Based on past performance by Representatives I would say that is a universal sentiment. Serving the people transmutes into "serving myself".

Well know insider trading.

They all start out like an average citizen and finish their "service" a millionaire, plus the lifetime pension even after only 5 years in Congress.

A couple of thoughts come to mind. First, if you have corrupt and lazy congressman or senator, then you have a corrupt and lazy electorate because our elected officials only are a reflection of we, the people who put them there.

This also is the scourge of neo-liberalism and its attendant socialism running amuck throughout our culture. Buying votes by giving "stuff" away is destroying us just like it did ancient Rome. Open the granaries and "Free" games for all and throw in an Imperial Washington DC for good measure, and what do you have? Failure on an epic scale! Truth be told......

It still works for a Senate seat since the entire state votes for a Senator, regardless of the district that a voter lives in.

But yeah, from a House standpoint, I'd have to agree with you. With some of the truly unbelievable district boundaries, it is pretty much meaningless.

The limit could only be done by amending the Constitution, and Congress will never enact such a thing. That leaves a convention of the states. In fact, this is the proposed change we hear most from the ConventionOfStates.org people.

The surprising thing (for me) is to realize there are so many of them, those that are corrupt, and stealing from us. But the fact remains that their constituents keep voting them back. It's either they are all corrupt, completely ignorant, or just plain stupid, I'd imagine some of each.

Something has to be done, there is so much getting rich, insider trading, bribes going on - none of which serve constituents. Maybe if we indicted all who knowingly ignored or got money from the DC Congressional Pedophile ring, think how many might be gone!

All well and good if there was no such thing as Gerrymandering! With the fix in, that statement about elections has little meaning in the scheme of things. If there was no gerrymandering going on, I would agree with the statement about elections being "Term Limits" however, truth be told, it is a meaningless statement!

It goes to show that if you are corrupt enough and without shame, all you have to do is give "stuff" away and never hold your side responsible. She (and her crooked husband) are the poster children of everything that is wrong with Washington and its denizens (swamp creatures)......

Since we all know that Congress will never submit an amendment that would impose term limits on itself, the only path that we have is an Article V Convention of States. There are a number of states actively moving in that direction and if enough of them bring forth such a resolution, it could put the issue into play. Term limits may be the only way to stop this incredibly inept and totally politicized legislative body!

Your cheeky response certainly was not contumelious. I suspect you were an adorable spitfire on the job.

Bingo! The biggest problem I had working with federal government wasn't with the elected officials or their staffs, but with the unelected bureaucrats who made the actual rules regarding how to comply with bills that had been passed. These people are supremely arrogant, as they've even fixed the rules that protect them from firing. Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice were both astonished to learn that they could not fire, hire, or reassign any senior State Dept. official without the approval of a commission of State Dept. bureaucrats.

There are no congressional term limits because we, as a Nation, are "too busy", "dont care", "I cant make a difference", etc... The simple answer is, they run roughshod over us because we allow it, we are too lazy, we are perfectly happy to play with our toys instead of making it happen - and we are the only ones that can make it happen.

Why not indeed. See www.linkedin.com/pulse/amendment-esta...

Being a member of Congress was never intended to a permanent position or a lifetime profession; it was a way of donating one's services to the country that gave everyone the opportunity for betterment. What we seem to be collecting are elected bureaucrats who have no other means of employment. Given the the antics of the current Senators and Representatives term limits is becoming more inviting all the time!

There is a section in my local paper called Let It Out. It's for comments like "Don't they teach 4-way stop etiquette in driver's ed anymore?" or "I'd love to change the world, but I don't there's a diaper big enough."

I saw one the other day that said "We do have term limits. They're called 'elections' every 2 years and every 6 years."

I keep thinking about Term Limits. It's actually the people that are represented by the politicians that determine term limits. An overall Term Limit Amendment would take the current decision out of the people authorized to legally vote for them. The rest of us have no say.

A perfect example is: It's not Maxine Waters that determines her term limits, its the people that vote for her that determine it. I can't imagine anyone voting for anyone as stupid as she is, which actually just reflects the stupidity of the people she represents. Since all representatives make laws that effect all of us, we should have some kind of say about who and how long they can stay in "power". It seems the only way is overall constitutional Term Limits.

This is NOT a problem with Term Limits.
It is a problem of PAY TO PLAY!

There is a NetFlix Series about this, and a congressman we HELPED get elected explained it to us.

1) Get Elected
2) Get introduced to the power structure: The $$$ you bring in for your party (DNC, RNC) via MONTHLY DONATIONS determines WHICH committees you are eligible for. Of course, the Committees you are on, determine the $$$ you can ask for
3) They spend FULL Time DIALING for dollars from cubicles to get their donation levels up. And that means they have to represent NOT those who voted for them, but those who PATREON them every month... The DONOR class. WE Elect these people, but they WORK for the DONORS.
4) You start with WHATEVER HOLE the RNC spent helping to get you elected. You have to get that filled in. If you DO NOT, they WILL NOT BACK YOU and they will PRIMARY YOU with someone who will.

As long as that power dynamic exists, we are basically screwed. This guy signed off on ANTI-GUN stuff and CLIMATE CHANGE crap knowing it cost him many supporters. He doesn't care... As he explains it, he does NOT have the power to do this without the donor class, and the ones that were willing to start funding his coffers were these 2 groups, since he was new... And here's the rub... The INSTANT he goes against their wishes, their MONTHLY donations stop! His status is effectively revoked, and he will be removed from committees of influence, causing further loss of donor dollars.

In the end, the reason it takes SO LONG to write these bills, is that they FLOAT them out to the lobbyists to BID on writing and re-writing certain sections, so the lobbyists get their pound of flesh.

Term limits... NO. We need to define THIS Behavior as Quid Pro Quo, and make it ABSOLUTELY Illegal. To me, the RNC and DNC needs to be disbanded, nobody should be able to pay for access to the law makers like this, and EVERY TIME it happens, it SHOULD be documented.

If our forefathers could have perceived this structure, they would have designed our Constitution so that it was NOT ALLOWED!

As opposed to those with the experience to know how to "use" them (bureaucracy, ...) effectively? (Chuckle)

My favorite cartoon is a young Congressman standing outside the Russell Building saying, "Now that I have been elected, my first responsibility is to get myself re-elected!"

Ever wonder why congresspeople make so much money. They trade government favors for personal gain. Term limits (1) would help stop this, but a constitutional amendment forbidding laws which take from one and give to another would really stop it

Absolutely right. Term limits only shift the balance of power among members of Congress; they neither increase nor reduce the amount of power exercised by Congress as a whole.

I had seven federal Congressional Districts in Texas and the entire state of Oklahoma. Spent a lot of time in D.C. (beautiful city by the way). I had all the oil companies. Office was on 'K" Street, of course. I helped a fine young man from Texas take out a 27 year Democrat incumbent. That was hilarious! I walked into his office and announced to the receptionist who I was and a voice from the back of the room said, 'Who gives a damn?' It was one of my high school admirers! I yelled out 'Hi T-Bone!' The room went wild. He was the Congressman's AA (lots of dignity). They thought that nickname was a riot!

Add ACA exemption.

They would not accept Obamacare but force it down on our throat.

Getting good candidates to run against them in a primary and voting them out that way might be a little easier than getting term limits imposed on the house and Senate. Getting them to limit themselves is very difficult if not impossible.
They set limits on the President but carefully omitted themselves for the limiting process..