I have zero doubt that the Republican leadership and the Democrat machine will do everything they can to shipwreck the action that prompted my title and this article.  However, I find the proposal a breath of fresh air and cause a spark of hope to arise within my being.  It is encouraging that a member of Congress, a member of the Freedom Caucus has demonstrated enough spine to present something that just might resonate with the public.  I did say, might!  I say that it might resonate because some will like the fact that it touches the pay and pocketbooks of those in Washington.  Many, if not most, are disturbed over the pay and benefits afforded those elected to office including their retirement golden parachutes.  That factor might be enough to grab the attention of those in the public that would otherwise simple dismiss it as a Republican effort and never hear the proposal.  I wish I could say that it would cause people’s interest to be spiked to the point of fully understanding what citizen representation means but I do not think that will be the case.

Let me briefly detail what Congressman Francis Rooney (R-FL) has proposed.  I’m sure you have heard his proposal but let me reiterate it and hopefully generate renewed interest in your hearts and minds.  His bill is titled the “Thomas Jefferson Public Service Act of 2018”.  That is a very long title but there is substance in the proposal worthy of consideration.  This bill must do with TERM LIMITS, but it offers a workaround to the requirement of a Constitutional Amendment.  President Donald J. Trump campaigned on a platform that included imposing TERM LIMITS on Congress as is on the Presidency.  I viewed that promise as somewhat “pie in the sky” not because I did not believe it a good idea but because those in power will never be inclined to willingly give up their power, position, and purse.  For TERM LIMITS to become a reality there would be the necessity of the Swamp denizens agreeing to DRAIN THE SWAMP.  They would have to sign on to limiting their power and that would be like expecting the fox to willingly cease raiding the hen house and become a guardian of the hens.  Power hungry people are not accustomed to ceding power voluntarily.  Congress has long ceased viewing our system of government as a government of the people, for the people, and by the people.  They view it is a government in which they are in control and the owners of government, not WE THE PEOPLE.  They view themselves as being the only ones with the wisdom and insight to know what is best for us and the nation and place no value on our opinions or desires.  They talk the talk but have failed to walk the walk of Constitutional Government for so long that expecting them to change would be nothing short of fantasy.

Representative Rooney’s bill provides a means of achieving TERM LIMITS in a way that caused me to smile and say, “Atta Boy.”  His plan would reduce Congressional pay to just $1 for any Congressman or Senator who served longer than 12-years.  It would not specifically prevent them from running again but would mean that they had to do so at their own expense, not on our dime.  The bill is named after Thomas Jefferson because Jefferson specifically called for “citizen legislators”.  He and many of our Founders and the Framers believe that those serving should not be professional politicians but should serve a term or two and then return to private life and labor. They viewed those in Congress as “public servants” and anything less was reprehensible to them, and it is to me as well.

The Freedom Caucus is trying to force the GOP Leadership to bring this matter to a vote, but the only what that is likely to happen is if WE (the voters) put enough pressure on them they fear not doing so.  Another facet of this bill beyond limiting pay to $1 for those serving longer is it would implement a retirement cut-off.  Even if a Congressman or Senator wanted to serve beyond the 12-year limit they would not have the massive pay-day awaiting them in retirement.  Senator Ted Cruz has called for TERM LIMITS from the first day of Donald’s Trump’s presidency.  The problem has always been that to have a specific limit in the constitution an amendment ratified by the states would be required and that is incredibly difficult and most avoid it.  This bill opens the door to achieve what no one has had the courage to attempt and provides a pathway to the accomplishment of the goal of TERM LIMITS.  The objective of the bill is to restore or return Congress to a “service model”, not one that is centered in and focused on “personal-enrichment”.  The Swamp Denizens and the Deep State Operatives will target this Congressman with a vengeance and if you believe that TERM LIMITS are a good idea, you should be supportive of this bill.

One commentator said that “Term Limits is a solution searching for a problem.”  He deemed the matter unimportant and the work of hysterical right-wing nuts.  Isn’t it nice to know what the Left thinks of those of us who stand for the Constitution and Citizen Representation?  I have a very difficult time believing that people run for office 5-10 terms out of concern for their constituents and the constitution.  I have a much easier time believing they are doing so for themselves, not us.  One wonders what the attitude of Congress would be if those serving knew that their time was limited to 10-12 years.  Would they be more inclined to advance the cause of their constituents rather than those of special interest groups?  On one hand, I would argue YES and on another NOT A CHANCE.  There is a real danger that they would fight for immediate implementation of the desires of various special interest groups knowing that they only had a short window of opportunity and a brief shelf-life value to the money behind the scenes.  Quick action on some things would be wonderful but on others, it would be incredibly dangerous.  I have found it most interesting that the wheels of progress in Washington turn incredibly slow on things that we conservatives and constitutionalist desire but move with lightning speed on advancing liberal causes and agendas.

I support TERM LIMITS but realize that many of you may not share my views on that issue.  I believe there is more to be gained by a turn-over in Washington than would be lost.  I desire LIMITED GOVERNMENT and believe that the only way we will ever have a hope of achieving it is to have true ‘citizen representation’ in Congress rather than ‘professional elitism’.  If we could have people in Washington who knew that they were going to have to return to private life and live, work, and do business under the same laws they impose on the rest of us, we just might get better laws and fewer stifling regulations.  There would be times that it would be detrimental and times when it would be beneficial, but in the long run, it would give us hope of securing a government “of the people, for the people, and by the people.”  It would provide a doorway for us to reduce the size and scope of the governmental bureaucracy not in Washington.  It would give us hope and a chance to sufficiently drain the swamp and dismantle the deep state that we might reclaim our republic and government.  Am I chasing a Pipe-Dream?  Possibly, but the current method and path we are following are certainly not going to reduce the size, scope, or power of the federal government.

This and many other issues are reasons, in my mind, that it is imperative that we VOTE NO on the Leftist Liberal Democrats in November and VOTE YES for the Constitution and the advancement of policies and principles that seeks to reduce the size of Big Brother.  What you do in November depends on which side of the LIMITED GOVERNMENT issue you find yourself ideologically.  I stand for Faith, Family, and Freedom and desire LIMITED GOVERNMENT with REDUCED SPENDING.  For that reason, I will VOTE AGAINST the Leftist Agenda and Candidates in November.

God bless you and God bless America!