At the time the constitution was written no one would have perceived that anyone would become a career politician because in reality at that time it was a part time gig. Congressmen and Senators would only be in Washington for a few days to a couple of weeks at a time to take care of the country's business and then they returned home to tend their farms or businesses. At that time what compensation they received was little more than what they would have to pay out of pocket for travel expenses and room and board while in Washington.
Originally Senators and Congressmen were compensated $6 for every day they were in Washington. I was curious so I did a little digging around to see what that would equate to today. Roughly it would equate to about $150 dollars a day today in other words, less than $20 an hour.
Originally Senators and Congressmen were compensated $6 for every day they were in Washington. I was curious so I did a little digging around to see what that would equate to today. Roughly it would equate to about $150 dollars a day today in other words, less than $20 an hour.
Actually the presidential term limit was not codified until the 22nd Amendment was passed and ratified by the states in 1951. Prior to then it was purely tradition that originated with George Washington refusing the nomination to a third term and that tradition was only crossed once by FDR who was the only President to serve a third term.
George Washington set the standard on term limits