we really NEED term limits

[DrLeftover]

I was going to post this in answer to another thread as a list of names, THEN I saw the dates.

Some of these assholes have been in there since the SEVENTIES, and we won't mention "Dingell".

Members of Congress first elected BEFORE 1990.

Rank Representative Party District Seniority date Notes
1 John Dingell D MI-12 December 13, 1955 Dean of the House;
Longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history
2 John Conyers D MI-13 January 3, 1965 Ranking Member: Judiciary
3 Charles B. Rangel D NY-13 January 3, 1971
4 Don Young R AK March 6, 1973
5 George Miller D CA-11 January 3, 1975 Ranking Member: Education and the Workforce
6 Henry Waxman D CA-33 Ranking Member: Energy and Commerce
7 Nick Rahall D WV-03 January 3, 1977 Ranking Member: Transportation and Infrastructure
8 James Sensenbrenner R WI-05 January 3, 1979
9 Tom Petri R WI-06 April 3, 1979
10 Ralph Hall R TX-04 January 3, 1981
11 Hal Rogers R KY-05 Chair: Appropriations
12 Christopher Smith R NJ-04
13 Frank Wolf R VA-10
14 Steny Hoyer D MD-05 May 19, 1981 Minority Whip
15 Marcy Kaptur D OH-09 January 3, 1983
16 Sander Levin D MI-09 Ranking Member: Ways and Means
17 Nebulous Barton R TX-06 January 3, 1985
18 Howard Coble R NC-06
19 Pete Visclosky D IN-01
20 Peter DeFazio D OR-04 January 3, 1987 Ranking Member: Natural Resources
21 John Lewis D GA-05
22 Louise Slaughter D NY-25 Ranking Member: Rules
23 Lamar Smith R TX-21 Chair: Science, Space and Technology
24 Fred Upton R MI-06 Chair: Energy and Commerce
25 Nancy Pelosi D CA-12 June 2, 1987 Minority Leader
26 Frank Pallone D NJ-06 November 8, 1988
27 John Duncan R TN-02
28 Eliot Engel D NY-16 January 3, 1989 Ranking Member: Foreign Affairs
29 Nita Lowey D NY-17 Ranking Member: Appropriations
30 Jim McDermott D WA-07
31 Richard Neal D MA-01
32 Dana Rohrabacher R CA-48
33 Ileana Ros-Lehtinen R FL-27 August 29, 1989

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_by_seniority

 

[Webster]

I still remember when the issue of term limits first started to come up back in the early 90's and I couldn't help but think, 'rather than put an artificial limit on our elected officials and give the bureaucracy even more power, how 'bout us voters just simply get up off our asses and actually pay attention to what's happening around us?'

*looks up at the list of long-serving representatives in the OP* All I'll say there is if the voters want to keep their elected officials for long periods of time, who are we to complain?

 

[Evil Eye]

In theory I agree with Webster.

However, this seems fishy. Accepting that someone's represented a good number of people for over 50 years requires some suspension of disbelief.

 

[DrLeftover]

If term limits are no good for the country.

Then why must Our Beautiful President leave in a year or so?

 

[Webster]

How senile does a politician have to get before he is removed from office?? Dingell's time in office should have ended at LEAST a decade ago.[/size]

*reads question* Well, there was Strom Thurmond; by the then that senile SOB left the Senate, I doubt he knew which century he was living in...then again, given his points-of-view, he probably thought he was going home to his plantation...

 

[Evil Eye]

If term limits are no good for the country.

If a person truly merits their position and is the absolute best person for the job, they shouldn't be kicked out because of some stupid "term limit".

Clearly such an event is rather fanciful however.

 

[DrLeftover]

See the video:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/09/24/obama-coffee-salute-new-york/16140291/