Congressional Term Limits

Exploring the idea of congressional term limits. Should they have limits? What should they be? What are the tradeoffs.

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March 27, 2026
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Term Limits:

This paper is for data collection. Comment below the answers to these questions or submit your ideas.

Should Congress have Term Limits

If yes, what would the term limits be?

  • Limits for the House?
  • Limits for the Senate?
  • Limits for the Supreme Court?

Should there be cognitive limits?

If yes, how would we test it, what would the standard be?

  • Should people be required to take a cognitive test to qualify to run for office?
  • How do we make sure that we are only testing cognition and not intelligence?
  • How do we ensure it is administered fairly, unbiased, and based on science?

Common Objections

  • Founding principles was such that maintaining favor with your constituency was in effect the term limit.

  • The incentives to work for the people are diminished if at end of term.

  • Those terming out begin to lose influence, thus diminishing their positions of power.

  • Democracy Reform Primer Series: Term Limits

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