21 Comments

Term limits would take care of most of this problem. Without the incumbent advantage, it would be harder to get elected at an advanced age.

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Not a bad idea at all, but that wouldn't stop them from moving from the House to the Senate, nor would it deal with the presidency. We'd still be stuck with them, but perhaps not for so long. But without a mandatory age for retirement, they could still run after 70. Even if we limited to two terms in the Senate, they could be as old as 82 before they were forced out.

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Undo, I do believe the 17th amendment (please spergs don't quote here) repeal the direct election of Senators, followed by a 4 term limit for the House.

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We need to repeal anything after the 11th, especially the 19th

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Normal people are forced to retire at 62-65. The FAA has forced pilots to retire at 65, while some federal law enforcement agents are required to retire at 56-60.

I think people should retire at 65 so they can enjoy life. If they want to continue working, they can, but only part-time.

Our country has replaced life with work, and people no longer enjoy their golden years.

If the government stopped taxing us so heavily and stopped being so concerned with GDP, people could live.

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Words of wisdom, Joseph. Agree 💯!

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I gotta say you Americans have done things right with the forced retirements in certain fields and with certain jobs. Time to extend it now to politics.

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I would have loved to retire at 65 and make way for someone younger, but first they moved my retirement age up and then they ignited inflation. When people in their late 60's and 70's are still working because they HAVE to, not because they want to, something's very wrong.

It's not fair to them, and it's not fair to younger people. The only people it helps are those who are exploiting both.

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Retirement is something of a modern invention - and has both good and stupid aspects about it.

I'm in unequivocal agreement with Morgthorak's thesis that politicians should exit when they can't represent their constituents. I wonder if this stubborn resistance to leaving is an one (of many) side effects of the "widening gyre" between the two wings of the US Uniparty. Politicians won't leave if they think a candidate from the other party may win. Politicians need to rethink who they are representing - their constituents or the political parties.

Retirement should be mandatory in fields with health & wellness reasons, such as the cited pilot retirement age - anyone in the physical aspects of public transportation needs to follow this. (Famous case: the pilot of the "Miracle on the Hudson" flight reached mandatory retirement age a few years after that amazing feat. He supports the retirement spec, but fortunately he was able to take his experience to the US NTSB.)

Other fields? I work in a particular branch of engineering that has suffered for corporate reasons (read: "The Man Who Broke Capitalism" by David Gelles about Jack Welch's gutting of General Electric). In some branches of engineering where product development has a naturally very short time cycle from start to production, there is always room for new people as well as anyone who can keep up with technological development. Other branches of engineering where products have a very long (on the order of decades) life cycle are vulnerable to retirement mismanagement.

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Term limits. What strikes me is with the slim House majority the last few years the Republicrat party should have looked in on this (maybe they did??) and let her constituents know the problem/situation. The country should have been aware too. You have an elected official not voting? That affects the entire country.

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70 is too generous. 60.

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In Ohio the judges are not allowed to run for reelection when they turn seventy (but they get around it by being hired as fill-in judges: vacations, illness, recusal, etc.). I don't know if it is that way in other states.

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“I propose that Congress, the Supreme Court, and every other federal institution have a mandatory retirement age of 70.”

We the People no longer have power (assuming that “We” ever did) in the American government to propose policy or legislation. Half of the People are deceived. The other half are deluded. Just as there’s Trump Derangement Syndrome (i.e. Trump will destroy American democracy ) and Trump Delusion Syndrome (i.e. Trump will save the American republican form of government), there’s Government Derangement Syndrome and Government Delusion Syndrome (both containing deluded & deranged people who are true believers that “We the People” hold sovereign power over the American government). The vast majority of the masses, the common people, the plebes, the proletariat, the public, the (Greek) dēmos, hoi polloi are totally brainwashed into having faith/trust in their various forms of governments.

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Variant:

All politicians still in power after the civilian retirement age (60-65) become eligible for a free trip to Canada to a MAID clinic... if they don't accept the trip they're required to undergo daily counseling encouraging them to participate in the MAID program "voluntarily," until they comply.

politicians who resign or are sElected out before retirement age don't have to undergo the counseling or trip.

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Sounds great, but ignores the problem that younger generations are brainwashed beyond hope.

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Every generation of Americans is brainwashed.

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I agree Gary

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It’s only a matter of depth and degree. Same thing with being propagandized. I want to be so in love with the truth that I’m no longer a victim of believing lies. Possible?

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Even better (thought of this whilst shoveling snow) do you remember Carousel ? Logan's Run style. We can take all of the geriatric congressfolk and elevate them in to the upper dome of the capital rotunda. As it is being broadcast on CSPAN, people across the country can cheer "Renew !" Whilst we watch while a McConnell or Pelosi is evaporated by a laser. Please President Trump, make this happen.

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Yep. The Gerontocracy needs to go. In The Public and Private sector. The Boomers are literally “killing us”.

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Are you trying to get me all hot bothered here? Diane Fienstien looks rather becoming there. She's winking at me.

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