This question is being bandied about more than ever as evidenced in the recent NY Times Op-Ed “How the Ravages of Age are Ravaging the Democratic Party.” It’s an apt question given the revelations about President Biden’s declining state in Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s “Original Sin” as well as the fact that 8 members of Congress have died in office in just 30 months, all of them Democrats with an average age of 75. 7 of the 10 oldest members of Congress are Democrats. More than half the House Democrats who are 75 or older say they’re running for re-election in 2026.
Many companies require partners to retire at 60 or 62 (which is waaaay too young!). Pilots have to retire at 65. Police and firefighters, 55 to 65. Enlisted military, 60. And, yet, we have productive leaders like Nancy Pelosi (85) and Bernie Sanders (83) operating like spring chickens and Warren Buffett just retired at 94. So, this isn’t simple. Hats off to Denmark which recently increased their retirement age to 70 for Danes born in 1971 or later. The U.S. may need to do the same or see Social Security checks reduced by 21% starting eight years from now.
We tend to age quite differently, don’t we? So, maybe it’s not an age limit, but a term limit (just like with Presidents who can’t serve more than two terms and also can’t be elected before age 35) like 20 years for the House of Representatives and 30 years for Senators. But, even that seems too long when you realize that Senator Dianne Feinstein died in office at 90 after 31 years as a Senator.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) defeated 20-year-serving Congressman Joe Crowley in the 2018 Democratic primary for New York’s 14th congressional district. It was a shock to see a progressive 28-year-old bartender defeat the fourth-highest-ranking Democrat in the House, but maybe that should be our future norm, especially given how disappointed many Millennials and GenZ folks are with the state of the world as well as the shift to the right amongst younger voters.
What do you think? Should we have age or term limits for Members of Congress?
-Chip
P.S. If you can’t make it to either of our MEA campuses in Santa Fe or Baja, join me in North Carolina or New York as my “Learning to Love Midlife” tour continues. Bring a friend or spouse/partner for this weekend investment in your long-term health and happiness:
June 13-15 at The Art of Living Retreat Center, Boone, North Carolina
July 11-13 at the Omega Institute, Rhineback, New York