Origins and Early Debates
The Framers of the Constitution weren't all on the same page about presidential term limits. Some wild ideas were tossed around in Philadelphia, 1787:
- Alexander Hamilton suggested a president serving for life, with Congress picking them.
- James Madison and Gouverneur Morris backed this lifetime appointment notion.
- George Mason wasn't having it, worried about creating a quasi-king.
The idea got shot down, six votes to four. Most delegates were cool with presidents running for re-election without term limits, figuring regular elections would keep things in check.
Gouverneur Morris pointed out that re-elections might lead to shady deals between presidents and Congress. To avoid this, they cooked up the Electoral College system. No term limits, but a complex way to pick presidents.
George Washington set the two-term precedent in 1796. For 150 years, this unwritten rule seemed to do the trick. Presidents bowed out after two terms, no questions asked.
Franklin D. Roosevelt broke the mold, winning four terms in a row. The Great Depression and World War II called for steady leadership, and folks were fine with it at the time.
But Roosevelt's long stint got people thinking about unchecked executive power. After he died, the Twenty-Second Amendment popped up in 1947. It wasn't a new idea – Congress had proposed term limits before, like when Ulysses S. Grant was eyeing a third term.
The 80th Congress acted fast in 1947. Senate Republicans and some Southern Democrats, ticked off by Roosevelt's legacy and Truman's civil rights push, joined forces. The Twenty-Second Amendment was ratified in 1951, putting a hard cap on presidential terms.

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Terms
FDR's presidency was a wild ride through some of America's toughest times. He tackled the Great Depression like a boss, rolling out his New Deal programs to get the economy back on track. His fireside chats were like the Twitter of their day, keeping folks in the loop.
By his second term, World War II was heating up. Roosevelt had to juggle the isolationists and interventionists at home while dealing with fascists abroad. He broke the two-term tradition in 1940, arguing that changing horses mid-stream was a bad idea when the world was going nuts.
Voters bought it, giving him a third term. After Pearl Harbor in 1941, Roosevelt went full-on war mode. He was calling the shots for the Allies, from D-Day to pow-wows with Churchill and Stalin. Americans liked what they saw and handed him a fourth term in 1944.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." – Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, 1933
But not everyone was thrilled about one guy holding the reins for so long. Folks started wondering if future presidents might get too comfy in the Oval Office. When Roosevelt kicked the bucket in 1945, these worries turned into action, leading to the Twenty-Second Amendment in 1951.

Legislative Journey and Ratification
The Twenty-Second Amendment wasn't a walk in the park to pass. The 80th Congress in 1947 was itching to put term limits in writing. Republicans had been pushing for it since the 1940s, and some Democrats were on board too.
The House kicked things off with two versions:
- A single six-year term
- Two four-year terms
They went with the two-term limit, passing it 285-121. In the Senate, Robert Taft tweaked it to cover VPs who become president, allowing up to ten years in office.
Southern Democrats, fed up with Roosevelt's New Deal and Truman's civil rights stuff, teamed up with Republicans to push it through. After the Senate gave it the thumbs up, the House agreed, and off it went to the states for ratification.
Getting 36 out of 48 states to sign off was like herding cats. Southern states dragged their feet at first, but Truman's civil rights push got them moving. Minnesota sealed the deal in February 1951, making it official.
The whole process showed how messy American politics can be, with strange bedfellows and regional squabbles. In the end, the Twenty-Second Amendment put a leash on presidential power, making sure no one could hog the spotlight forever.

Contemporary Debates and Repeal Efforts
The Twenty-Second Amendment might be set in stone, but that doesn't stop folks from taking pot shots at it. Some brainiacs and political types think it's too restrictive. They argue that elections themselves are term limits – if people want to keep a president around, why not let them?
Notable opinions on term limits:
- Ronald Reagan wasn't a fan, thinking he could've done more with his conservative agenda.
- Obama hinted at the same thing.
- Some folks get misty-eyed about FDR's long run during World War II, imagining how a modern president could guide us through today's messes if given more time.
There's talk about tweaking the amendment rather than scrapping it. Some suggest allowing non-consecutive terms, like some state governors get. This would let ex-presidents take another crack at it after sitting out for a bit.
The repeal chatter usually pops up when someone wants an extra term. Trump's 2028 speculation is just the latest example. But changing the Constitution isn't a cakewalk – you'd need a ton of support in Congress and from the states.
While some people dream of experienced leaders sticking around, others are happy with the safeguards. The debate shows how tricky it is to balance American ideals with practical government. The Twenty-Second Amendment is still doing its job of keeping presidents from getting too comfy in the White House.
The Twenty-Second Amendment keeps presidents from holding onto power forever. It's a constitutional check that keeps the executive branch in line. This amendment shows how we need to keep an eye on government power to keep our republic healthy.
- Neale JM. Presidential Terms and Tenure: Perspectives and Proposals for Change. Congressional Research Service. 2009.
- Peabody BS. Reversing Time's Arrow: Law's Reemergence in the Study of American Political Development. Law & Social Inquiry. 2006;31(1):177-213.
- Korzi MJ. Presidential Term Limits in American History: Power, Principles, and Politics. Texas A&M University Press; 2011.