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

by George F. Will

The world's oldest democracy - ours - has an old tradition of skepticism about government. However, the degree of dismay about government today is perhaps unprecedented in our history. Americans are particularly convinced that Congress has become irresponsible, either unwilling or incapable of addressing the nation's problems - while it spends its time and our money on extending its members' careers. Many Americans have come to believe fundamental reform is needed, specifically limits on the number of terms legislators can serve.
In Restoration, George Will makes a compelling case, drawn from our history and his close observance of Congress, that term limits are now necessary to revive the traditional values of classical republican government, to achieve the Founders' goal of deliberative democracy, and to restore Congress to competence and its rightful dignity as the First Branch of government. At stake, Will says, is the vitality of America's great promise self-government under representative institutions. At issue is the meaning of representation. The morality of representative government, Will argues, does not merely permit, it requires representatives to exercise independent judgment rather than merely execute instructions given by constituents. However, careerism, which is a consequence of the professionalization of politics, has made legislators servile and has made the national legislature incapable of rational, responsible behavior. Term limits would restore the constitutional space intended by the Founders, the healthy distance between the electors and the elected that is necessary for genuine deliberation about the public interest.
Blending the political philosophy of the Founders with alarming facts about the behavior of legislative careerists, Restoration demonstrates how term limits, by altering the motives of legislators, can narrow the gap between the theory and the practice of American democracy.

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

270 pages, Hardcover

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.