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The NPR Politics Podcast

Term Limits Won't Fix Congress — Here's What Might

Oct 30, 2023
The guests discuss why term limits may not be effective in reducing extreme partisanship and outside influence in Congress. They explore ideas like multi-member districts and primary election reforms that could make a bigger difference. They also touch on the struggles of a former vice president and address the frustration with Congress and hope for primary reform.
18:17

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Term limits on congressional candidates may not solve issues like extreme partisanship and outside influence.
  • Other potential approaches, such as multi-member districts and reforms to primary elections, could address political polarization in Congress.

Deep dives

Term Limits on Congressional Candidates

Term limits on congressional candidates are a popular idea among voters, but they may not actually solve the issues people think they will. Supporters of term limits argue that it would address the incumbency advantage and reduce the amount of time spent raising money. They believe that by setting a maximum number of terms, lawmakers would have more time to focus on serving their constituents rather than fundraising. Additionally, proponents suggest that term limits would make lawmakers more beholden to their constituents rather than their party, potentially addressing political polarization in Congress. However, opponents argue that term limits could lead to a loss of institutional knowledge and policy expertise. They also point out the practical challenges in implementing term limits, such as the difficulty of defeating incumbents in elections and the potential unconstitutionality of self-imposed limits. Overall, while term limits may be popular in theory, there are complex considerations and potential drawbacks to be mindful of when discussing their implementation.

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