America's 22nd Amendment

On February 27th, 1951, the 22nd amendment wasthe governments will, not the arbitrary ideas of a
ratified which made permanent a tradition that hasking who was cut off from the real needs of the
profound influence on the philosophy of governmentpeople he served.
in the United States of America. This amendmentThe way America set up its presidency was in every
may not be the most well known amendment but itsway an attempt to "fix" the flaws and abuses of the
place in the fabric of American history cannot beEuropean models and refocus the center of power in
overstated. That is because the 22nd Amendmentgovernment on the electorate rather than on the
mandated that...elected. Another aspect of the American federal
No person shall be elected to the office of thesystem that was put in place deliberately to limit the
President more than twice, and no person who hasability of those in power to abuse that power is the
held the office of President, or acted as President,system of checks and balances.
for more than two years of a term to which someThis system assures that none of the branches of
other person was elected President shall be electedgovernment, The Congress, the Presidency or the
to the office of the President more than once.Supreme Court could dominate the other or take
The limitation of service as President of the Unitedcomplete power and rule without challenge. By
States to two terms was one that up until the 22ndinsuring that all in power had to answer to the
amendment was more a matter of custom than law.opposing party and be prepared to answer to the
It began when George Washington refused to runAmerican people for what they did and even said,
for a third term. But by making the limitation ofthis completely eliminated that chances that one part
power in the presidency in the 22nd amendment, theof the government would stage a "coup" over the
American people made a bold statement about howother.
their government would be run.Accountability is a word that is not very exciting but
One of the most unique aspects to how the Unitedit is the concept that has kept the American system
States of America organized its government was theof government healthy and in service to its people
concept of citizen rulers. This concept was born inrather than putting them in service for over 200
the very halls and pubs where the founding fathersyears.
gathered to discuss this new country that was justIn addition to these several highly innovative methods
getting started. By reducing the idea of a "careerthe founding fathers gave to this young country to
politician", especially at the presidential level, the 22ndeliminate the abuses of past governmental systems,
amendment dealt a deadly blow to the concept thatthey also put a system in place that assured the
America would ever be ruled by a king or aorderly transition of power. The system of elections
"president for life."every two years stopped two evils, the occurrence
This was clearly a reaction by America to the abusesof a politician who served for life without
that had witnessed by the pilgrims and immigrantsaccountability and a system wherein the only way to
that make up this great country in their homelands.loose your job in government was by violent
They reacted strongly and negatively to theoverthrow.
deification of kings and the virtually unlimited powersAs a result the American system, albeit contentious
that too many times systems of royalty tended toand argumentative, has been and continues to be
give to their leadership. This was one of the centralone of the most peaceful and orderly systems of
themes that caused so many to flee Europe, Centralfederal administration in the world and indeed in the
Asia and other parts of the world to seek a landhistory of the world.
where it was the people who were the center of