Should There Be an Age Limit Requirement for a Politician to Run?
On September 29, 2023, Senator Diane Feinstein passed away, sparking debate over whether someone at Feinstein's age is fit to serve within the United States government. Her decades-long political career inspired many by opening doors for women in politics. However, a point of contention that emerged as a result of her passing was her age–she was 90 years old, the oldest member of Congress at that time.
Feinstein isn’t the only one: 8% of the Senate is made up of those from the “Silent Generation,” those who were born between 1928-1945, which is a greater population than the combined number of Millennials and Gen Z. This is a pattern that can be seen in the House and the executive branch, as Joe Biden is the oldest president in our country’s history. With younger people facing the overwhelming brunt of today’s political crises, they are beginning to demand greater representation in their government.
The death of Feinstein was only one of many events that have garnered media attention regarding the age of those in government. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's stopping mid-speech and President Joe Biden’s “random” rambles at major press conferences have also made major headlines in the national and international press. These moments have called into question whether older leaders are mentally and physically fit to serve the best interests of the US government. 77% of Americans think that he is too old to hold the most powerful position in the entire country, if not in the world. The person who holds this power needs to meet the immense responsibilities that come with it, and for too many, Biden’s age means that he cannot.
The younger generation has seen a variety of political issues such as climate change, gun control, and student debt taking center stage, each with a notable impact on young people. These are issues that those in the government of the Baby Boomer and Silent Generations were lucky not to have to face. Earlier this year, in March, the Willow Project was approved by the Biden administration, a project that approved the drilling of an area that is believed to hold 600 million barrels of oil. Meanwhile, around 60% of young people (18-29) believe that climate change should be a priority even at the risk of a potential economic slowdown as a result. This attitude is not reflected in the actions of our leaders. With an issue as important and influential as climate change, today’s decisions will have major ramifications later. Many older leaders don’t understand this, partially because they are not the ones who will live with the consequences of their actions. Younger representatives, who will experience the consequences of the decisions they make today, can share the perspective of young people, but they are in large part missing from the government.
I believe that our government needs to be led by those who can be effective at leading and representing the public well. This is something that because of their old age, many of the most influential figures in our government just can’t do. It is our responsibility as people who live in a free democratic society to voice our concerns regarding their leadership. To get more younger representatives that could meet our needs, an age limit, to stop the considerable amount of power held by the oldest in our society, is required. This still leads to many questions that have to be answered, including what the age limit should be exactly, but at least for now, there can be a push for such action to be enacted.
Max Corbett is a Junior at NEST+m in NYC. He is the treasurer of his school's Model UN club, and a staff writer on the school newspaper. In his free time, Max enjoys cycling and listening to music.