As an official old person who will turn 82 in a couple weeks, I couldn’t agree more with this column, Ken. I don’t know what the answer is, although term limits might be a start, but I can’t help returning to the Founders. They described a stint in Congress as a sacrifice, whereby a man (back then) would leave a profitable business for a few years to serve his country for presumably less money. Unless I missed it, they never contemplated career politicians. But what incentive is there for them to retire? They don’t have to do any work, they get benefits we can only dream of, and they can continue to get even richer. The country is in desperate need of new faces, but running against these congressional institutions would be an uphill battle.
Unfortunately, we're asking crooks to govern themselves.
A reasonable (and necessary) start is overturning Citizen's United and requiring all govt officials to place investment holdings in a blind trust.
In my ideal world, I'd just make them live like normal people. Lower their pay to the median salary (down from ~3x the median salary); Take away their ~70% govt subsidy on their heath insurance premiums. They're completely out of touch with regular people. I'm sure that would give them a wake up call.
I contend that the Citizens United decision was the most impactful SCOTUS ruling in decades, and that includes Dobbs. It was the death knell for our democracy.
I don’t think the Founders intended a seat in Congress to be a get-rich-quick scheme, but I doubt that anyone’s net worth declined or remained flat. Look no further than Pelosi, thanks in large part to insider trading. I have to laugh sardonically at anyone who believes that Congress will make it illegal for themselves to trade securities.
Is it any wonder that Congress’ approval rating is in single digits?
McConnell is the guy I blame for today's sh*tshow more than anybody else. He claims to care about the Senate and upholding America's institutions, but he could have finished Trump off for good if he had supported the impeachment proceedings for the Jan. 6th riots. But he was gutless. The man's entire career has been a disgrace, a paean to political opportunism and massively unprincipled politics. He had the chance to change the narrative with that vote, but very much remained in character to the end. Good riddance
Ken, why perpetuate the myth, McConnell doesn’t have the wherewithal to have “decided” anything, much less not to run for office. The question in everyone’s mind is, who is really making all the decisions for this gerontocracy? Who are their unelected enablers that are effectively making all the decisions? We cannot keep allowing this to all take place in the shadows, as though we owe them some sort of respect for all their years of service (or for screwing us over while spending our tax dollars like drunken sailors for their pork projects). They have never “worked” for us despite the myth we keep retelling of their great sacrifice in public service. Meanwhile, they’re entering the so-called public service as middle or upper middle class people and exiting in the upper class while the rest of the normies are getting fleeced.
We gotta call a spade a spade now and root out their shadowy network so we can begin to put an end to this gravy train they refuse to get off of 😉
“the birthplace of democracy that once elected 43 year old John F. Kennedy president” Funny you should mention Kennedy. Didn’t he want to force AIPAC to register as a foreign agent? Wasn’t he taken out as a result? You ask who we are now - we are the United States of Israel.
I was gobsmacked to hear that Gerry Connelly, 74 year old MOC from VA, who was picked by the Dems to head the Oversight Committee over AOC, has gone on the record urging compliance with the Malignant MuskRat's order to write five things employees accomplished last week.Even Kash Patel told his employees to"pause" it. To make matters worse, Connelly was diagnosed last year with esophogeal cancer, one of the most deadly. Here is the story:
Term limits are fine, and I agree that we need new blood in the leadership. But I’m tired of the mocking of elders for physical limitations that have nothing to do with their capacity to otherwise function. It smacks of ableism. Bernie Sanders is doing a great job and he’s in his 80s. This conversation needs to be far more nuanced than this article. I would propose setting up a committee or council of elders in Congress to act in an advisory capacity when their terms end, but to let the leadership succeed to the next line members. We should be creative in seeking solutions to harness the talents and vision of all generations.
It seems that at a certain point, the elders should be in an advisory role as consultants. Representing constituents should be more than a full-time job and be extremely taxing mentally and physically. Representative Massie, who may be considered for
McConnel’s Senate seat, often refers to a retired judge that he consults for quite a bit of legislation.
Hmmm... the timing of your article? I woke up this morning and thought, had I believed in God and he was good, he/she/they would have taken Mitch in his sleep last night...
Whenever I see an article or mention of McConnell suffering a fall all I can think of is him glitching through the floor and the half life 2 collision sound as he ragdolls.
Ken, remember Strom Thurmond's retirement? He's probably still the most extreme example of the gerontocracy.
"He retired in 2003 as the only member of either chamber of Congress to reach the age of 100 while still in office and the oldest-serving senator; he died less than six months later. "
Growing old gracefully used to be a goal. Some of us still work because we need the money and/or enjoy the work. We need to think about this more thoroughly as boomers exit.
As an official old person who will turn 82 in a couple weeks, I couldn’t agree more with this column, Ken. I don’t know what the answer is, although term limits might be a start, but I can’t help returning to the Founders. They described a stint in Congress as a sacrifice, whereby a man (back then) would leave a profitable business for a few years to serve his country for presumably less money. Unless I missed it, they never contemplated career politicians. But what incentive is there for them to retire? They don’t have to do any work, they get benefits we can only dream of, and they can continue to get even richer. The country is in desperate need of new faces, but running against these congressional institutions would be an uphill battle.
Unfortunately, we're asking crooks to govern themselves.
A reasonable (and necessary) start is overturning Citizen's United and requiring all govt officials to place investment holdings in a blind trust.
In my ideal world, I'd just make them live like normal people. Lower their pay to the median salary (down from ~3x the median salary); Take away their ~70% govt subsidy on their heath insurance premiums. They're completely out of touch with regular people. I'm sure that would give them a wake up call.
I contend that the Citizens United decision was the most impactful SCOTUS ruling in decades, and that includes Dobbs. It was the death knell for our democracy.
I don’t think the Founders intended a seat in Congress to be a get-rich-quick scheme, but I doubt that anyone’s net worth declined or remained flat. Look no further than Pelosi, thanks in large part to insider trading. I have to laugh sardonically at anyone who believes that Congress will make it illegal for themselves to trade securities.
Is it any wonder that Congress’ approval rating is in single digits?
McConnell is the guy I blame for today's sh*tshow more than anybody else. He claims to care about the Senate and upholding America's institutions, but he could have finished Trump off for good if he had supported the impeachment proceedings for the Jan. 6th riots. But he was gutless. The man's entire career has been a disgrace, a paean to political opportunism and massively unprincipled politics. He had the chance to change the narrative with that vote, but very much remained in character to the end. Good riddance
Ken, why perpetuate the myth, McConnell doesn’t have the wherewithal to have “decided” anything, much less not to run for office. The question in everyone’s mind is, who is really making all the decisions for this gerontocracy? Who are their unelected enablers that are effectively making all the decisions? We cannot keep allowing this to all take place in the shadows, as though we owe them some sort of respect for all their years of service (or for screwing us over while spending our tax dollars like drunken sailors for their pork projects). They have never “worked” for us despite the myth we keep retelling of their great sacrifice in public service. Meanwhile, they’re entering the so-called public service as middle or upper middle class people and exiting in the upper class while the rest of the normies are getting fleeced.
We gotta call a spade a spade now and root out their shadowy network so we can begin to put an end to this gravy train they refuse to get off of 😉
“the birthplace of democracy that once elected 43 year old John F. Kennedy president” Funny you should mention Kennedy. Didn’t he want to force AIPAC to register as a foreign agent? Wasn’t he taken out as a result? You ask who we are now - we are the United States of Israel.
I was gobsmacked to hear that Gerry Connelly, 74 year old MOC from VA, who was picked by the Dems to head the Oversight Committee over AOC, has gone on the record urging compliance with the Malignant MuskRat's order to write five things employees accomplished last week.Even Kash Patel told his employees to"pause" it. To make matters worse, Connelly was diagnosed last year with esophogeal cancer, one of the most deadly. Here is the story:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/24/2305887/-Top-Democrat-proves-useless-as-Musk-makes-more-chaotic-demandsP.S. (I am 85 years old.)
Term limits are fine, and I agree that we need new blood in the leadership. But I’m tired of the mocking of elders for physical limitations that have nothing to do with their capacity to otherwise function. It smacks of ableism. Bernie Sanders is doing a great job and he’s in his 80s. This conversation needs to be far more nuanced than this article. I would propose setting up a committee or council of elders in Congress to act in an advisory capacity when their terms end, but to let the leadership succeed to the next line members. We should be creative in seeking solutions to harness the talents and vision of all generations.
It seems that at a certain point, the elders should be in an advisory role as consultants. Representing constituents should be more than a full-time job and be extremely taxing mentally and physically. Representative Massie, who may be considered for
McConnel’s Senate seat, often refers to a retired judge that he consults for quite a bit of legislation.
Hmmm... the timing of your article? I woke up this morning and thought, had I believed in God and he was good, he/she/they would have taken Mitch in his sleep last night...
Whenever I see an article or mention of McConnell suffering a fall all I can think of is him glitching through the floor and the half life 2 collision sound as he ragdolls.
Good riddance
Ken, remember Strom Thurmond's retirement? He's probably still the most extreme example of the gerontocracy.
"He retired in 2003 as the only member of either chamber of Congress to reach the age of 100 while still in office and the oldest-serving senator; he died less than six months later. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond
"Senator Chuck Grassley, third in the presidential line of succession, is 91."
You skipped the speaker who is only 53.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession
Growing old gracefully used to be a goal. Some of us still work because we need the money and/or enjoy the work. We need to think about this more thoroughly as boomers exit.
The vote in the House for the facist budget was very close, sadly it passed.
77 year old Raul G. was absent due to illness.
Put them in the home
There is No home— just the syreet