Should there be a maximum age for President and/or other political offices? (employment, legal)
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Minimum ages for leadership positions and even basic legal personal autonomy have been accepted almost without question in our society, on the basis of reduced mental capacity and/or inexperience of the young. So what about on the other end of life? As people get older, their probability of having pre-clinical or undiagnosed dementia increases, and their probability of having "out of date" background knowledge increases as well. So the "back-end" of the life span in some sense is a mirror image of the first part of life, in that one becomes less likely to have a sharp mind and may even have less relevant experience.
So, the question becomes, why the double-standard? Why are minimum ages accepted but maximum ages are not? We can all of course think of someone we know who stayed quite sharp well into their 80s, or in some cases maybe even past 90. But the exceptional mature, knowledgeable, or "bright" kid is not given a pass on the minimum ages, so why should the lucid 88-year-old mean we cannot impose maximum age limits?
This poll will focus on maximum ages for high-ranking government positions in the 3 main branches of government - judges (Judicial), lawmakers (Legislative) and president/governors (Executive).
Minimum ages for leadership positions and even basic legal personal autonomy have been accepted almost without question in our society, on the basis of reduced mental capacity and/or inexperience of the young. So what about on the other end of life? As people get older, their probability of having pre-clinical or undiagnosed dementia increases, and their probability of having "out of date" background knowledge increases as well. So the "back-end" of the life span in some sense is a mirror image of the first part of life, in that one becomes less likely to have a sharp mind and may even have less relevant experience.
So, the question becomes, why the double-standard? Why are minimum ages accepted but maximum ages are not? We can all of course think of someone we know who stayed quite sharp well into their 80s, or in some cases maybe even past 90. But the exceptional mature, knowledgeable, or "bright" kid is not given a pass on the minimum ages, so why should the lucid 88-year-old mean we cannot impose maximum age limits?
I still haven't decided how I feel about maximum ages as a point of policy. The problem is that people age at different rates. My father will be turning 90 in January, is still as sharp mentally as he always has been, and lives alone in s third story walk-up apartment. I recognize he is an outlier, but he isn't the only one.
But with respect to the question I have bolded above, the simple answer is that there are minimum ages in the Constitution and no maximum ages. So unless the country can come together to pass a Constitutional amendment (which I can't see happening in today's political climate) there will be no maximum ages. It will be up to the electorate to factor age in to their voting decisions when it is appropriate.
We have a law on the books against age discrimination. There has always been this stigma that older adults are somehow not as smart, able bodied, or just in overall condition to do the same job as someone who's half their age. In America we call that discrimination. https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/di...nation/agedisc
80 million people voted in confidence that he could do a good job... let's leave it at that.
It will be over before you know it (maybe sooner) and then you can vote for a younger candidate.
Minimum ages for leadership positions and even basic legal personal autonomy have been accepted almost without question in our society, on the basis of reduced mental capacity and/or inexperience of the young. So what about on the other end of life? As people get older, their probability of having pre-clinical or undiagnosed dementia increases, and their probability of having "out of date" background knowledge increases as well. So the "back-end" of the life span in some sense is a mirror image of the first part of life, in that one becomes less likely to have a sharp mind and may even have less relevant experience.
So, the question becomes, why the double-standard? Why are minimum ages accepted but maximum ages are not? We can all of course think of someone we know who stayed quite sharp well into their 80s, or in some cases maybe even past 90. But the exceptional mature, knowledgeable, or "bright" kid is not given a pass on the minimum ages, so why should the lucid 88-year-old mean we cannot impose maximum age limits?
This poll will focus on maximum ages for high-ranking government positions in the 3 main branches of government - judges (Judicial), lawmakers (Legislative) and president/governors (Executive).
It would never work.
I know business leaders in the 80's and are twice as sharper then people half their age.
Our life expectancy keeps changing. It would have to be changed way too often.
Who would be making the decisions on the age limits?
It's not just the age.
People, who spend too much time in certain positions, like anything else in our lives, "spread roots". They develop connections, good or bad. They become like a train on tracks - going only on certain direction. If need arises, it is very hard for them to change course rapidly, as they have to quickly literally break those "roots" and establish new ones. They simply put become dense.
Which is more a problem of the system, than problem of a person. Systems tend to aggregate, get momentum and become impossible to move off course in quick, responsive manner. So there you have it.
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