Cord Byrd: “I thank both Senators. Not only is this amendment undemocratic, but it also weakens the only branch of Government in…”

“I thank both Senators. Not only is this amendment undemocratic, but it also weakens the only branch of Government in which all of the members are elected by the people. Look at the executive branch and the judicial branch. Only two members, the President and the Vice President, are elected by the people, and they are not directly elected by the people. They are indirectly elected by the people, who elect the electors, who, in turn, elect the President and Vice President. But in this body and in the body across the way, on the other side of the Capitol, all Members are elected by the people. So this amendment would weaken the only branch of Government that is wholly elected by the people. It is going to say: You can only elect this person for two terms to the Senate, only three terms in the House. I see in this ill-advised 'solution-for-everything' called term limits, yet a further weakening of the people's branch. Few Americans realize how severely we have already tipped the checks and balances toward the executive branch. Thousands of executive branch bureaucrats, elected by no one remain in their posts for 20 or even 30 years. Congress is supposed to be the watchdog of executive branch activity. We are already badly outnumbered. Are we to totally cripple our ability to perform our oversight function by stripping ourselves of our one possible advantage, the ability of Members to become specialists, and, in many instances, experts in certain critical areas?”