In the past 50 years since 1975, the median age in the US has risen from 30 to 45. The life expectancy has risen from 70 to 78
As medical technology is advancing, people are living longer and staying competent longer. We let fossils like strom thurmond, robert byrd and chuck grassley serve until their deaths (or grassley gets beamed up by aliens in a corn field or something)
If you put in a term or age limit now, it will become more and more strained over time as a more elderly population brushes up against it
There's certainly truth in the increase in age of the median, but if we actually carve out and look at those in poverty, the age expectancy is not much better than that of 3rd world countries. There's a stark difference between the age expectancy of the top % compared to the lower. Over a decade.
This allows the wealthy to live longer, which allows them to also hold on and not relinquish power longer, be it CEO's, board seats, politics, etc.
The result is going to be a wealthy, old, ruling class that refuses to relinquish power.
Physiological decline and even mental decline in people as they get older is well known.
We've all seen the mental freezes of people like Biden, McConnell, Feinstein, etc. I don't know what the answer is, age in itself probably should not be the only factor. I mean look at Trump. Old as fuck but still super active. Just gave a brilliant speech in SA got the royal treatment secured investment commitments into the US (whether they actually materialize is another story).
Point is, as of right now it's obvious Trump is fine and has lots of vigor, but i do agree that generally the avg age in congress should move down. We probably need term limits, not because of the age problem but because those entrenched in there for decades cater to special interest and that's how they actually get the reelection dollars.
That's my thought and why I am also in the camp of term limit compared to age restriction. I don't look at it much different from our police here in Canada. RCMP have posting limits too not get too comfortable with their area in efforts to reduce corruption.
This post was edited by SBD on May 15 2025 09:51am