FDR and the Birth of Term Limits
FDR’s 4 Terms Led to Presidential Limits—But What About Congress? Unchecked Power Breeds Corruption; Isn't it Time to Challenge Career Politicians and Restore True Accountability?
Ah, Franklin D. Roosevelt—America’s four-term wonder who had the audacity to try for a fifth. If there’s one thing that really gets people talking, it's the idea of a president who just doesn’t know when to call it quits. FDR, of course, was the exception to the "two-term rule" that George Washington had set back in 1796 when he stepped down after two terms, setting the gold standard for a peaceful transfer of power. Sure, Washington could’ve clung to the presidency like a toddler with a favorite toy, but he recognized that the nation was bigger than any one man.
Fast forward to the 1930s and 40s, when FDR decided that he was indispensable. In his defense, the country was in chaos—a Great Depression, then World War II, and then, of course, the shiny new "New Deal" policies that FDR loved so much. He saw himself as the nation's savior, pulling America out of economic despair with sweeping reforms and programs that fundamentally changed the federal government’s role in daily life. Many Americans loved him for it; heck, they elected him four times! But just because you “can” run for president over and over again, doesn’t mean you “should.”
A quick sidenote about FDR’s “New Deal”; The New Deal included massive government spending that ballooned the national debt and had very mixed results in actually ending the Great Depression. Some programs created dependency on government aid rather than long-term economic recovery. Many argue that it led to significant federal overreach (there is that word again!), as it expanded the federal government's role in the economy through regulations, welfare programs, and control over industries like banking and agriculture, setting precedents for an ever-growing central government. This shift challenged and changed the balance of power originally intended between federal and state governments established by the Founders. But I digress…
When FDR died in 1945, part way into his fourth term, the reality of how close the country had come to a new type of “King” hit Congress like a ton of bricks. This led to a renewed push to codify what had been a mere tradition: presidential term limits. Enter the Republican-controlled 80th Congress, freshly elected in 1946 and ready to take a big red pen to any lingering New Deal excesses. (though they fell short on this in my opinion) They saw FDR’s endless terms as a prime example of why limits were necessary—to prevent any future president from attempting to turn the executive office into a personal fiefdom.
The result? The 22nd Amendment, introduced in 1947 and ratified by 1951, which limits the president to two terms or a maximum of ten years if they’re taking over mid-term. It was a good old-fashioned high stick (for you hockey fans!) power check, a reminder that no matter how beloved (or despised) a president might be, the presidency isn’t supposed to last forever. This wasn’t about party politics—it was about ensuring that no one individual could monopolize the White House and all its powers ever again.
So answer me this if you would: If term limits are so critical for a president, why aren’t we slapping the same restrictions on Congress? After all, a career politician in the Senate for 30 years or more has plenty of time to become just as "indispensable" (or corrupt, take your pick) as a four-term president. The founding fathers were pretty clear about government existing to serve “us”, not the other way around. So, where’s the amendment limiting Senate and House terms to keep the rot at bay?
If we truly want to honor the principles of checks and balances that the Founding Fathers intended, I say it’s time we stopped pretending that career politicians don’t pose a similar threat to democracy as a lifetime president once did. And let’s be clear, term limits shouldn’t just apply to the Oval Office—they ought to be part of the job description for “all” of the long-serving, unelected officials within the federal government who have significant power in shaping policy and regulation.
Because, let’s face it, democracy is a bit like milk—it goes sour without some turnover. Can you smell it?
Just Sayin…