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paleotn

(22,935 posts)
16. Agreed. It's simply biology not ageism.
Mon May 25, 2026, 11:05 AM
May 25

But there's more. One thought on reading your post. It's kind of an extension of Jefferson's idea that the earth belongs exclusively to the living and the dead have no powers or rights over it. From Jefferson's letter to Madison in 1789.

Now, granted, those in their 80's aren't dead yet, but legislation passed by the McConnell's, Grassley's and even Bernie's of the US Congress, even worse, SCOTUS decisions, have multi generational impacts, and as we've seen, can be damn difficult reverse. The rub being, none of those people will live to see the full repercussions.

If you're 80 you have maybe a decade to a decade and a half left. People in their 30's have 5 to 6 TIMES longer to live with those repercussions. Should they not have the greater say in the matter? Madison responded to Jefferson that predecessors leave a valuable legacy. But not always. Some things are universal truths and span generations, but many things do not. They based their decisions on the world they lived in that may not fully exist anymore. Even while they're still alive.

Obviously there's the argument of experience. I'm approaching mid 60's, and professionally, when it comes to decision making, I'm better than my much younger colleagues. Ironically, faster. Simply because I've been there before. But even if I haven't been exactly there, I still have a good feel for the pitfalls. Similar things that didn't work and why they didn't work. Then again, I've got maybe half a decade left before retirement, maybe more. Those younger colleagues may have to live with the mistakes made by guys like me who've sailed off into retirement. Decisions that made sense at the time but no longer do. Maybe my experience just wasn't valid anymore in an economic environment that's changed drastically since I had a full head of hair.

Not only is there a physical dimension. We may not fully understand the world younger generations live in. Humans are stubborn creatures who don't like change. But reality doesn't care. It keeps changing.

Short answer, yes, there should be age limits. Revised on occasion as human longevity changes. And younger members should have far more say than they have now. They're the one's who are going to have to live with these decisions long after we're gone.

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/011/011_0912_0958.pdf



Recommendations

6 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

i'm almost there rampartd May 25 #1
Yet some perform well into their 90s bucolic_frolic May 25 #2
I'm sure the stress of the job may also take a toll... kentuck May 25 #3
Agree, it takes order and mental discipline for longevity in positions of power or responsibility bucolic_frolic May 25 #4
I've always said NJCher May 25 #6
Yes, I've often envisioned him without money PatSeg May 25 #13
Someone else has envisioned Trump without money DBoon May 25 #32
Oh yeah, that would work! PatSeg May 26 #35
Back in 2015 someone made a youtube of Trump if he were born without $$ IrishAfricanAmerican May 25 #17
Ronald Reagan did not find it stressful at all. delisen May 25 #10
JFK became a Senator at the age of 36 Kaleva May 25 #12
It's one thing to be able to discuss complexities at age 80. NH Ethylene May 25 #27
There should be age limits for members of Congress as well. ProudMNDemocrat May 25 #5
I have no problem with older representatives. delisen May 25 #8
It is ageism. delisen May 25 #7
That's very true. NH Ethylene May 25 #29
It is demanding for anyone--especially one not physically and mentally fit... hlthe2b May 25 #9
Commercial airline pilots have to retire at 65 Grim Chieftain May 25 #11
I'll turn 80 next year... GiqueCee May 25 #14
*SNORT* Skittles May 25 #26
Bingo... GiqueCee May 26 #34
How many 80 year olds do you see daily delisen May 25 #15
Agreed. It's simply biology not ageism. paleotn May 25 #16
I agree with the premise of your post. Tom Rinaldo May 25 #21
I feel the same.... paleotn May 25 #24
It's never ideal. Energy levels decline at the very least. A few can pull it off though and wisdom helps Tom Rinaldo May 25 #18
A 92 year old (Grassley) is fourth in line for the presidency question everything May 25 #19
If an existential emergency breaks out during nap time... Swede May 25 #20
I go exclusively by quality gulliver May 25 #22
Trump has always been mentally and morally unfit. Regarding ageism... Martin Eden May 25 #23
Yes, in many, if not most, cases. I will never vote for an 80+ yo in a POTUS primary. Celerity May 25 #25
Trump earlier thought that 80 was too old. Then he changed his mind when Biden dropped out. Norrrm May 25 #28
I don't know about this. Morbius May 25 #30
It is not ageist say that Inkey May 25 #31
When you start talking about standing in the water with a battery Submariner May 25 #33
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