“When I Leave Elected Office, I’m Going Feet First”
/Senator Dianne Feinstein’s death brings up an “old argument” about age requirements for holding office
Since the 1st U.S. Congress almost 1,100 members have left office feet first out of approximately 11,500 members. (Photo by Pavel Daniyuk on Pexels)
OnMay 3rd, 2023 I celebrated my 70th birthday. And, as a consequence, my wife forced me to make my first visit to a Doctor in about 15 or so years.
When he asked me why it took me so long to come in, I quoted Mickey Mantle who said, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”
Interestingly enough, (and to my wife’s shock) I got a clean bill of health.
But, when Senator Dianne Feinstein died recently, it gave me pause to think about age and the mental capabilities of our elected officials to hold office at an advanced age. After all, she was 90. And she spent her last years in the Senate being pushed around by ever-present aids, spending a lot of time in the hospital, and being reminded what day it was.
If you happen to be as old as me, this sounds all too familiar. My morning ritual is often marked by my asking the day of the week, forgetting where I left my phone, being told to take my vitamins, and being reminded that I’m wearing two different colored socks before venturing out into the cold dark world.
So when I compare leaders of the free world with my own small corner of it, I have to ask myself, “Just how old is too old, for holding public office?”
It’s a good question.
Senator Feinstein wasn’t alone in her geriatric service. There are 4 other Senators who are over the age of 80.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, “Silent Mitch”, as I’ve come to call him after the two moments where he froze on camera with what some are calling “mini-strokes”, is 81. And yet, Senator McConnell is the leader of the Republican Minority.
Oh and, in case you’ve forgotten, President Biden is 80. Donald Trump is 77 and the average age of the 118th Congress (one of the oldest on record) is 64.
That means they were born in the 1950’s. And that they are passing laws that they will probably never see the effects of.
Just as a refresher of what the world was like back then, here are a few highlights for those years.
High fashion was women were wearing Bobby Sox, poodle skirts, and saddle shoes. The Korean War was raging. Dwight Eisenhower was President and Joseph McCarthy along with the rest of Congress, was searching Hollywood for hidden Communists. The Russians launched the first Satellite, (Sputnik), we had a “party line” for a telephone and the Mustang and Corvette were mere dreams.
Oh, and everyone was afraid of the Atomic Bomb. Here’s how our government sought to protect school children from the Red Menace.
Move forward a few years and you’ll remember Congressman Charles Wilson, who served 12 terms in Congress representing Texas’ 2nd congressional district. He’s credited with saying upon his leaving office that retirement was the best of 3 options for ending his political career: “To get defeated, to get carried out feet first, or to … start another life.”
The point of all this is that we have minimum ages to run for higher office, but no limits on how old someone can be to serve with most of their wits about them.
The U.S. Constitution sets the minimum age for running for President at 35. Senators have to be 30. And, members of the House, 25. In a strange twist of history, 12 of the delegates at the Constitution Convention were under the age of 35, including Alexander Hamilton.
Yet, the authors argued that young men (there was no thought of women) were too immature, not experienced enough to handle elected office, were too impetuous, and hadn’t fully developed into manhood.
Apparently, they forgot that Thomas Jefferson was only 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence.
The real reason they set the limits is that they didn’t want young upstarts running against them, and they wanted to protect their asses as they grew into old age.
Forgive me for bringing up an old question, but isn’t it about time we have age limits for serving in public office? Not minimum limits, but mandatory retirement ages.
It’s an old argument. But, it’s one that needs to be made.
