There has never been a better example of the need for term limits than demonstrated several weeks ago in the mud-wrestling over the federal budget. President-elect Donald Trump laid it out there for recalcitrant Republican representatives when he said, “Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this budget compromise should, and will, be primaried.” Yes, he threatened representatives with a primary race, which could jeopardize their chance of being reelected. Forget about any issue, the only goal is to get reelected. “Primaried,” what a dumb word, but I digress.

There is, however, a way to inject common sense and snuff out all of the stupidity and “primaried” blather in Congress and the White House – adopt term limits of one three-year term for a representative and one six-year term for a senator.

You turn over one-third of each body each year. There’s no longer any need for “dialing for dollars” because you can’t run again. If you want to move from one legislative body to the other, you can, but only after you have been out of office for a period equal to the term of the office to which you aspire.

If you want to go to Washington and be a complete jerk, go ahead because, at the end of your one term, you have to go home and face the music.

All current representatives and senators have a staff of six to eight people, so there are plenty of places to turn to for help addressing the issues. And supporting congressional staff there are thousands of federal employees skilled in all matters. 

Many say, “It will never pass because the current Congress will not willingly vote themselves out.” That is true, but there is a solution to that. The new term-limit rule will not apply to incumbents. They may run, for only their office, as long as they want. It will only be a few years before the new crop of legislators, by their words and deeds, unmask the professional politicians who are squatting in Washington today.

The common-sense quotient in Congress has no way to go but up, and one term may allow a brilliant captain of industry, physician, accountant, educator or homemaker to take the plunge for his/her one term.

Ted Leach is a Peterborough resident and former publisher of the Monadnock Ledger.