In His Own Words: Joe Biden Has Opposed Term Limits for Everyone but the Supreme Court

The same octogenarian who served nearly 40 years in the Senate and another 12 years in the Executive Branch is now demanding strict term limits for Supreme Court justices. Oddly, during Biden’s lengthy tenure in the federal government, he’s always opposed term limits for himself and all his colleagues. He’s never wavered and never budged from this deeply held, totally sincere belief that Democrats must rule for life. 

(Obviously, Biden’s new push for term limits has nothing whatsoever to do with the Supreme Court leaning to the right or opposing his far-left policies, since President Biden is purely motivated by “saving democracy.” What are you, some kind of cynic?)

Still, the policy change is significant: For generations, Biden was D.C.’s loudest voice in opposition to term limits. And his steadfast opposition was one of his few consistent policy positions. At least until now.

Below are Biden’s own words and opinions on term limits, with sources to back them up:

1995

“The ability of Delaware to affect anything remotely approaching its fair share would diminish if the state lost all that experience [because of term limits],” said Biden, according to Delaware Online.

1995

“In Philadelphia in 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention rejected term limits on members of Congress,” said Biden, according to the Congressional Report. “As was noted in the Minority Report, the Founding Fathers viewed term limits as ‘pernicious’ and ‘ill-founded’ in and of themselves… I join the Founding Fathers in categorically rejecting [term limits]. Delawareans were entrusted by the Constitution to look out for the interests of Deleware. And, if they, in their infinite wisdom, decide that reelecting an incumbent in the best way to protect their rights and interests, they should continue to be allowed to do so.”  

1996

Termlimits.com reported that then-Sen. Biden voted in opposition to a bill sponsored by Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), which would’ve moved congressional term limits forward in committee.

2018

[On term limits] “I think it’s up to the judgment of the people whether or not the person that holds that office in fact has the capacity to hold the office,” CNN reported.

2019

“No, I don’t support [term limits]. Because you’d be in real trouble in New Hampshire. You’re a small state and you’d get nothing,” reported Termlimits.com.

Right now, the Democrats control the Senate, but for some weird reason, President Biden hasn’t called for term limits on senators yet. 

Hmm. Must be an oversight.

This “saving democracy” canard is actually a pretty good deal. Apparently, it grants you carte blanche to destroy your political opposition, jail your enemies, change the rules for your party’s nomination (and do so a few months before an election), and even undermine the separation-of-powers doctrine that the Founding Fathers created to shield us from tyranny. Because make no mistake, that was their biggest fear: That an overzealous would-be tyrant might try to rule for life, and without a system of checks and balances, our nation would lose its liberties.

But y’know, that was an awfully long time ago. 

Joe Biden was first elected to the Senate in 1972, and 50-plus years later, he’s STILL working in the federal government. So I say that we should give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s a smart, clever man who certainly knows way more than any of our Founding Fathers. Come hell or high water, Joe Biden is going to “save democracy” — even if he has to destroy the country in the process.