I was honored to join Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel in Columbus this week for a press conference to highlight Mandel’s signing of the U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge.
Josh is a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sherrod Brown. Brown has been a politician continuously for 42 years, longer than Mandel, 39, has been alive.
By signing the pledge, Mandel commits to co-sponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits Amendment if elected. That amendment calls for an amendment not exceeding three terms in the House (six years) and two terms in the Senate (12 years).
Mandel also vowed to impose a self-limit of two terms while hitting his opponent for breaking a similar pledge.
When Brown was first elected to Congress, he supported term limits and promised not to serve for more than 12 years. That was nearly three decades ago.
“He went to Washington to do good, but he stayed to do well,” Mandel said.
Ultimately, term limits is a question of who’s in charge of our country: is it a ruling class of Washington elites, or is it still “we the people”?
A constitutional amendment for term limits would ensure that no politician becomes more powerful than the oath he takes to serve. It would restore a citizen legislature that stays accountable to the people rather than distant and entrenched in Washington.
Most importantly, term limits would honor the voters. Three-in-four Americans say this amendment should be enacted.
We applaud Josh Mandel for making this commitment and hope Sherrod Brown will realize that defying his own voters on term limits is not a smart idea.
Nick Tomboulides is the Executive Director of U.S. Term Limits