On June 14, there were protests across the country under the banner of “No Kings!” The idea, of course, is that President Donald Trump is abusing his presidential powers, particularly in the realm of immigration law enforcement.
Abstracting from the partisan aspects of this, clearly U.S. Term Limits is dedicated as an organization to limit and deter the abuse of political power. Hence, the “No Kings” message resonates with term limits supporters.
What is a king? According to Merriam Webster it is “a male monarch of a major territorial unit especially one whose position is hereditary and rules for life.”
And what provision more than any other in the U.S. Constitution guarantees that the United States will never have a king?
The 22nd amendment. Presidential term limits.
Ratified in 1951, the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms in office, whether consecutive or non-consecutive. This ensures that no individual can hold the nation’s highest office indefinitely, accumulating power and influence to the point of resembling a monarch.
The amendment was a direct response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented king-like four-term presidency. By setting a clear limit, the 22nd Amendment guarantees that the presidency cannot become a throne.
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U.S. Term Limits is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating solely on term limits. Our mission is to improve the quality of government with a citizen legislature that closely reflects its constituency and is responsive to the needs of the people it serves. USTL does not require a self-limit on individuals. Our aim is to limit the terms of all members of Congress as an institution. Find out more at termlimits.org.