Too Old to be the Pres . . .
The United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government. It was ratified in 1788. Probably will not see the 250-year celebration in 15 years? Maybe I will?
I find as you age, people become ruder towards age. They also treat you as being less on the mark. They do not like when you reply back with an intelligent answer.
But, should we update the Constitution? Another post, I think.
However, there is a battle going on about Biden’s age at 80. There is also one about trump who is 77, who really should be sitting in a level 1 prison (maybe a Level 2?) by now. But how old is too old?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar latest asks the question.
The Wall Street Journal poll finds 73% of Americans think Biden is, to some degree, is “too old to run for president.” An earlier Associated Press-NORC poll showed 77% of Americans, including 69% of Democrats, think Biden is “too old to effectively serve” another term. About 76% of Americans believe he lacks the “mental soundness” to be president. That’s a lot of people and it is also misleading.
Also cited was, 59% say the same about Trump. This so enraged Trump, he challenged Biden and Rupert Murdoch (owner of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal) to acuity tests. Of course, he would decide which test would be given and the circumstances under which it would be administered. (I’m sure Honest Don wouldn’t be coached on the test, right?) He posted:
“In a phony and probably rigged Wall Street Journal poll, coming out of nowhere to soften the mental incompetence blow that is so obvious with Crooked Joe Biden, they ask about my age and mentality. Where did that come from?” Notice how anything unflattering or in which he loses is “rigged.”
In an irony totally lost on Trump, his childish outrage and silly challenge indicate someone who clearly lacks mental soundness. AB: And maybe we should be looking at something different to judge who should be the president? Kareem suggests mental soundness. I am adding stability and experience as an ordinary person. The latter is a challenge as few of our Pres’s come from ordinary circumstance.
So, what accounts for this difference in assessment?
Part of it is what Kareen calls the .99 marketing con. You know, retailers sell something for $9.99, and the consumer subconsciously thinks,
“At least it’s not $10.” We see a 7 in front of Trump’s age and think.
“At least it’s not an 8, like Biden.” Only three years, but we think ten years.
Trump’s dye job helps. His hefty weight makes him less wrinkled. His relentless irrational attacks on everyone give the impression of being energetic rather than just curmudgeonly desperate (AB: or just plain stupid). This difference in judging mental capability is what all elderly face: the grayer the hair, the slower the walk, the deeper the wrinkles—the more marginalized.
Even as an oldster myself, I get it. Youth equals energy, passion, late work nights. According to scientific research, creative productivity at 80 is about half what it was in our 40s.
But maybe how much you do in a day isn’t as important as how well you do it. Age and experience can mean making fewer mistakes (because you’ve already made them). Maybe it also means delegating for higher efficiency. Maybe it means working smarter.
Having lived a lot of years doesn’t make you wise. It’s what you learned from all those years that makes you wise. Some are just as clueless at 90 as they were at 19. But others have filled their minds and hearts with knowledge and compassion worthy of a lifetime.
Being president requires physical stamina and mental sharpness. You’re juggling chainsaws while people toss baseballs at you. Flaming baseballs. So, rather than just look at the raw number of these men’s ages, we should look at their records to see if they have been working smarter.
Trump’s record as president is a shambles of lies, misrepresentations, and destructive policies. He accomplished next to nothing positive.
On the other hand, the Biden Administration has improved the economy by most indicators (even though there are struggles that he has no power over). His Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act brought $1 billion (AB: probably more) for roads, bridges, drinking water, and more.
You get the gist. With Trump, there was no gist, just tax breaks for the rich and rollbacks of consumer protections in order to make the rich even richer.
What do you think?
You can also read the rest of Kareem’s article here:
If my choice is between a senile grandpa and a incoherent, inarticulate, incompetent, incontinent, morbidly obese, hebephrenic psychopath, I will choose senile.
I do think both are too old. We need the Xers to take over.
My pick is Newsom/Booker.
Well, people are living longer. Perhaps 80 is now the new 60.
I’d like to see younger Dems going after the top job also.
The eligible always seem to defer to their elders.
That’s got to change.
60 is arguably not young enough anyway.
My adult kids would like to see AOC make a run.
Maybe when she’s 40, when she’s almost that old. Is that too late?
That is, in 2028.
“He’s only three years younger, which is statistically insignificant”. Insignificant in what way? Mortality? Morbidity? I’m curious as to what you mean.
@lj,
Statistically insignificant difference in age relevant to candidacy for president, as measured by any parameter.
Hope that helps.
They’re both too old then.
@Fred,
LOL! Those are your only choices.
And the younger one is so awful, we are obliged to choose the older one. So old-age related POTUS discussion needs to be tabled. QED?
After all, given the seemingly false dilemma, the under-40 voter turn-out could turn out to be ‘too shabby’.
Furthermore, Trump should not have made it to the Oval Office lo those several years ago, as Hillary Clinton warned us, and he would be again just awful in office. And we’re the same age, he & I; Biden is just a few years older. So Kamala Harris had best be ready to step in.
A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris, who IS that future generation
I didn’t necessarily support Joe Biden. This is neither the time or place: short story he’s done me harm, three times. That’s not why I voted for him. I voted for and was pretty clear about it at my house (which of course nobody reads) the future, for my grandkids and g-grandkid: Kamala Harris. I think he’s doing a damn good job, while exiting gracefully …
Ten Bears:
Don’t give me the “nobody reads” thingee. I wander by and look for stuff I can steal for Angry Bear. Have to read it first. I even suggested you may want to write something, a commentary or close to one, I can put on Angry Bear. You are a different perspective.
I don’t think it’s a vote for Kamala Harris except in the possible eventuality that Joe dies or is incapacitated. My guess is if Joe wins and serves his term, Kamala doesn’t get the following nomination.
Wishful thinking often evolves into self-fulfilling prophesy
I have noticed that the dems hate her almost as much as the repubs, and of course with the monkey-media dutifully feeding us racist talking points you’re probably right ~ she doesn’t stand a chance. But that’s a bridge to be crossed when we get to it
It’s not the task at hand …
OK, let it be AOC then.
Well, there’s this: https://www.mass.gov/guides/john-adams-the-massachusetts-constitution
Just saying!
Andre:
Nice addition. Thanks
My hypothesis is that there is a pretty good consensus in the Democratic Party that Biden is “too old”, meaning in serious neurological decline along with probably other physical challenges. But there is fear about what comes next, largely around VP Harris. I’m no Democrat, so my opinion is irrelevant, but I have one anyway. She had a very weak base for 2020. If she has grown that as VP, that would be good for her. If not, it is not the Party’s problem really. I feel like in some unclear manner a pretty good number of Democrats think Biden not running and Harris not getting the nomination will alienate a lot of potential Dem voters while simultaneously thinking she’s not a good candidate and Trump (other Republican) would beat her. It’s as if sticking with Biden is the only sure way to not risk hurting the feelings of a small (and possibly non-existent) group of ardent Harris supporters and also winning. Honestly, the most definitive “solution” is for Harris to run for President without waiting for Biden to bow out. Gets that issue decided by February or sooner in a manner her supporters can accept either way. Won’t happen, I am sure.
Note that the recent Washington Post op-ed directly encouraged Harris to forego running. The writer waved his hands, but I think the message was “she’ll lose, but figuring that out via contested primaries with Biden out of the race is somehow really destructive.” Better would have said ‘not Joe, but yes Kamala’ and let Dem voters pass judgment on the proposition.