Goodbye gerontocracy? States must act on term limits | Opinion

It was painful to watch a feeble Sen. Mitch McConnel suffer his second "vacant stare" episode during a recent press conference. He’s 81 years old and has been in Congress 38 years. It’s been equally painful to witness the decline of Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein of California. More Crypt Keeper than dignified U.S. senator, she recently missed two months of work due to several significant health issues. She is 90 years old and suffers facial paralysis and memory issues. Frail and sickly, she now must get around the Senate in a wheelchair. She has served in Congress for 31 years.

Incompetent legislators dishonor their posts by not taking their leave when circumstances require it. But, even in their feeblest of moments, they thrive on power. The intent of our Founders was that learned professionals with real-world experience would bring their expertise to Washington, D.C. to serve as representatives and then return to the private sector. Today, just how well represented is a district whose legislator serves in D.C. for 50 years, insulated from his or her respective community? Especially if they are in their 80s and 90s?

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Clearly, it's well past time to impose term limits on Congress, but we know Congress will never curb its own power by passing legislation to impose such limits on itself. The only way for citizens and states to take on the Washington elites is to follow the path forged for them by the Founders in Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Article V allows for the states to hold a state convention to propose amendments without the assent of Congress. By uniting the states in this nationwide effort to invoke Article V, state-selected delegates can propose amendments to impose term limits.

Article V of the Constitution stipulates that a total of 34 states must pass a resolution to call such convention. The platform of the convention propose by the Convention of States Action is strictly limited to three subjects: setting term limits on Congress and federal officials, imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government, and limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government. Once proposed, each amendment must pass individually by a supermajority of 38 state legislatures.

Thus far, 19 states have passed the Convention of States Action resolution calling for a convention. While Indiana has passed a resolution, neither Ohio nor Kentucky have gotten this done.

Americans representing both parties have lost faith in their representatives in Washington whose advanced age and long congressional tenure obscure their accountability to the will of their constituents and to the American people at large.

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So you want to get rid of McConnell, Feinstein and the gerontocracy? A Convention of States is the only way. This method of amending the Constitution was created by our Founders to provide a safe, peaceful and lawful solution for taking back power from Washington.

For more information, please visit www.conventionofstates.com.

Diana Telles lives in West Chester Township.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Goodbye gerontocracy? States must act on term limits | Opinion