Columbia, South Carolina – Right now, there is a movement at the State House in Columbia that could have far-reaching consequences.
This month, a House committee approved a resolution that could pave the way for amending the United States Constitution by imposing term limits on Congress.
In early February, the House Judiciary Committee narrowly approved House Concurrent Resolution 3008, which proposes amending the United States Constitution to limit congressional terms.
The proposal sparked heated debate.
“Term limits to me are every time we run for office,” said York County Democrat Rep. John King. “We should not be telling people who they want to represent them on a state or federal level.”
The proposal to limit congressional terms is more difficult to implement than it appears. The proposal must be approved by both the South Carolina House and Senate before applying for a convention of states to amend the Constitution.
It requires 34 states to sign on for the same purpose.
“People will vote for whomever they choose. Rep. Justin Bamberg stated that if they like you, you are doing a good job, and you are pleasing the majority of your constituents, they will continue to send you back. “To me, term limits arbitrarily tie the hands of the general public.”
Rep. Cal Forrest of Saluda backed the resolution, which was narrowly approved 13-11.
“I think it’s time for the government, the people to have the power back in their hands and not be ruled by career politicians who are not in touch with their constituency,” Forrest told reporters.
According to a recent RMG Research poll, 79 percent of likely voters in South Carolina support the state’s call for an amendment proposing a convention to enact congressional term limits.
“I think institutional knowledge is really important to be able to build some level of continuity in the way our government runs and operates,” said veteran Republican strategist Dave Wilson. “Yet at the same time you want to be able to infuse new ideas.”
In South Carolina, long-time Congressman Jim Clyburn and Senator Lindsey Graham provide institutional knowledge.
Political analysts believe their prominent voices help “bring home the bacon” in a smaller state like South Carolina.
Veteran leadership and understanding of the government system may be lost if voices like theirs are silenced due to term limits.
“When you think about term limits for Congress, there’s a level or seniority or ranking that really matter in states like South Carolina,” according to Wilson.
According to the non-profit organization U.S. Term Limits, nine states have passed applications addressing the single issue of US Congressional term limits.
This year, resolutions have been introduced in at least twenty states.
“There are people who spend their lives and energies trying to get amendments to the Constitution passed,” Wilson said. “But, when you’ve only got nine states right now, out of 50, who have agreed to hold a constitutional convention on term limits alone, that’s a long, long, long way from the finish line.”
Critics of the proposal point out that South Carolina’s legislature does not have term limits, and they argue that lawmakers here should not be taking steps to impose them in Washington.
However, the man supporting the plan under the State House dome would agree with that as well.
“It can almost burn you out,” Rep. Forrest admitted. “But it’s a very rewarding experience, and I want to keep doing it as long as I’m effective. But I can’t see myself staying here forever.
The term limits resolution still needs to be approved by both the full House and the Senate at the State House.
