cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/45996578
Democratic members of Congress know they have an age problem—and it’s hurting them.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/45996578
Democratic members of Congress know they have an age problem—and it’s hurting them.
I specifically wasn’t talking about a position that has an 8 year lifespan. This was a discussion about positions that have no limits and the system that rewards seniority over capability.
And yes you are absolutely correct the machine can and does be made to work for the next person who slips into that position. However that event is significantly less useful to new faces than it is to established politicians who are also known quantities that are most likely using those networks as well.
It does matter who the figurehead is, in spite of the popular belief that the individual doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters and that’s kind of what we are taking about. Isn’t it? Someone who is already in the game is going to use those system much better… And when we don’t use them we have instability and incompetence which causes instability and damages things for long periods if not I definately.
Your own example of Reagan and Trump prove my point. It’s not just age that’s the most important factor. It’s competence. Cognition is a big part of competence
Legally. Notice any patterns lately about legal compliance?
Because voters are ill informed, careless, prejudiced, and operate more on name recognition than anything else, after party affiliation - straight ticket votes.
Players like Bernie Sanders should start “partnering up” by the time they reach 60 years of age, clearly making public appearances with a protoge under the age of 40 whose name gets tied to theirs at every possible opportunity - say Bernie’s protoge was Golda Schuster, let the public hear Bernie Sanders & Golda Schuster at every possible opportunity for 20+ years, when Bernie finally steps down, they can vote with confidence that Golda Schuster will carry on Bernie’s legacy faithfully, because that’s what they’ve been told for two+ decades. Thousands will still enter the ballot box, look at the choices and say to themselves “Golda Who?” but it would be a much better transition of power than we have today.
Yes, and I can only hope that our current system is somehow shielding us from the worst of the dementia driven choices that undobutedly are happening in D.C. every day.