Simone Lawson
The Twenty-second Amendment to the US Constitution, also known as Amendment XXII, imposes term limits on the President of the United States. It was ratified in 1951 and limits presidents to two four-year terms. The amendment was a response to Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms as president, and the question of term limits has been a topic of debate since the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Twenty-second Amendment also outlines eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed their predecessors before their terms expire.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To limit the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States |
| Number of terms allowed | Two |
| Additional eligibility conditions | Presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors are subject to additional restrictions |
| Ratification date | February 27, 1951 |
| Ratification requirements | Ratification by legislatures of three-fourths of the states within seven years |
| Response to | Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to four terms as president |
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What You'll Learn
The amendment limits presidents to two terms
The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to two terms. This amendment was a response to Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms as president, though the debate around presidential term limits had been ongoing in American politics since the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
The Twenty-second Amendment was approved by Congress on March 21, 1947, and submitted to the state legislatures for ratification. The process of ratification was completed on February 27, 1951, when 36 of the 48 states had ratified the amendment. The amendment prohibits anyone who has been elected president twice from being elected to office again. It also includes provisions for presidents who fill the unexpired terms of their predecessors, stating that they are prohibited from being elected president more than once if they serve more than two years of their predecessor's term.
The idea of limiting presidential terms dates back to the early debates surrounding the ratification of the Constitution. While some, like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, supported lifetime tenure for presidents, others disagreed, arguing that it would be tantamount to an elective monarchy. The first president, George Washington, set an unofficial two-term precedent when he voluntarily stepped down after two terms. This tradition was largely adhered to until the 20th century, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented four terms.
Since the ratification of the Twenty-second Amendment, several attempts have been made to modify or repeal it, with arguments ranging from allowing non-consecutive terms to having consistent leadership during times of crisis. However, the amendment remains in force, ensuring that no individual can accumulate too much power through the presidency and preventing any one person from holding the office for life.
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It was ratified in 1951
The Twenty-second Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified on February 27, 1951, when 36 of the 48 states had ratified it. The amendment limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to two terms. It also sets additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors. For instance, someone who fills an unexpired presidential term lasting more than two years is prohibited from being elected president more than once.
The Twenty-second Amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president. However, the debate around presidential term limits had been ongoing in American politics since the Constitutional Convention of 1787. At that time, several delegates, including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, supported lifetime tenure for presidents, while others favoured fixed terms.
The issue of term limits was revisited in the early to mid-19th century, with various amendments proposed in Congress, although none passed. The precedent of serving a maximum of two terms was set by George Washington, the first President of the United States, who voluntarily stepped down after two terms. This tradition was largely adhered to until the 20th century, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected for a third term in 1940, in response to the Great Depression.
The House of Representatives proposed Joint Resolution 27 in 1947, calling for a limit of two four-year terms for future presidents. After revisions by the Senate, the proposed amendment was approved and sent to the states for ratification on March 21, 1947. The Twenty-second Amendment was then ratified almost four years later, in 1951.
The amendment has been in force since its ratification, with all subsequent presidents serving no more than two elected terms. Several attempts have been made to modify or repeal the amendment, but it remains a vital check against any one person or the presidency accumulating too much power.
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It was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms
The Twenty-second Amendment to the US Constitution was a direct response to Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented election to four terms as president. Roosevelt's decision to run for a third term in 1940 broke the two-term precedent set by George Washington, and his subsequent re-election in 1944 sparked concerns about the potential for a president to serve unlimited terms.
The issue of presidential term limits had been debated in American politics since the Constitutional Convention of 1787, with some founding fathers such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison supporting lifetime tenure for presidents, while others like George Mason favoured fixed terms, arguing against life tenure as a potential "elective monarchy". Despite this early debate, the US Constitution initially placed no restriction on the number of terms a president could serve.
Roosevelt's decision to seek a third term was influenced by the outbreak of World War II in Europe and was a significant campaign issue in the 1940 election, with Republicans campaigning heavily against the idea of a third-term president. Roosevelt and the Democrats countered by portraying Republican candidate Wendell Wilkie as a "third-rate" candidate. Roosevelt ultimately won re-election by a wide margin, and the US entered World War II shortly after his third inauguration in 1941.
As the war progressed and Roosevelt sought a fourth term in 1944, concerns about presidential term limits intensified. In that year's election campaign, Republican candidate Thomas Dewey argued that the prospect of Roosevelt serving 16 years in office was "the most dangerous threat to our freedom ever proposed". Roosevelt again prevailed at the polls, but the concept of a long-term president had become increasingly unpopular.
In the 1946 elections, Republicans gained control of Congress for the first time since Roosevelt took office, and they quickly proposed an amendment to the Constitution limiting presidential tenure to two terms. The amendment passed with bipartisan support and was ratified by the requisite number of states in 1951, formally establishing the two-term limit for US presidents that continues to this day.
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The House of Representatives proposed the amendment in 1947
The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to two terms. It also sets additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors. The amendment was proposed by the House of Representatives in 1947 as a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president. Roosevelt exuded enough energy and charisma to retain voters' confidence and was elected to a fourth term. However, he died just 82 days after his fourth inauguration, and there were concerns about his health during the campaign.
The Twenty-second Amendment was introduced by Earl C. Michener and passed 285-121, with support from 47 Democrats, on February 6, 1947. The House of Representatives took swift action, approving a proposed constitutional amendment (House Joint Resolution 27) that set a limit of two four-year terms for future presidents. The Senate also developed its own proposed amendment, which initially differed from the House proposal by requiring that the amendment be submitted to state ratifying conventions for ratification rather than to state legislatures. It also prohibited anyone who had served as president for more than 365 days in each of two terms from serving again.
However, these provisions were removed when the full Senate considered the bill, and a new provision was added by Robert A. Taft. This clarified the procedures governing the number of times a vice president who succeeded to the presidency might be elected to office. The amended proposal was passed 59-23, with 16 Democrats in favour, on March 12. On March 21, the House agreed to the Senate's revisions and approved the resolution to amend the Constitution. Congress approved the Twenty-second Amendment on March 21, 1947, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification.
The Twenty-second Amendment was ratified on February 27, 1951, when 36 of the 48 states had ratified the amendment. The amendment prohibits anyone who has been elected president twice from being elected to office again. It also prohibits anyone who fills an unexpired presidential term lasting more than two years from being elected president more than once. The ratification process was completed on February 27, 1951, 3 years and 343 days after it was sent to the states. Once submitted to the states, the 22nd Amendment was ratified by Minnesota, and its provisions came into force on that date.
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The amendment doesn't prevent a two-term president from becoming vice president
The Twenty-Second Amendment to the US Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice. It also sets additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed to the unexpired terms of their predecessors. The Amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president, but the debate around presidential term limits has a long history in American politics.
The Twenty-Second Amendment does not prevent a two-term president from becoming vice president. In fact, the Amendment only bars the election of two-term presidents, and this prohibition would not prevent someone who had twice been elected president from succeeding to the office after having been elected or appointed vice president. Broader language that would have made two-term presidents ineligible to hold any office was rejected in favour of the Twenty-Second Amendment's ban merely on their reelection.
The question of whether a two-term president could be elected or appointed vice president depends on the interpretation of the Twelfth Amendment, which states that no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president. However, it is important to note that the Twenty-Second Amendment does not explicitly address the eligibility of a former two-term president to serve in other roles, such as Speaker of the House, which could potentially lead to them acting as President through the operation of the Succession Act.
The Twenty-Second Amendment was ratified on February 27, 1951, and it has been a part of the Constitution ever since. The Amendment has been challenged and debated over the years, with attempts made to modify or repeal it, but it remains in force, shaping the terms of US presidents and the broader political landscape.
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Frequently asked questions
The twenty-second amendment to the US constitution, also known as Amendment XXII, imposes term limits on the US president, limiting the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to twice.
The key points of the twenty-second amendment are:
- No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.
- No person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once.
- The amendment is inoperative unless ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within seven years of its submission to the states by Congress.
The twenty-second amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president. The amendment sought to prevent any one person or the presidency as a whole from accumulating too much power.
The twenty-second amendment was proposed by the House of Representatives as House Joint Resolution 27 on February 6, 1947, and approved by the Senate on March 21, 1947. It was then submitted to the states for ratification and was ratified in 1951 by the requisite 36 of the 48 states.
There were differing views on whether the president should serve for life or fixed terms. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison supported lifetime tenure for presidents, while others, like Virginia's George Mason, opposed it as it would be tantamount to an elective monarchy.
