Beto O’Rourke Calls For Terms Limits To ‘Clear The Way For New Leaders’
Beto O’Rourke’s campaign hasn’t been getting as much media coverage as of late compared to the early days of his campaign, causing many to speculate that it hit its peak too early in the race. Now, the 2020 presidential candidate and co-chairman of the Term Limits Caucus while in Congress is calling for on term limits for Supreme Court justices and members of Congress, as well as electoral reform laws to decrease corporate money influence and increase voter turnout.
Politico reported that that the Texas Democrat supports a constitutional amendment limiting House members to six terms and senators to two terms, as well as 18-year terms for the Supreme Court.
O’Rourke also claims that if he is elected, he will sign a voting rights act to abolish gerrymandering — the practice of manipulating district boundaries to gain political advantage — and implement automatic same-day voter registration. He also wants Congress to pass legislation that allows people to vote without identification if they sign a sworn statement of identity and enact laws to limit the ability of states to purge voter files.
The Hill reported that O’Rourke’s policy rollout — his third since announcing his presidential bid back in March — consists of three parts: “Increase participation in our Democracy,” “Remove barriers within our Democracy,” and “Rebuild Confidence in Our Democracy.”
Beto O'Rourke calls for term and donation limits in new voting rights plan https://t.co/mrSVC5oG6L pic.twitter.com/DbrLfcaqEp
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 5, 2019
O’Rourke’s campaign claims that this rollout will add 50 million people to United States voter rolls to boost voter turnout to 65 percent by 2024.
“We’re facing some of the greatest challenges of our lifetimes, and we can’t solve them with half-measures or only half our people—it’s going to take all of us,” he said.
“The only way to make progress is if every single American is empowered to vote — and those who have historically been drawn out of our Democracy are able to make their voices heard so that this country can live up to its full promise and potential.”
Regarding the term limit proposals, his campaign said they will “clear the way for new leaders to step up.”
O’Rourke’s new plan also intends to decrease the influence that political action committees (PACs) have on U.S. politics. It will curb their influence by prohibiting them from donating to campaigns and requires them to be transparent about their donors — regardless of how much they contributed. In what is likely an attempt to prove his own transparency, O’Rourke — who has demonstrated his ability to raise money via grassroots fundraising — has promised not to accept campaigns contributions from PACs.
