American lawmakers, on average, are getting a little long in the tooth.
In fact, at an average age of 59 years, American lawmakers, today, are the oldest in history. And the median age for senators, at 65, is the highest on record as well.
Now don’t get us wrong – at 92 years of age, Warren Buffett puts paid to the notion that senior citizens cannot be industry leaders.
But on the other side of the spectrum, we find Joe Tzu Biden – a.k.a. the man who shakes hands with thin air – raising the question as to whether having an octogenarian serve as the American head of state is advisable…
And just last week, Mitch McConnell became internet famous for a 20-second “fugue state” freeze that would be funnier if it weren’t so awkward, tragic and embarrassing…
Around the world, the average retirement age is somewhere in the sixty-something range. And there are practical, common sense reasons and benefits associated with this convention.
Yet in American politics, none such convention exists; either in law or in practice.
Nonetheless, what we’re seeing in American politics today is the impact of age-related cognitive decline. Dementia is a very real phenomenon, and one which isn’t being discussed in the US within the context of political life.
Moreover, even trying to discuss the issue elicits accusations of ageism from the left of the spectrum.
Now… If a pilot’s eyesight deteriorates sufficiently, they’re legally not allowed to fly any longer. (In fact, most commercial airlines even ban pilots who test positive for the use of antidepressants.)
So if a nation’s pilot becomes sufficiently cognitively impaired – impacting far more people than the passengers on a single flight – does that not warrant them being declared unfit for duty?
Do we not, as a nation, need some base-line qualifying criteria for individuals to hold high public office?
What do you think?
Let us know what you think in the comments!
