How Old Is Too Old?
10/09/23 07:47
September 10, 2023 (Vol. 17 No. 37) - How old is too old? To me, someone who will be 71 years old in a couple of months, this is more than an academic question. American voters apparently feel the same. President Joe Biden's approval ratings are historically low despite the fact that he has been - at least in terms of getting his agenda through Congress - the most successful president since Ronald Reagan. The reason is clear: Americans are nervous that their president is 80 years old. Republicans are beating that drum to death, ignoring the fact that their front runner is only two years younger than Biden and obesely out-of-shape. (Does anyone actually believe that our bloated former president is 6'3" and 215 pounds?) They also forget that many thought Reagan was too old when he was first elected president at age 69. (Of course, he may well have been in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease near the end of his second term.) This is not to suggest that concern about Biden is unfounded. After all, he is 80 years old and shows signs that he has slowed down physically - and possibly - mentally. Then there's Mitch McConnell, who has "frozen" in mid-speech twice in recent weeks. Does anyone really believe he's fit for office? Dianne Feinstein? When she actually shows up for work, it's everything her staff can do to keep her awake in meetings. Nancy Pelosi, 83, announced this week that she is running for her 19th term in Congress. While I think she is still physically and mentally capable of doing the job, I wish she wouldn't. It's time to infuse the Democratic Party with more youthful leadership. Of course, I have expressed this same opinion about Pelosi in this blog for more than a decade. As one who has a personal stake in this debate, no one can legitimately accuse me of ageism. Speaking for myself, I know that I have slowed down both physically and mentally as I grow older. I am also confident in my ability to take care of myself, drive a car, make important decisions and, yes, even write a blog post. However, there may come a time that my family will question my ability to these and other things. That's a moment of truth all families eventually face. And now it's the question that the United States of America must also face. To me, it is not a question of whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump should win the next election. Donald Trump is the most corrupt, morally deficient and dangerous politician America has known since Huey Long. The question is whether Joe Biden is up to the job. If one judges by the merits of his accomplishments and failures in office - in other words, judging him by his record - I believe the answer is still a resounding "yes." That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.