Political office term limits is a conversation that dates back to the days of debating the Articles of Confederation, but once again flared back up with the June 14, 2026, disappearance, er, “hospitalization” of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell. In an attempt to calm fears, the McConnell team released an image of the senator and his wife over the mid- summer, however, skeptics were quick to spot signs of alleged AI fakery.
In an interesting turn of events following her husband’s hospitalization for pneumonia, Taiwan born former U.S. Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao, flew to China and was photographed having a sit-down chat with Chinese Vice- President Han Zheng.
In a touching moment Tuesday morning, the American people could finally rest easy seeing a new and improved Mitch being wheeled into the Senate and immediately casting the deciding vote to advance the judicial nomination of Matthew Burne. The senator for Kentucky had been missing in action a total of 95 days, or just under three months. He is currently 84 years old.
Across the aisle, there is Diane Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi.
A true career politician, Feinstein served the state of California for 31-years, from November 4, 1992, until she passed away in office on September 29, 2023. Some fans of author J.R.R. Tolkien compared her last days in office interaction with aides to the dynamic between Wormtongue and King Théoden in Lord of the Rings. She was 90 years old at the time of her death.
And Nancy Pelosi? She has served as a representative for the state of California since 1987. After finishing out her current term, her 20th, Pelosi has promised the American public she will retire. She is 86 years old.
Unsurprisingly, the Founding Fathers disagreed sharply over term limits, as they did on many issues. After debate and compromise, they ultimately chose not to include term limits in the Constitution.
Offering opposing viewpoints, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison’s clash of opinion offers a succinct snapshot into the debate. Jefferson staunchly supported required rotation, stating his concerns stemmed from belief officials might hide behind their office from public transparency and accountability.
Madison, on the other hand, believed elections should be held but forcing turnover might manufacture undesired consequences, such as leadership instability and poor decision making— in both foreign and domestic policies.
In the years of government following its shaping by leaders like Jefferson and Madison, the U.S. Congress has resumed debate on term limits often, yet conversations surrounding the topic have a habit of dissipating without a decision to act ever being made. Clearly this seems to be one of those issues it’s going to take a literal “act of Congress” to solve.
Currently, we the people sit with our president allowed two electoral terms, and members of Congress and federal judges serving without term limits. At least we know our government isn’t ageist when it comes to working past one’s prime. Which is a relief because President Trump said just last week in a released statement that we Americans are tired of getting so much time off from work. I’m not sure of the data used to form this questionable opinion, but if a poll was taken, I can assure you the Monica house was not called!
In the nineties and two-thousands everyone was about that hustle culture. Maybe its time for the nation to take a collective breather, maybe elect someone not in need of a wheelchair, a pacemaker, oxygen, and an exhaustive list of dietary needs, supplements, and medications.
What do you think? When it comes to governing the greatest nation on earth—should we leave its foreign and domestic policy decisions in the hands of the non-ambulatory, possibly senile wing of the nursing home? Or is it time for some new blood?