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Brent Batten: Rep. Rooney has idea to limit terms in Congress: $1 salary

Brent Batten

Would you continue to do your job for $1 a year?

U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney is betting his colleagues in Congress wouldn’t.

Vexed by Congress’ inability to act on term limits, Rooney, R-Fla., last week introduced a new approach to kill off the concept of the career politician.

Instead of a hard limit of eight or 12 years in Congress, which by most analyses would require a constitutional amendment to enact, Rooney has drafted the “Thomas Jefferson Public Service Act.”

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There would be no limit on the number of terms a U.S. House member or senator could serve, but after 12 years, the salary for those legislators would drop to $1 a year.

“We can do this. Congress sets its own salary,” said Rooney, of Naples.

Francis Rooney is the U.S. representative for Florida's 19th congressional district in Southwest Florida.

By Rooney’s count, there are at least 12 bills in Congress that would impose term limits. In all, they have about 90 co-sponsors. But all of them would require an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a process that requires a two-thirds vote of both chambers, then ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Democrats vying to replace Rooney as Southwest Florida’s representative in U.S. House of Representatives dismissed Rooney’s idea, saying it’s impractical and tailored to suit the wealthy.

“If today were April 1, I’d think someone was trolling Congressman Rooney,” said David Holden, one of two Democrats in the race to represent House District 19 in Southwest Florida.

Fellow Democrat Todd Truax, who will face Holden in a rare Democratic primary in August for the party’s nomination to challenge Rooney in November, was more blunt.

“It’s horse manure,” he said.

The idea favors candidates such as Rooney, a successful construction company executive who could afford to stay in office indefinitely without the $174,000 annual salary, both Democrats agreed.

“Who would be able to serve 12 years? Not working people,” Holden said.

“Trying to taint the office by making it less desirable is no way to enact term limits,” Truax echoed. "The salary is of no consequence to him."

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Rooney said the argument misses the point on a couple of fronts.

First, a working person would be well-paid for up to 12 years in Congress. Then that person could go back to his or her prior profession. Twelve years in Congress would be a resume enhancement for most careers.

That’s how Jefferson and the Founding Fathers envisioned the citizen legislature, he argued. Only a person intending to stay in office beyond 12 years need worry about the $1 salary.        

Rooney has said since he first ran in 2016 that he would limit himself to a maximum of eight years in office. But as for other wealthy individuals who choose to stay on, Rooney said they’d be overstaying their welcome among a new breed of representatives.

“If the culture of term limits kicks in, everyone who stays for $1 would be flaunting the culture and would be vigorously opposed,” he said.

Another common argument against term limits, one picked up by both Democrats opposing Rooney, is that they empower bureaucrats and lobbyists who can manipulate inexperienced lawmakers.

“There’s a lack of expertise in Congress,” Holden said.

Again, Rooney has a counter-argument.

“The people elected by the people are too dumb to know what’s right? It’s totally elitist paternalism,” he said. "I don’t have any problem figuring out what I have to do."

Rooney and the Democrats challenging him agree on one thing: Imposing term limits via the amendment process is a long shot.

“Anybody will admit, if they’re truthful, it isn’t going to happen,” Rooney said.

Holden, who said he isn’t opposed to the concept of term limits, thinks an end to partisan gerrymandering of districts would bring about more turnover in elected officials.

Truax said an amendment should be required to impose term limits and that voters always have a choice.

“The two-year term is its own limit,” he said.

Rooney cited a February 2018 poll by McLaughlin & Associates that showed 82 percent bipartisan support among voters for term limits in Congress.

Florida is one of 15 states to have imposed term limits on its state Legislature and it has worked out well, Rooney said.

“State government has shrunk, spending is under control, and the people overwhelmingly support this system,” he said.

Republicans in Congress have always talked a good game when it comes to term limits, but Rooney said it’s time to learn whether they’re serious about the issue.

He cited the debate over the Affordable Care Act as an example of congressional ineffectiveness. For years, Republicans talked about repealing "Obamacare," but when they had the votes to do it and a president who would sign it, they balked.

“Let’s see if they really want to capitate their service,” Rooney said.

Rooney’s bill has seven co-sponsors, all Republicans. He hopes to gain more support from co-sponsors of other term limit legislation, recently elected members of the House and the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

At the very least, Rooney hopes his bill revives serious discussion of term limits, given their popularity across the political spectrum.

“I hope people will think about it,” Rooney said. "Maybe someone will have a better idea. That’s OK too.

"I look at it as a business problem. The people want something. Let’s figure out how to get it to them."

So, will Congress ever impose term limits on itself?

I’d bet a year’s salary (but only after I’ve been in Congress for 12 years) that it won’t.

Connect with Brent Batten at brent.batten@naplesnews.com, on Twitter @NDN_BrentBatten and at facebook.com/ndnbrentbatten.