes in ideas and leaders for multiple generations born during their tenures.
These are not signs of a healthy democracy.
The SCOTUS equivalent to Rep. DeLauro is Clarence Thomas, who has served for 34 years on the Court. In fact, even some incumbent SCOTUS justices such as Elena Kagan suggest appointments could become less of a “life or death issue” with term limits. Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts have also expressed interest in limiting their terms. In a journal article co-written for the Virginia Law Review by James E. DiTullio, a lawyer from Boston and John B. Schochet, a lawyer from Seattle, says, “On today’s Supreme Court, there has not been a vacancy in nine years, a modern record. Had some of the older justices, many of whom made their impacts on the Court long ago, retired, other great legal minds who have not had the opportunity to serve on the Court might also have been able to make their marks.”
Young people see the need for limits. Trinity Pearsall, a communication major and the sergeant at arms for the university’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter, said, “I think that if you keep the same kind of people in office there will never be change and then you’ll never see America get better than what it is.”
Watching the health of elderly politicians such as Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Mariama Diop, a communication major and secretary of the university’s NAACP chapter, said, “If you have to be treated like you’re in a nursing home, maybe you should be in one and not in the Senate.”
For the country to be considered a true beacon of democracy, we need more change of the guard outside of the Presidency. There needs to be term limits for all our legislative and judicial branches. It is the only way.
