Restoration: Congress, Term Limits, and the Recovery of Deliberative Democracy

by George F. Will

Will argues that Congress's ability to legislate effectively is being undermined by politicians using it a vehicle for seeking re-election. Term limits, he says, would work to reverse the trend toward short-term popularity seeking and re-establish Congress as a proper deliberative chamber.

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

George Frederick Will is an American newspaper columnist, journalist, and author. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winner best known for his conservative commentary on politics. By the mid 1980s the Wall Street Journal reported he was "perhaps the most powerful journalist in America," in a league with Walter Lippmann (1899–1975).

Will served as an editor for National Review from 1972 to 1978. He joined the Washington Post Writers Group in 1974, writing a syndicated biweekly column, which became widely circulated among newspapers across the country and continues today. His column is syndicated to 450 newspapers. In 1976 he became a contributing editor for Newsweek, writing a biweekly backpage column until 2011.

Will won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for "distinguished commentary on a variety of topics" in 1977.[6] Often combining factual reporting with conservative commentary, Will's columns are known for their erudite vocabulary, allusions to political philosophers, and frequent references to baseball.

Will has also written two bestselling books on the game of baseball, three books on political philosophy, and has published eleven compilations of his columns for the Washington Post and Newsweek and of various book reviews and lectures.

Will was also a news analyst for ABC since the early 1980s and was a founding member on the panel of ABC's This Week with David Brinkley in 1981, now titled This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Will was also a regular panelist on television's Agronsky & Company from 1977 through 1984 and on NBC's Meet the Press in the mid-to-late 1970s. He left ABC to join Fox News in early October 2013.

Reviews

[Chrisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate Will's integrity (he's pretty good at the appropriate disclosures). His statements on presidential power were interesting. I'm a fan of term limits---the info was good, but there's my bias. I'm also a fan of chapter-length limits (his first was 90+).

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reporting on the failures of the modern US government and reasons why term limits will be one good solution.

[Tom Talamantez · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this book, I disagreed with a proactive approach to term limits as I thought the electorate would be a built in safe guard against corruption and incompetent leadership. Now my view has changed, after observing 20 years of elections and gross misconduct from our elected politicians going unpunished along with a growing population of ignorant and lazy voters, I realize that a return to Constitutional ideals will not happen pragmatically, but by a Constitutional amendment. It is time for a national conversation about term limits. Serving in public office is no longer an act of service, but a career in pursuit of power and abuse of the public trust. Will's book is a great starting point for this conversation. When FDR died, Congress wasted no time applying term limits to the presidency. Who has to die to get these career minded jackholes out of the House and Senate???

[Bob Roark · Rating 4 out of 5]

george will's argument in favor of term limits. whether you agree with the premise or not, it's well thought out and george will at his best.