Despite the calls by many for term limits, less time in office may make global partners weary of US policy…
I have a great appreciation for the political system in the United States. It has worked for us for a long time, and it will hopefully continue to do so longer still. There are a number of systems in place that keep our system balanced and have contributed to that success. These factors have enabled the US government to be flexible in order to change with the times. In studying international politics, however, I feel that short term limits are actually hurting the ability of the United States to act on the world stage.
Currently, most of the politicians in the US are re-elected every two to four years. Some positions have term limits, while others do not. But almost every political position in this country is up for a vote or a re-appointment on a fairly regular basis. Regardless of how entrenched a politician may be in his or her office, the fact of the matter is that every politician in this country has to prepare to fight to keep his or her position on a very regular basis.
Short term lengths make it very difficult to get our government to sign on to policies that are focused on long-term solutions. Many of the problems we are facing as a country right now require long term solutions, but none of our politicians will get on board with policies that will not create an immediate solution because it could affect their chances of winning the next election. Better to work on policies that will have an immediate positive effect so you can go home to your constituents and show them how hard you are working for them every day.
Short terms are also problematic for the United States in its dealings internationally. Nations like China and Russia that have been under the same leadership for generations can engage in long term planning and strategies without having to worry about getting voted out of office in a few years. This is one advantage that many of the countries that could potentially pose a threat to the US have over us. These nations can plan for the erratic nature of US policies, knowing that it won’t be difficult to get us to change our tune in a few years if they don’t like what we currently have to say.
It also means they can’t count on the US standing behind its pledges, however, since new politicians can overturn the policies of old, sometimes very easily. This is especially the case now, as the primary political parties in the US are as polarized as they currently are. If the United States pledges to do something, the rest of the world cannot count on those pledges. They have no way to know who will be in power next, and whether or not the next group of elected politicians will rescind the policies of the previous one.
As an example of this, in 2014, Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly released an agreement on climate change that included pledges from each country to reduce carbon emissions. Xi Jinping very likely knew that he was entering into that agreement at the end of Obama’s term, and that there was no guarantee that the next President would be on board with this agreement. We are now watching as Trump, who is not in support of climate change legislation, rolls back a number of the policies that characterized Obama’s term as President. Whether or not you agree with those changes, the effect they have on how other nations view the United States and its ability to commit is certainly worth considering.
There may not be a solution to this problem, as changing term lengths would seriously disrupt the way our government is currently run; however, it is important to consider the impact that the “mood swings” that the US has every four to eight years may be having on the way we engage with other countries.
Chloe Longstreet is an OpsLens Contributing Editor. She graduated from Columbia University in 2012 with a BA in Political Science and Anthropology. Since then she has worked as a writer and an editor spanning a wide variety of topics. Her recent projects include working as a ghostwriter for a political memoir, and launching her company, Awen Books and More.
