If you are an old news reporter (Andrea Mitchell is 76, Wolf Blitzer is 75), an old entertainer (Mick Jagger is 80) or an old plumber some might say things like “Why don’t you call it a day and retire?” Of course there is no harm if you continue to work.
But there are jobs that you are not allowed to have due to age. Commercial airlines cannot employ pilots after they reach the age of 65. Firefighters, law enforcement, and air traffic controllers have maximum age limits due to the stress in those jobs. What about those elected to office in government?
2024 Republican presidential candidate, former Governor Nikki Haley, weighed in on Senator Mitch McConnell’s recent health scare on Thursday, saying “It’s sad. No one should feel good about seeing that.” Haley went on to say that the Senate was the most privileged nursing home in the country, and she reiterated her support for mental competency tests for politicians over the age of 75.
Senator Mitch McConnell is 81. Senator Dianne Feinstein is 90. Senator Charles Grassley is 89. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is 83. There are three members of the House of Representatives over 80 years old. President Joe Biden is 80.
While all of these people have the perspective of many years of experience they also live sheltered lives today. Photo Ops do not make them knowledgeable about the impact of natural disasters. Nor do visits to factories and schools make them knowledgeable.
This report about Biden is concerning
“I have no home to go to,” said Biden, who lives at the White House on weekdays and spends most weekends in Delaware, where he has two homes.
Asked Sunday if he was saying that he’s homeless, Biden said that was not the case.
“No, I’m not homeless,” he said. “I just have one home. I have a beautiful home. I’m down here for the day because I can’t go home home.”
Donald Trump is 77. He will be 78 if elected in 2024. That is too old for the job of leader of the free world!
Just as we amended the constitution to limit presidents to two terms we now need to limit the number of terms someone can serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate. We also need an age limit for members of the Supreme Court, congress and the presidency. 75 seems like a reasonable limit.
This can only be done when congress rises above its own self interest.
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