The US Gerontocracy - should their be an age cap?

[Cetacea]

So Joe Biden age 78 is now the eldest President inaugurated in the USA, which by most peoples standards is quite old.The youngest president at 42 was Roosevelt. All of that of course is a result of the electoral law that requires a Presidential candidate must be at least 35.

But should there perhaps be a age cap? It may be agist but the reality is those over 80 have a much much higher rate of sickness, and potential for physical and mental deterioration such that they might become incapable of meeting their duties. That said 9 past presidents lived into their nineties but I do know some Presidents have gotten sick and died in office (not sure how many died in office (I do know at least Roosevelt did)

So what do you all think of spry and lively grognards of NSG, the average age of Presidents is 60, which some tell me is the new ‘middle age’ but is 80 too old?

[Major-Tom]

Maybe not an age cap, but term limits to an extent. We have Senators like Dianne Feinstein, who, by all accounts, are just completely senile. In fact, we've had many reps and Senators who later turned out to be done for in terms of their mental capacity thanks to aging.

Of course, you also have 80 somethings in politics who are more energetic, competent, and quick on their feet than many younger folks. Hence term limits.

[Atheris]

Not an age limit, but definitely term limits.

Also, before anyone corrects OP, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president to assume the office. JFK was the youngest elected president.

[Super Cool Florida]

There should be a age cap. 79. Who the hell runs for president at 79? Not anyone. Biden can have his 4 years, but then he'll have to go, as we don't want him dying of any elderly sickness. And lower the age limit to least 26..

[Cordel One]

I think so, presidents shouldn't be incredibly old.

[Kowani]

Dianne Feinstein disliked this suggestion

[The Marlborough]

No, but I think that one could argue that medical evaluations should be done and if one's mental state has declined past a certain point they are no longer eligible to hold office.

[Valrifell]

This is a problem term limits would be great for, I'd say.

[Freiheit Reich]

With age comes wisdom (at least we hope). Let's remember the wisdom of Satchel Paige when it comes to age.

[The Marlborough]

Instead of term limits maybe investigate other problems such as, oh I don't know, the decrease in civic mindedness among younger generations compared to older ones which may be among the reasons why fewer and fewer young people are candidates.

[Valrifell]

Instead of term limits maybe investigate other problems such as, oh I don't know, the decrease in civic mindedness among younger generations compared to older ones which may be among the reasons why fewer and fewer young people are candidates.

Oh yeah sure because that's a far simpler solution.

[Risottia]

Not an age limit, but definitely term limits.

US presidents have a term limit, don't they? Iirc 2 terms and that's it.

[Freiheit Reich]

Not an age limit, but definitely term limits.

Also, before anyone corrects OP, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president to assume the office. JFK was the youngest elected president.

Actually, I dislike term limits. If a president is good enough to keep getting elected, that is the will of the people. Term limits seem a bit anti-democratic in a way. The people were not forced to vote for FDR 4 times (I dislike FDR but obviously most Americans loved him). Also, term limits have not ensured that the USA gets good leaders.

[The Marlborough]

Instead of term limits maybe investigate other problems such as, oh I don't know, the decrease in civic mindedness among younger generations compared to older ones which may be among the reasons why fewer and fewer young people are candidates.

Oh yeah sure because that's a far simpler solution.

If you have a hole in your roof, do you just slap some duct tape across it or do you actually repair it even though it takes longer and is more complicated?

[Valrifell]

Not an age limit, but definitely term limits.

US presidents have a term limit, don't they? Iirc 2 terms and that's it.

Presidents do, but Senators and Representatives don't, which is how we end up with people aged 80+ who have served decades in Congress.

[The Marlborough]

Not an age limit, but definitely term limits.

Also, before anyone corrects OP, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president to assume the office. JFK was the youngest elected president.

Actually, I dislike term limits. If a president is good enough to keep getting elected, that is the will of the people. Term limits seem a bit anti-democratic in a way. The people were not forced to vote for FDR 4 times (I dislike FDR but obviously most Americans loved him). Also, term limits have not ensured that the USA gets good leaders.

The last bit is important because it seems like term limits are not as great as people might initially assume.

[Trollzyn the Infinite]

Frankly I see no reason anyone over the age of 60 should be involved in politics. There's a disturbing trend of both older politicians and older voters favoring what interests elders at the expense of younger generations. This kind of bias is detrimental to the nation's future. Age does not equal wisdom no matter how many Facebook Boomer memes say otherwise. Hard cap at 60 and no older; after that they have to retire.

[Freiheit Reich]

Frankly I see no reason anyone over the age of 60 should be involved in politics. There's a disturbing trend of both older politicians and older voters favoring what interests elders at the expense of younger generations. This kind of bias is detrimental to the nation's future. Age does not equal wisdom no matter how many Facebook Boomer memes say otherwise. Hard cap at 60 and no older; after that they have to retire.

When you are 60, I wonder if you will still feel the same. I knew, even as a teenager, that one day, I will become a senior citizen. I tried not (and still try not to) to say people are too old to do things and elderly people that are still achieving goals inspire me. My grandmother is 95 and still sharp as a tack. It is hard to try to say that she should have been classified as a second-class person (unnecessary age discrimination makes someone second-class in a way) for the past 35 years. If senior citizens are banned from politics, society will have less respect for them.

Age doesn't guarantee wisdom but it also doesn't mean someone is LESS wise.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Yes. Our president should be like 45, not 78.

[Des-Bal]

The 25th amendment exists for situations where the president becomes unfit, I decline to entertain the suggestion that we should exclude people from eligibility until it can be shown the 25th amendment is insufficient.

[Agarntrop]

Too arbitrary. Different people age faster than others, there are some 75 year olds more frail than other 95 year olds.

[Rusozak]

I think there should be. I want someone who's going to still be living in the world they create for a couple more decades if they're going to have that kind of power. I doubt a career politician who's going to be dead in 10 years is thinking about the long term ramifications.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

We don't need to ban old people from running but we should encourage younger people to.

[Valrifell]

We don't need to ban old people from running but we should encourage younger people to.

Incumbency advantage is very difficult to beat (it's the leading indicator to determine if someone will win an election) and we're not helped by the fact that older candidates keep running for their seats.

[Saiwania]

Incumbency advantage is very difficult to beat (it's the leading indicator to determine if someone will win an election) and we're not helped by the fact that older candidates keep running for their seats.

It is because in the private sector, most businesses won't hire someone who's perceived as "too young" or "too old" for a specific line of work. People who're too old are pushed into retirement, when they arguably shouldn't if people are living longer and if it is the case that they somehow haven't accrued much if any life savings and they won't be okay if they can't get income anymore. Past a certain point, tons of people have no choice but to try to become their own boss if its all up to them to try to earn money.

Politics/government is perhaps the one career path where you aren't automatically pushed out to pasture if you're a big enough deal.