Harris-Walz / Dems
- Thread starter Teufel
- Start date
Like so many of your other proposed "solutions," I couldn't disagree more.
Not everyone who reaches old age becomes senile.
On the other hand, shouldn't they be -able- to retire and enjoy their twilight years without dealing with the stress of government? Having an age limit would help remind some of them that yes, it's OK to retire, and let the younger generations step up. With no term or age limits, some might feel pressured into making it a forever job until they die in it, like this year.
You shouldn't have to be senile to understand it's time to hug off already. The geriatrics are still in office because it pays too well. Age limits don't necessarily have to have anything to do with capability; mental or physical.
This is a good question, honestly. The easy answer would be "Because nobody actually votes for members of Congress; they vote for the party they belong to, so as long as the same person keeps running, they're unbeatable." But there's clearly more to it than that. For one thing, Congress as a whole always has abysmal approval ratings, even among members of whatever party is in the majority at the time, but individual members consistently score very high with their own constituents. For another, consider primaries. Primaries have even worse voter turnout than off-year elections. The only people who bother to show up are the kind of people who are the most engaged with the democratic process. And in order to even get on the ballot in November, incumbents still have to beat any other member of their own party who would seek to challenge them, in a race decided entirely by those highly-engaged voters. I wonder how many candidates there typically are in downticket primaries. Two, of course, would be the ideal number for giving incumbents a serious challenge.
I really ought to be paying more attention to elections in Maine and Alaska. I keep saying ranked ballots would solve a lot of what's wrong with our system, but I'm neglecting to collect useful data about how it's going for the few places that actually use them. Hell, until I recently looked up what other countries use them, I had thought last year's referendum in Alaska to do away with them had succeeded. Could have sworn the media was reporting it as such. Maybe there was a recount. Alaska is particularly confusing because somehow both major parties are able to send multiple candidates to the general election, which makes me wonder what the hell primaries are even still for.
I really ought to be paying more attention to elections in Maine and Alaska. I keep saying ranked ballots would solve a lot of what's wrong with our system, but I'm neglecting to collect useful data about how it's going for the few places that actually use them. Hell, until I recently looked up what other countries use them, I had thought last year's referendum in Alaska to do away with them had succeeded. Could have sworn the media was reporting it as such. Maybe there was a recount. Alaska is particularly confusing because somehow both major parties are able to send multiple candidates to the general election, which makes me wonder what the hell primaries are even still for.
Same thing their for everywhere else: to figure out who to send.
Cool.
As Wonko said, it's not just about them being senile. We have people who feel the weight of age and in their hubris want to take the world with them. We have people who've become addicted to the power and the position and refuse to give it up willingly. We have individuals who have simply no idea how the modern world works in terms of technology. We have virulent racists and sexists who continue to claw for power.
We have a system where there is no maximum age and look at where we are. I'm willing to give age limits a shot at this point.
It would be a shame to lose the individuals who really are still sharp and capable of doing the job.
But how's it working out for us?
But how's it working out for us?
Right?
Like, I don't disagree and honestly, I really don't like the idea of age limits, but come on. We need to start getting new blood in there and since our system seems rigged in favor of people spending their entire lives there then we need a new strategy.
In the last two and a half years, EIGHT Democrats in Congress have died.
In the most absurd case, last year 74 year old Representative Sheila Jackson Lee died while running for reelection. Her 70 year old replacement has already died too.
This is untenable. Extreme times, extreme measures. It's retirement time. Get out. Not ready to be done with politics? Start a podcast. Don't know what that is? Really get out.
In the most absurd case, last year 74 year old Representative Sheila Jackson Lee died while running for reelection. Her 70 year old replacement has already died too.
This is untenable. Extreme times, extreme measures. It's retirement time. Get out. Not ready to be done with politics? Start a podcast. Don't know what that is? Really get out.
Honestly, I think we need both.
The Jackson case shows it's more important to have an age limit, not a term limit. Because she died too close to the election (still vowing to serve another term knowing she had pancreatic cancer of all hugging things) there wasn't time for another primary. So the party got to just pick whoever they wanted without those pesky voters having a say in it. They picked a 70 year old man with a history of bone cancer. He lasted two months on the job.
Maybe we could narrow it down. If you're 70+ and have a history of cancer you're out. That would eliminate a stupidly large chunk of this.
Maybe we could narrow it down. If you're 70+ and have a history of cancer you're out. That would eliminate a stupidly large chunk of this.
I've honestly never looked at these numbers before. What does it look like in the Republican side?
None, the last Republican Congressperson to die in office was in 2022 (Jackie Walorski, aged 58)
Since the start of 2020, the toll has been 4 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ess_members_who_died_in_office_(2000–present)
Since the start of 2020, the toll has been 4 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ess_members_who_died_in_office_(2000–present)
Term limits just allow lobbyists even more power because they’re the only ones who are going to have Institutional knowledge.
The only way out of this is an informed, motivated electorate. Whether they’re going to man the voting booths or the barricades is the only question.
The only way out of this is an informed, motivated electorate. Whether they’re going to man the voting booths or the barricades is the only question.
See, in Britain at least we stick all our worn-out geriatric politicians in the House of Lords. They get to sit round looking absolutely ridiculous while being paid to feel that they are still somewhat powerful and important.
Democrats have been losing critical elections for the last NINE YEARS because some in charge are somehow STILL Convinced they can win back Republicans.
