Counterpoint

just so you know, bill clinton (like ronald reagan) talked of repealing the 22nd amendment. but to date i can find no resolution introduced on the floor of the house of representatives. my republican friends claim that the democrats did indeed put forth a resolution. but they may be misremembering their history. i'll keep looking.
by the way, one of the sponsors of the resolution i mentioned in my last post is none other than rep. sensenbrenner, the man who gaveled a subcommitee hearing to a close because he didn't like listening to democrats arguing about the vaidity of increasing the powers of the patriot act (this happened last week). he closed the meeting, cut off a democrat in midsentence and had an aide come out later and turn off the microphones, because the dems kept talking. there's a politician i want on my side.


CLINTON CALLS FOR CHANGETO 22ND AMENDMENTWants to Modify Presidential Term Limits
(Washington, D.C.) — While speaking at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum yesterday, former President Bill Clinton announced that Congress should change the 22nd Amendment that limits a president to two terms.
"I think since people are living much longer . . . the 22nd Amendment should probably be modified to say two consecutive terms instead of two terms for a lifetime," Clinton said.
Stacie Rumenap, executive director for U.S. Term Limits, responded to Clinton's comments: "By term limiting the president of the United States, the 22nd Amendment provides that no matter how much power a given chief executive may gather, there's a definite limit on how long he may wield it. At a maximum, a fresh face and a fresh perspective will be brought to the White House every eight years."
While Clinton said such a change "probably" wouldn't apply to him he didn't rule out the possibility of a future run.
"There may come a time when we elect a president at age 45 or 50, and then 20 years later the country comes up against the same kind of problems the president faced before. People would like to bring that man or woman back but they would have no way to do so," Clinton said.
Rumenap countered: "Voters would be surprised to learn how many politicians have never held a real job in the private sector. For example, if it weren't for term limits, Bill Clinton most likely wouldn't have been looking for his first ever non-governmental job at the age of 54. The fact remains that all politicians face the same potential to be corrupted by power. And only term limits ensure that no single person can ever hold a monopoly on that power. Our country fought a revolution to get rid of a king, and we certainly don't need another king — not Clinton or anyone else."
The 22nd Amendment was ratified on February 27, 1951, six years after the death of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt who had been elected to a record four terms.
For more information about the 22nd Amendment, or the national term limits movement, please contact Kurt A. Gardinier at U.S. Term Limits at 202-379-3000, extension 109.