Download the Politics Daily Toolbar
Our new toolbar integrates the latest news and analysis into your Web browser and installs in seconds. Download it now!

Politics DailyPolitics Daily

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • COLUMNISTS
  • TOPICS
  • THE CAPITOLIST
  • WOMAN UP
  • DAILY FLOTUS
  • JUST IN
  • THE CRAM
  • CONTACT

    Stay in Touch

  • Inside Politics Daily

    Three Terms for Barack Obama?

    Posted:
    01/14/09
    With President-elect Barack Obama set to take the oath of office to begin his first term, one New York Congressman wants to make it possible for him to one day serve a third. Representative Jose Serrano (D) has introduced a bill in the House to abolish the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which limits presidents to two consecutive terms or ten years in office.

    Until 1951, there was nothing preventing a president from seeing election for more than two terms. But all presidents prior to Franklin Delano Roosevelt honored a tradition begun by George Washington and served only two consecutive terms. Roosevelt stood for election for an unprecedented third term at the dawn of World War II and was elected to a fourth, only to die in office within months of his inauguration. He is the only American president to serve more than two terms.

    The theory behind the 22nd Amendment is that modern day presidents exercise too much power and authority to be allowed access to it for very long. On the other hand, the presidency is the only federal office that is term-limited. The same arguments in favor of limiting presidents' time in office can be applied to Representatives and Senators as well.

    What do you think? Should the 22nd Amendment be repealed? Should presidents be allowed to serve for as along as the people will elect them? And should Barack Obama be the first beneficiary of the proposed change?

    Do you support the effort to repeal the 22nd Amendment?

    When should the change take effect?

    Get the new
    PD toolbar!



    Follow PoliticsDaily On Facebook and Twitter,
    and download the new Politics Daily toolbar!

    Mark Impomeni

    Mark Impomeni is not a journalist, or a pundit, but a citizen with a keen interest in national issues. Skeptical and argumentative...more

    Contact Mark Impomeni

    subscribe to: RSS email: Mark Impomeni

    Related Articles

    Related Articles

    • Sri Lanka president calls for early election

      2 days ago

      COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -Sri Lanka's president signed a decree Monday calling for early elections, hoping to take advantage of his popularity after ending the country's 25-year civil war to win a new...

    • Ousted Honduran president won't recognize vote

      11 days ago

      TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya insisted late Saturday that he will not accept any deal to restore him to office if it means he must recognize elections later this...

    • AP Political NewsBrief at 6:32 p.m. EDT

      26 days ago

      Stimulus saved, created 650,000 jobs, gov't claims WASHINGTON (AP) Nearly 650,000 jobs have been saved or created under President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan, the government said Friday,...

    Add your comments

    Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

    When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

    To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.

    Avoid hate speech, foul language or a disrespectful tone in your comments. Unwanted comments will be deleted at the discretion of the moderator.

    • Happening Right Now

       
    Politics Daily on Facebook

    Other News

     
    News Logo