Are US lawmakers getting too old?
Image: FiveThirtyEight
In recent days, two senior members of the Senate â both in status and age â have faced new questions about whether theyâre still mentally sharp enough to perform their duties.
- On Wednesday, 81-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) suddenly froze in the middle of a press conference for about 30 seconds before being escorted off the podium.
- Then yesterday, 90-year-old Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appeared confused when it came her turn to vote on a bill in Congress, and started delivering a speech instead of saying âayeâ or ânay.â Later in the session, Feinstein was heard voting against another bill, before being corrected and switching to a âyesâ vote.
How do they compare to other elected officials?
If Americaâs government attended a dinner, itâd probably be served around 4:30 pm. The median age of the Senate was 65.3 at the beginning of this year, its highest number in history.
The median age was slightly lower in the House, at 57.8, while the average age of the Supreme Court was 62.5. For context, the median age in the US is 38.9.
- At the top: President Biden is the oldest president in history at 80 years old. The second-oldest president is Donald Trump, who was 74 when he left office.
đ Big picture: The Constitution specifies a minimum age requirement of 25 for the House, 30 for the Senate, and 35 for presidents â but doesnât address a maximum age limit.
The US is near the top among other developed countries when it comes to the age of its leaders. The EUâs elected lawmakers are an average of 52 years old, while the average OECD national leader is almost 25 years younger than President Biden.
đ Flash poll: Would you be in favor of enacting a maximum age limit for elected US officials?
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying â
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that thereâs a rational reason to doubt how well President Biden can perform his job at 80+ years old, but it shouldnât be the deciding factor if the 2024 election comes down to Biden vs. Trump.
- Others contend that while age limits for elected US officials is one of the only things that Americans on both sides of the aisle can agree on, itâs unlikely to become a reality due to the touchiness of the subject among lawmakers.
- âHow should Americans think about Bidenâs age? Like this.â âWaPo Editorial Board
- âOne thing Americans agree on? Our politicians are too old.â âChris Clizza, CNN
- âBiden, Feinstein, Trump â when are our leaders too old?â âLouise Aronson, LA Times
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that Congress should enact term limits to avoid situations where lawmakers as old as 90 (or even 100) are still in charge of making crucial decisions for the American public.
- Others contend that Americaâs top lawmakers have clearly become too old to effectively perform their duties, and should step aside to let the younger generations claim their positions of power.
- âDianne Feinstein Proves We Need Term Limits in Congressâ âDavid Faris, Newsweek
- âAmericaâs gerontocracy is getting too oldâ âKathleen Parker, WaPo
- âHereâs why we need a constitutional amendment on age limits for presidentsâ âFormer Rep. Gary Franks (R-CT)
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