Shouldn't there be an age limit on federal officials?

[pecksniff]

A mandatory retirement age of 65 or 70 for all federal officials, including judges and members of Congress. (I'd say president too, only that would require a constitutional amendment. An age limit on Congresscritters could be imposed by house rules without even any legislation a president could veto.) There is in our present system entirely too much gerontocracy, too much of past generations and their values obtruding on the present.

 

[jaF0]

Never heard of age discrimination, eh?

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

No. What America and the world is witnessing with President Biden is tragic and painful to watch, but he was duly elected by voters. Some of our aging politicians are sharp in their 80s and 90s. Senator Feinstein is fading, but Senator Grassley is in great physical shape and sharp as a tack.

 

[Cubantripod]

Never heard of age discrimination, eh?

The FBI has a mandatory retirement age.

 

[Sean Renaud]

No, with age comes wisdom. What we should be doing is making voting day a national holiday so more people will vote. Hell I have no problem making voting mandatory unless you want to pay a fine.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

No, with age comes wisdom. What we should be doing is making voting day a national holiday so more people will vote. Hell I have no problem making voting mandatory unless you want to pay a fine.

I would have agreed with this in the days before “early voting weeks in advance from the comfort of your sofa” became common almost everywhere in the US. Not sure a day off from work is needed anymore.

 

[KeithD]

I would have agreed with this in the days before “early voting weeks in advance from the comfort of your sofa” became common almost everywhere in the US. Not sure a day off from work is needed anymore.

Just like a Trumper, trying to have it both ways, both making it hard to get to the polls and unnecessary to be able to vote from home. If only Republican hadn't now reconciled themselves to not being able to win on the one person/one vote concept.

 

[pecksniff]

No, with age comes wisdom. What we should be doing is making voting day a national holiday so more people will vote. Hell I have no problem making voting mandatory unless you want to pay a fine.

Well, I wasn't suggesting any age cutoff for voting.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Just like a Trumper, trying to have it both ways, both making it hard to get to the polls and unnecessary to be able to vote from home. If only Republican hadn't now reconciled themselves to not being able to win on the one person/one vote concept.

Nonsense. What have I advocated that would make it hard to get to the polls?

 

[rae121452]

No, with age comes wisdom. What we should be doing is making voting day a national holiday so more people will vote. Hell I have no problem making voting mandatory unless you want to pay a fine.

speaking as someone who's older than dirt, the only 'wisdom' that comes with age is finally realizing how stupid you really are. and if you don't come to that realization, you ain't wise.

 

[pecksniff]

There is in our present system entirely too much gerontocracy, too much of past generations and their values obtruding on the present.

I notice nobody has contradicted this.

 

[Sean Renaud]

I notice nobody has contradicted this.

I don't think anybody disagrees with THAT, we disagree that putting a top age would be productive. I certainly don't think we would get any real benefit from forced retirement.

 

[Dribble]

I don't care about age. But they should have to take a standardized test and their results should be published.

 

[JohnnySavage]

A mandatory retirement age of 65 or 70 for all federal officials, including judges and members of Congress. (I'd say president too, only that would require a constitutional amendment. An age limit on Congresscritters could be imposed by house rules without even any legislation a president could veto.) There is in our present system entirely too much gerontocracy, too much of past generations and their values obtruding on the present.

I know I'm going to regret asking this.. But why would an upper age limit for President require an Amendment, but the same wouldn't apply to Congressmen?

 

[jaF0]

I know I'm going to regret asking this.. But why would an upper age limit for President require an Amendment, but the same wouldn't apply to Congressmen?

Dude, really?

 

[Rightguide]

Dude, really?

^^^
Chronically triggered

 

[Rightguide]

As long as an individual is cognitively able, there should be no bar to elected office.

 

[Dribble]

As long as an individual is cognitively able, there should be no bar to elected office.

Yet....you support Trump who was not. Why?

 

[oggbashan]

At my age, I am not eligible to serve on a jury and have not been for some years.

My father retired at 65, was re-employed as a temp for the next 5 years, and then took a part-time consultancy job for the next 10 years. After 80 he started his Open University BA degree and finalised that by age 86. He decided NOT to go on for an MA and Ph.D...

 

[BidudeinWi]

A mandatory retirement age of 65 or 70 for all federal officials, including judges and members of Congress. (I'd say president too, only that would require a constitutional amendment. An age limit on Congresscritters could be imposed by house rules without even any legislation a president could veto.) There is in our present system entirely too much gerontocracy, too much of past generations and their values obtruding on the present.

There should be an age limit on fucktards like you posting on Lit., you old cranky prick!

I guess that’s what happens to old fucks when their dick quits working!

Hahahahaha!

 

[pecksniff]

I know I'm going to regret asking this.. But why would an upper age limit for President require an Amendment, but the same wouldn't apply to Congressmen?

Because it's the Constitution that sets forth the basic qualifications for the presidency -- native citizen, at least 35yo. But Congress has control over its membership and can expel any member -- it stands to reason they could also set a mandatory retirement age, purely as a matter of house rules rather than legislation.

 

[ishtat]

The problem if there is one, is the rules are essentially 18th century when people died off at a reasonably sensible age. They no longer do, which is why the Senate, the House, and the Presidency are dominated by substantially out of touch geriatrics.

The Seniority conventions are even more iniquitous because only second raters are going to hang around for 20+ years waiting to rise to the top. Sanders who has achieved absolutely nothing of substance in 40 years is the worst example.

But you can't expect the inmates to fix the madhouse.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Because it's the Constitution that sets forth the basic qualifications for the presidency -- native citizen, at least 35yo. But Congress has control over its membership and can expel any member -- it stands to reason they could also set a mandatory retirement age, purely as a matter of house rules rather than legislation.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.”
— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 2, clause 2

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
- U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 3, clause 3

 

[Champakian]

To me the question is, when will all those hateful voices
calling for Trump to take a cognitive test, which he did,
start calling for Joe Biden to take one...?

 

[Earthlyone]

A mandatory retirement age of 65 or 70 for all federal officials, including judges and members of Congress. (I'd say president too, only that would require a constitutional amendment. An age limit on Congresscritters could be imposed by house rules without even any legislation a president could veto.) There is in our present system entirely too much gerontocracy, too much of past generations and their values obtruding on the present.

Is Biden considered a "Federal official?" how old is he?