Scott Tillman, Chief Operating Officer of US Term Limits, is at the forefront of a growing movement aimed at imposing term limits on members of U.S. Congress. Despite widespread support for the idea Congress has shown little interest in acting. On The Overton Window podcast, Tillman explains why this is the case and what his organization is doing to make term limits a reality.
US Term Limits is pursuing a constitutional amendment to limit the number of terms members of Congress can serve. The problem, according to Tillman, is that politicians don’t want to give up the power and perks that come with holding office for extended periods.
“There is a distinct advantage to being an incumbent, "he says. Incumbents have name recognition, access to campaign funds, and the ability to use their positions for personal and political gain. These factors make it difficult for challengers to gain a foothold in elections, and entrenched politicians are reluctant to change a system that benefits them. Tillman argues that term limits are essential for breaking this cycle and restoring competition in elections.
“It’s supported by over 80 percent of people across the country,” Tillman says of term limits. Despite this overwhelming backing, Congress remains resistant. “When the rubber hits the road, they find excuses,” he adds.
Circumnavigating in-office politicians, Tillman has found success with political candidates on the campaign trail. “If you go to a candidate who’s running for Congress, you can show them that this is an issue with 80 percent interest across the aisle. It’s popular. They can bring it up at events and it will get an applause every single time,” he says.
There are two ways to amend the Constitution, but Tillman’s organization is focused on one method: getting two-thirds of the states to call for a constitutional convention. “When two-thirds of the states ask for an amendment convention, then Congress is bound to call it,” he says. Historically, when enough states push for change, Congress has acted quickly to head it off. Tillman points to examples like the 17th Amendment, which allowed for the direct election of senators, and the repeal of prohibition as cases where Congress acted preemptively when faced with widespread state support for reform.
In many states, citizens can bypass their legislatures and place issues directly on the ballot through petition drives. “Any solution to these three problems — almost any good solutions that are real solutions rather than just politicians shoring up their own power — have to come through the citizen initiative process,” he says.
The US Term Limits movement has seen considerable progress in recent years. Tillman remains optimistic about the momentum, particularly among political candidates.
The first state to pass a resolution was Florida, and other states are following suit. Last year, four states passed resolutions calling for a term limits amendment, bringing the total number of states supporting the effort to nine. “It breaks up that power base and you get more people representing the people,” Tillman says of the success.
Tillman is confident that this momentum will continue reinforcing the importance of reform for the future of American democracy.
Listen to the full conversation on The Overton Window Podcast.
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