By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
U.S. Term Limits, the leader in the national movement to limit terms for elected officials, praised Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Luther Strange for signing its congressional term limits pledge. Strange joins Roy Moore, also an Alabama U.S. Senate candidate, in taking the term limits oath.
In Nov. 2016, U.S. Term Limits had more than 50 pledge signers in Congress.
“Strange ‘s and Moore’s commitment to returning to citizen government in Washington, D.C. is a beacon that should be followed by candidates across the nation,” USTL President Philip Blumel said on the candidates’ pledges.
The U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge is provided to every announced candidate for federal office. The U.S. Term Limits Constitutional Amendment has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and the House of Representatives by Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.
“Congress has forgotten they are accountable to the people,” Blumel said. “Fortunately, with candidates like Luther Strange and Roy Moore emerging, and a building grassroots campaign increasing pressure, we are going to reach our goal of the passage of a term limits amendment.”
According to the last national poll done by Gallop, the issue enjoys wide bi-partisan support. The poll showed that 75 percent of Americans support congressional term limits.
“Republicans and independents are slightly more likely than Democrats to favor term limits; nevertheless, the vast majority of all party groups agree on the issue,” Gallup’s analysis states. “Further, Gallup finds no generational differences in support for the proposal.”
“America is in trouble,” Blume said. “Our career politicians have let the people down. It is time to limit their terms and return control of our nation to people who have actually had to create a job, earn an honest paycheck and pay a mortgage. It is time for a constitutional amendment limiting congressional terms.”
The term limits amendment bills would require a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate and ratification by 38 states in order to become part of the Constitution.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that congressional term limits are unconstitutional, which is why it takes an amendment to the Constitution to implement term limits.
Democratic candidate for Senate, Doug Jones, has not yet signed the pledge, but the term limits organizer for Alabama, Sean Grehalva, expressed optimism that Jones will sign the pledge. Jones is a former U.S. attorney.
The Republican primary runoff between Strange and Moore is today.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Doug Jones will face the winner in the special general election on Dec. 12, 2017.
The winner of the special election will finish the term of former U.S. Sen. Jeff Session who was confirmed as U.S. attorney general recently. The new Senate will have to face voters again in 2020.
