Should there be an age limit on people who serve as public representatives? You must be 25 or older to serve as a U.S. Representative, 30 or older to serve as a U.S. Senator, and 35 years of age or older to serve as the President. However, there is no age limit on when you must step down from office. Late West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd served until his death; he was 92 years old. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) just turned 86 years old last month. Although RBG may not be a great example as I believe she is indestructible. The woman can plank in her 80’s… the woman can plank period, but I digress. Can people serving into their late 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s still have the same mental capacity they did when they were first elected to office? I’m not so sure. Some believe Ronald Reagan exhibited symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s during his term. Although, CBS News states only about 3% of men and women between 65 to 74 have Alzheimer’s, whereas nearly half of people 85 and older have the disease. Ronald Reagan was 69 when first elected, so the likelihood he would have had Alzheimer’s during that time was small and more likely linked to his genetic makeup than his age.
Age, and the link to one’s mental capability, is likely to be brought up as an issue during the next presidential election. Our current president is 72 and two of the democratic candidates are 76 and 77. While there are many septuagenarians who are healthy and mentally fit, I’m not sure I want my president turning 80 in office. I mean, enduring the stress of the presidential office can take its toll on younger men and women, much less older ones. Look at before and after pictures of George W. Bush and Barrack Obama. This job can have physical and mental consequences for even the fittest of men.
According to a Washington Post article titled Can a president be too old? the general consensus is your 70’s and 80’s is not the prime time to be taking on such a difficult and demanding role. The article states “that between 16 percent and 23 percent of Americans over 65 experience some cognitive impairment.” Memory and cognitive speed are not what they used to be. I don’t know about you, and I mean no disrespect to the older audience, but I would rather not have a 75+ year old negotiating major deals and handling complex matters when it comes to the health and security of our nation.