Delaware was the first state to ratify U.S. Constitution; will it lead the way for congressional term limits?
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
Delaware being first to ratify the Constitution gets trotted out a lot, usually for ribbon-cuttings and license plate trivia. Using it to make a case for congressional term limits is actually a decent argument, because the framers who signed off on that document in 1787 were deeply suspicious of anyone treating public office as a career. Somewhere along the way that got lost, and now we've got senators who've held the same seat since the Reagan administration.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
OPINION -- Delaware has always held a special place in American history. As the initial state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on Dec. 7, 1787, Delaware earned the proud title of the "First State." Our state's leaders recognized the importance of creating a government that would serve the people, rather than itself.
They understood that political power must remain accountable to citizens.
Original source:
Read at The Daily Independent At Yourvalley.netHow We See It
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Delaware being first to ratify the Constitution gets trotted out a lot, usually for ribbon-cuttings and license plate trivia. Using it to make a case for congressional term limits is actually a decent argument, because the framers who signed off on that document in 1787 were deeply suspicious of anyone treating public office as a career. Somewhere along the way that got lost, and now we've got senators who've held the same seat since the Reagan administration.
The irony is thick here. The same generation that ratified the Constitution also argued fiercely about how much power to give any single office or person, precisely because they'd just fought a war against a guy who never left. Term limits for the presidency came later, in the 22nd Amendment, but Congress carved itself out an exemption that's lasted over two centuries. Nobody in Washington is racing to end that arrangement voluntarily. Why would they?
If Delaware wants to lean into its "First State" identity for something more than historical bragging rights, pushing term limits through a state-led convention effort is a real way to do it. It would take other states following suit, and it would take incumbents on both sides admitting the system rewards longevity over results. That's a tall order in a place where seniority still buys committee chairs and campaign cash. But the fact that it's hard doesn't mean it's wrong.
We'd take this more seriously as a movement than as a press release if Delaware's own delegation backed it with actual legislation, not just historical flattery. Talk is cheap. First States should act like it.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.