Imagine stepping into a time machine back in 1981 and arriving in 2026. I’d bet the sticker shock on the cost of everyday products would be enough to send you running back in terror.
But don’t worry! Not everything has changed. I’m sure you’ll find great comfort in knowing that Iowa still has the same senator.
Chuck Grassley is 92 years old and has been serving in his current role for 45 years. His current term will take him to age 95. This is not a shot at him directly, but an example of our aging politicians staying around way longer than anyone could have anticipated.
While term limits have been touted over the years as a way to address the issue, that can sometimes mean good and dedicated public servants are ushered out far too soon. Presidents are specifically term limited to ensure things like checks and balances remain in-tact and to show transfers of power can still happen peacefully and that the office belongs to the people, not a single person. Ahem.
However it’s time for common sense to prevail, and while I know this will upset some people, 92 is too damn old to be making decisions that will impact future generations long beyond their last breath.
It’s time for both parties to come together and agree to set an age limit.
It’s not radical, we’ve already set a precedent with judges. In New York, most state judges must step down the year they turn 70. They can seek temporary certification to continue serving two-year terms until they reach an absolute hard stop at age 76. Fair.
We make air traffic controllers retire at 56. It’s not that a 60 year old couldn’t do the job, there’s just too much on the line to risk it. So why would we allow a politician to legislate well into their 90s?
Is it their fault for refusing to relinquish power? Is it our fault for continuing to vote them in? Perhaps the fact it takes tens of millions of dollars to even run a campaign is keeping better candidates from even considering a challenge.
In 1990, the average cost for a candidate who won an election to the senate was about $3.87 million. Last year, that same seat would set them back $26.5 million.
In 2020, nearly $14 billion was spent on federal election campaigns in the United States, all while candidates on both sides stumped for lower prices and fiscal responsibility.
Think about how entrenched you’d need to be to raise tens of millions of dollars to even attempt to be elected. It’s part of the reason these ancient relics can stay in office. They know the game and how it’s played.
One of the few paths forward for modern candidates is to cling to the extremes in their own party. For republicans, that’s MAGA and blind loyalty to the current administration. For the dems, it’s socialist leaning policies that all sound great until someone has to foot the bill.
Until you reform campaign finance, Super PACs and billionaires will decide who runs and who doesn’t. For now they seem happy to let most career politicians age in-place.
In the meantime, let’s set an age limit for federal offices. Can we say 80? I’m open to debate here, but I’d rather see 80 year olds enjoying life, not struggling to stand up at a podium like Mitch McConnell. We all literally watched that man stare blankly at an entire room before having to be ushered out by his staff. It happened more than once. It was incredibly hard to watch and now he’s been out of sight for months due to medical issues. Folks… come on.
That’s not to say there aren’t 80 year olds who are extremely sharp and could likely still whoop my ass physically. But go enjoy the life you worked for and leave politics to those who will be around to see the outcomes.
Still want to work? Go work! Better yet, spend the money you busted your hump for and enjoy time with your family. It’s too late for you to change the world. Go enjoy it.
It’s beyond time to have the awkward conversation. It’s time to take grandma and grandpa’s political keys away. Maybe we can create a special branch of government where they can vote on commemorative stamps or something.
I’m kidding! Unless the stamp thing helps moves the needle on this issue in which case let’s talk about it.
