Do you support an age limit for public office?

RDKirk said:

Yes, you--and I--are more certain of the directions we are going. And we are likely right...for us.

But we may well be going in the wrong directions for the future of our children.

For example, I know people my age--I've talked with them--who absolutely cannot understand that "get any degree, get a job in a good corporation, and stay in it until you retire" is no longer practicable advice for Millennials and Gen-Zed.

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There may be different paths, I agree. The one I'm on won't be the same as my kids need to take. But in my opinion, the general direction I am on is right for everyone. So I'm wary of telling someone they're on the wrong path. But have no qualms about telling them that their path is heading the wrong way.

Bradskii said:

There may be different paths, I agree. The one I'm on won't be the same as my kids need to take. But in my opinion, the general direction I am on is right for everyone. So I'm wary of telling someone they're on the wrong path. But have no qualms about telling them that their path is heading the wrong way.

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I think you forgot your Poe's Law tags.

RDKirk said:

I think you forgot your Poe's Law tags.

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You think that's a parody? We are definitely talking on different wavelengths...

RDKirk said:

That's what I was pointing out earlier. Old people like me can continue to deepen and widen the rut we've been in, but leaping the track entirely grows progressively tougher.

A big thing Boomers on both sides have failed to do is to develop protégées. So now they have all these "youngsters" seemingly ambushing them, rather than having tracked protégées to have taken over these positions a decade ago.

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Boomers (as a whole) were not a very functionally-minded generation.
Being a Boomer myself (my Birth President was Ike’s second term), I know that my folks (Dad born 1914, Mom ‘15), came of age during the Great Depression and after getting through THAT, had to deal with the Second World War thing. This was right before they built our national Highway system and took the computing power of a watch to the moon before they retired.

Unfortunately, getting through “hard times” meant that their parenting skills might have been impacted to a greater degree than they knew since their children (as a whole) didn’t seem to understand that we have to all pull in the same direction some of the time, because if we don’t we will find out what “rugged-individualism” will do to a nation if left unchecked.

[/rant]

Pommer said:

Unfortunately, getting through “hard times” meant that their parenting skills might have been impacted to a greater degree than they knew since their children (as a whole) didn’t seem to understand that we have to all pull in the same direction some of the time, because if we don’t we will find out what “rugged-individualism” will do to a nation if left unchecked.

[/rant]

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Hmm.

I just barely remember Ike myself. I remember him interrupting an afternoon kids' show I was watching to talk about Russia and airplanes.

But...hmmm.

RDKirk said:

That's what I was pointing out earlier. Old people like me can continue to deepen and widen the rut we've been in, but leaping the track entirely grows progressively tougher.

A big thing Boomers on both sides have failed to do is to develop protégées. So now they have all these "youngsters" seemingly ambushing them, rather than having tracked protégées to have taken over these positions a decade ago.

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You seem like one of the "old" people who continues to deepen their wisdom to me.

Mentoring relationships are so great for both involved. I have people I mentor and someone who mentors me, and I think it’s important in any organization or society.

RDKirk said:

Hmm.

I just barely remember Ike myself. I remember him interrupting an afternoon kids' show I was watching to talk about Russia and airplanes.

But...hmmm.

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JFK was mine. The Cuban crisis certainly had my parents worried. They were talking about war, trying not to let me hear. I was 9. But I used to keep the bedroom curtains open. War meant planes. I wanted to see them coming.

dogs4thewin said:

no as long as the person is mentally fit.

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And proven to be in good health.

hislegacy said:

That would include Congress, Senate, Supreme Court and President?

If so, what age?

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45

Taodeching said:

45

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Is that the upper or lower age limit?

Bradskii said:

Is that the upper or lower age limit?

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Perhaps both

mama2one said:

YES!

no one should be elected President past age of 65
if they get 8 yrs.....say good-bye at 73

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Don't you mean 69? Or do incumbents get a pass?

hislegacy said:

That would include Congress, Senate, Supreme Court and President?

If so, what age?

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About a year younger than Donald will be in 2024. Also, if old people aren't fit to be elected, makes sense that old people also aren't fit enough to choose who will lead. So we'll need to add an age limit on voting as well. Will need to look at the demographics to see where to draw the line to significantly hurt the GOP's base, but I'm sure we can do it.

Great thread and great idea.

Simply put, I don't think 75 year olds are equiped (and they have not demonstrated the ability to) to handle and comprehend the intricacies of the modern world and society. They are extraordinarily out of touch with common folk (of all ages; moreso those older kids who are just entering the workforce) and their legislation demonstrates that.

rambot said:

They are extraordinarily out of touch with common folk (of all ages; moreso those older kids who are just entering the workforce)

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And those young folk are extraordinarily out of touch with wealth and the legislation required for the wealthy to remain so. But they to will learn and fall in line.

Bradskii said:

Is that the upper or lower age limit?

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timothyu said:

Perhaps both

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I was going to say upper lmit but I like @timothyu answer better

timothyu said:

And those young folk are extraordinarily out of touch with wealth and the legislation required for the wealthy to remain so. But they to will learn and fall in line.

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They are. And I hope not.

As long as they don't fall asleep during meetings with the Russian president or forget the names of their cabinet members I'm all good.

I think that Americans are concerned with the ability of both Chuck Grassle (87, R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (87, D-CA). Grassle is running for re-election in 2022.

I was concerned about Sen. Grassle while watching the Kavanaugh hearings. I was concerned about Sen. Feinstein during the Barrett hearings. While I am sure that both of them were very capable in their primes, it seems obvious that they are no longer in their primes.

In terms of our president and vice-president, we certainly need them to have regular exams and to have the results of those exams revealed with absolute transparency and objectivity.

I have absolutely no concerns with President Biden's competency currently, but I think that in 2024, at 82, he should not run for reelection--even if he might be more competent at 82 than a younger opponent.