Absolutely, the advantage of having a president that is not an insane psychopath should be pretty clear, dementia or not.
But unfortunately it wasn't to about half the American population! 🤥
Because, as John Fetterman and Bernie Sanders demonstrate, you can be 56, brain-damaged and mentally incompetent, just as you can be 84 and a have a brain that's sharp as a tack.
I think public officials should be required to pass a mental acuity test - and possibly a physical too, so they don't disappear in a hospital for months instead of doing their job because their bodies are decrepit - like airline pilots, truck drivers or crane operators. You have to be fit for the job, and that should apply to politicians also.
And just to be sure it's fair, the tests should be public.
You could also say that with a life expectancy around 78 in USA, it is wrong to have an average age among law makers of 66 years old.
The future should be decided by those that expect to live and work and have children in it. Not those that can retire tomorrow if they want.
Should the public be required to pass a test to vote too?
The reason we don't do that is because tests are famously easily rigged or biased. I've made exams before, I know when I'm asking a question not meant to be answered correctly. An age line is consistent. We have minimum age requirements for everything, a maximum age limit is a reasonable thing. Use social security's retirement age to set the bar. If you will be over 72½ by the time your term ends, no election for you. That's means a 70yo can run for office in the house, 68 for executive, 66 for senate, and 54 for the scotus (this imaginary world also has 18 year term limits for the justices on an every other year appointment cycle)
I also believe in a 4-3-2-1 term limit system, 4 terms in the house, 3 in the senate, 2 in the executive, and 1 in the judicial. That would max out anyone at the federal level at 52 years (if you got elected into the house right at 20½), which is more than enough time for a career and to subsequently fuck right off into obscurity.
Should the public be required to pass a test to vote too?
My opinion is that nobody should be allowed to vote without proving they have a passing knowledge of how civil institutions work. But apparently denying total ignoramuses and people who cast ballots at random the right to vote isn't democratic, so this is not a popular opinion.
That would make a lot of sense IMO.
I know there are people who are fit at a higher age than that, like Bernie Sanders.
But on average I think it's detrimental to society to have an average age among law makers that is 66 years old (Senate). AVERAGE!
I'm not so far from that myself, and I'm fit as a fiddle. But I can still see how it is detrimental to progress to have politics dominated by people who are OLDER than me!
I have no idea what young people are doing nowadays, apart from being wrong on the internet of course? 😋
But I hope they value environment healthcare and a living wage more than those 66 year olds do.
Will it make a difference? IDK, but it doesn't seem logical to have policies deciding the future to be set by people who are in the last part of their life. The future should be decided by those that actually have one, instead of those that could/should go on retirement tomorrow.
To put it in more practical terms. policies that decide the future should be decided by those who expect to live, work and have children in it.
But this just proves It was moronic by Biden to want to run for a second term. Almost as moronic as people voting for Trump.
Biden broke his promise to not run again, and by doing so he ruined the democratic process in the Democratic party, forcing Harris to become the candidate without a proper campaign.
And the democratic values in the Democratic party were already questioned by many.
If the Democratic party would pull themselves together and actually live up to their name, that would be wonderful.
History will show that Biden's decision to run again, along with RBG's decision to not retire while she could be replaced with someone with a similar ideology, were the two key inflection points that enabled this second Trump administration to happen. You could even argue that RBG's situation was worse, because the implications of that choice will last far longer.
The old guard needs to get out of thr way and let the younger generation ru the country.
100% agree, and absolutely a travesty that David Hogg was thrown out as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee for trying to push exactly that agenda.
Democrats aren't learning, politicians are supposed to be ideological leaders, but in the democratic party they are more holding back.
IDK if you are joking or not, but there are clearly often younger candidates, but the ones that get the funding from the DNC are ALWAYS the old candidates. Which was what David Hogg wanted to change.
Exactly, they don't want to improve things, they want to hold on to what power they have, even if it means being the opposition to Republicans really having the power.
Also the younger generation needs to step up and run for office. The disillusionment with politics runs deep, but just staying out of it isn't an option.
You may be right, and it's horrible if you are, but I don't think so, if Biden had endorsed her she would probably have won, and the Democrats would have been in a way better position.
I’m not sure where this idea that Biden “promised” not to run again came from.
He never once said that. The only thing that comes from is his staffers had a private understanding that he wouldn’t run. He never once promised the public that he wouldn’t.
I Hope he survives long enough to see Trump out of office, if only so his family don’t have to listen to Trump spit on his memory in the form of a eulogy.
I hope he suffers just as much as the billions of dollars he sent to Israel for the Gaza genocide made the men, women, and children of Gaza suffer. I hope he's still mentally present enought to understand his suffering and what it does to those he loves. I hope it lasts.
Oh poor genocide joe boohoohoo. I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feewings. He deserves so much worse than this. Look, if you would react the same way to me saying "I'm glad Hitler's dead", then fair game, more power to you. Otherwise, you're being a fucking hypocrite. If you commit a genocide, you can go fuck yourself, and you deserve everything that's coming to you, and more.
29 Comments
ExtremeDullard@piefed.social · 54 pts · 3d
And then he went on to start a war with the Islamic Republic of Japan...
I'd take cancer-Joe over dementia-Don any day.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 3d
Absolutely, the advantage of having a president that is not an insane psychopath should be pretty clear, dementia or not.
But unfortunately it wasn't to about half the American population! 🤥
Nomad@infosec.pub · 6 pts · 3d
Why not just introduce a maximum age for elected officials? Let's make it 65 years and be rid of the geriatracy.
ExtremeDullard@piefed.social · 13 pts · 3d
Because, as John Fetterman and Bernie Sanders demonstrate, you can be 56, brain-damaged and mentally incompetent, just as you can be 84 and a have a brain that's sharp as a tack.
I think public officials should be required to pass a mental acuity test - and possibly a physical too, so they don't disappear in a hospital for months instead of doing their job because their bodies are decrepit - like airline pilots, truck drivers or crane operators. You have to be fit for the job, and that should apply to politicians also.
And just to be sure it's fair, the tests should be public.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 3d
You could also say that with a life expectancy around 78 in USA, it is wrong to have an average age among law makers of 66 years old.
The future should be decided by those that expect to live and work and have children in it. Not those that can retire tomorrow if they want.
Pistachio@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 3d
Should the public be required to pass a test to vote too?
The reason we don't do that is because tests are famously easily rigged or biased. I've made exams before, I know when I'm asking a question not meant to be answered correctly. An age line is consistent. We have minimum age requirements for everything, a maximum age limit is a reasonable thing. Use social security's retirement age to set the bar. If you will be over 72½ by the time your term ends, no election for you. That's means a 70yo can run for office in the house, 68 for executive, 66 for senate, and 54 for the scotus (this imaginary world also has 18 year term limits for the justices on an every other year appointment cycle)
I also believe in a 4-3-2-1 term limit system, 4 terms in the house, 3 in the senate, 2 in the executive, and 1 in the judicial. That would max out anyone at the federal level at 52 years (if you got elected into the house right at 20½), which is more than enough time for a career and to subsequently fuck right off into obscurity.
ExtremeDullard@piefed.social · -5 pts · 3d
My opinion is that nobody should be allowed to vote without proving they have a passing knowledge of how civil institutions work. But apparently denying total ignoramuses and people who cast ballots at random the right to vote isn't democratic, so this is not a popular opinion.
Pistachio@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 3d
Its also been done before with pretty lopsided results. I hope you look further into the history of that one there bud.
ExtremeDullard@piefed.social · -1 pts · 3d
Because what we get with what we're doing now is better?
Pistachio@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 3d
Uh, yeah. That question tells me you don't know the history of your own country.
My friend, you have just as much access to the internet as I, don't waste it on edgelord/jabroni takes on how society "should" be run.
Nomad@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 3d
That i can agree with.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3d
That would make a lot of sense IMO.
I know there are people who are fit at a higher age than that, like Bernie Sanders.
But on average I think it's detrimental to society to have an average age among law makers that is 66 years old (Senate). AVERAGE!
I'm not so far from that myself, and I'm fit as a fiddle. But I can still see how it is detrimental to progress to have politics dominated by people who are OLDER than me!
I have no idea what young people are doing nowadays, apart from being wrong on the internet of course? 😋
But I hope they value environment healthcare and a living wage more than those 66 year olds do.
Will it make a difference? IDK, but it doesn't seem logical to have policies deciding the future to be set by people who are in the last part of their life. The future should be decided by those that actually have one, instead of those that could/should go on retirement tomorrow.
To put it in more practical terms. policies that decide the future should be decided by those who expect to live, work and have children in it.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 51 pts · 3d
Sad to hear Biden is in pain, I wish him well.
But this just proves It was moronic by Biden to want to run for a second term. Almost as moronic as people voting for Trump.
Biden broke his promise to not run again, and by doing so he ruined the democratic process in the Democratic party, forcing Harris to become the candidate without a proper campaign.
And the democratic values in the Democratic party were already questioned by many.
If the Democratic party would pull themselves together and actually live up to their name, that would be wonderful.
dhork@lemmy.world · 45 pts · 3d
History will show that Biden's decision to run again, along with RBG's decision to not retire while she could be replaced with someone with a similar ideology, were the two key inflection points that enabled this second Trump administration to happen. You could even argue that RBG's situation was worse, because the implications of that choice will last far longer.
The old guard needs to get out of thr way and let the younger generation ru the country.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 36 pts · 3d
100% agree, and absolutely a travesty that David Hogg was thrown out as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee for trying to push exactly that agenda.
Democrats aren't learning, politicians are supposed to be ideological leaders, but in the democratic party they are more holding back.
Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2d
Clearly it's young people's fault for not running.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2d
IDK if you are joking or not, but there are clearly often younger candidates, but the ones that get the funding from the DNC are ALWAYS the old candidates. Which was what David Hogg wanted to change.
Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2d
Which is why the genocide wing that runs the party kicked him out.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2d
Exactly, they don't want to improve things, they want to hold on to what power they have, even if it means being the opposition to Republicans really having the power.
wewbull@feddit.uk · 2 pts · 2d
Also the younger generation needs to step up and run for office. The disillusionment with politics runs deep, but just staying out of it isn't an option.
moustachio@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2d
Biden pretending to want to run a second term was the plan all along to usher Harris (the donor favorite since like 2019) to be the candidate.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2d
You may be right, and it's horrible if you are, but I don't think so, if Biden had endorsed her she would probably have won, and the Democrats would have been in a way better position.
Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 2d
I’m not sure where this idea that Biden “promised” not to run again came from.
He never once said that. The only thing that comes from is his staffers had a private understanding that he wouldn’t run. He never once promised the public that he wouldn’t.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2d
If his staffers have given that impression, and Biden doesn't correct it, it's the same thing.
manualoverride@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 3d
I Hope he survives long enough to see Trump out of office, if only so his family don’t have to listen to Trump spit on his memory in the form of a eulogy.
wpb@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3d
I hope he suffers just as much as the billions of dollars he sent to Israel for the Gaza genocide made the men, women, and children of Gaza suffer. I hope he's still mentally present enought to understand his suffering and what it does to those he loves. I hope it lasts.
corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 2d
It's neat to wish pain and suffering on people. I hope you feel awesome about that.
wpb@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1d
Oh poor genocide joe boohoohoo. I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feewings. He deserves so much worse than this. Look, if you would react the same way to me saying "I'm glad Hitler's dead", then fair game, more power to you. Otherwise, you're being a fucking hypocrite. If you commit a genocide, you can go fuck yourself, and you deserve everything that's coming to you, and more.
Wakmrow@lemmy.world · -2 pts · 2d
Evil mother fuckers in America never face justice.