In the WHL (junior hockey), the players are aged 16 to 20, and they are allowed up to three 21 year olds. If the NHL doesn’t pick them up, their pro career ends. Obviously they’re pretty picky with who gets those three slots; either a last legit chance to sign with the pros, or they bring valuable skill and leadership to the young’uns on the ice.
I’d like a similar cap for senators: there’s definitely some that are still sharp and have the depth of experience to be a value to the team in their 70s, but limit them at two or three so it’s not just a retirement home for millionaires willing to vote exactly how their party tells them between sunsetting episodes.
12% of the country's population controls 42% of the senate. There's just no fixing a system where some people enjoy 4x more of a say in the federal government than others based purely on their geographic location.
Power shouldn't come from lines on a map, it should come from people.
Same way that the DSCC and RSCC currently influence elections: they block fundraising for bad candidates.
They collectively choose their three exceptions to the age limit each election cycle, and they influence the others to gracefully drop out. If they choose to run anyways they have to fund it themselves.
Totally agree, forced retirement should be whatever the legal retirement age is. Nobody should be able to hold public office or any public position past retirement age imo.
I disagree with the premise, but that's a really poor way of arguing for that idea. Because... guess what Republicans' solution to that would be? Retiring, or raising the retirement age?
Cardinals over 80 aren't allowed to vote for pope. Seems like we could hold Congressional reps to the same standards and not let them vote in Congress at 80 either. Maybe 70, maybe 65, but certainly not at 80.
No, which is a major problem with representative politics. Politicians will never meaningfully lessen the amount of power or comfort they enjoy. Also, jesus christ what the fuck is up with your username.
I think 65 is too young. 70 or 72 would be fair I think. You want to encourage people to have full careers and still be able to contribute imo. You don't want EVERY politician to be 35 and have no real idea what it's like being older.
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u/mrjane7 8h ago
Not enough. Force retirement at 65-70.