Minimum age limits

Minimum age limits. They continue to be a very popular tool for the government to dictate at what time the citizens of this country and the various states can legally perform certain actions. There are minimum age limits for drinking, smoking, driving cars, having a job, joining the military, and even holding most elected offices. If these minimum age limits are so popular with the government, what I don’t understand is why hasn’t there been the creation and use of maximum age limits for the citizens of this country, too.

I say, what is good for the young is also good for the old.

One of the best examples of an age limit is when it comes to political office. In Alaska, the state constitution says the minimum age limit to run for the state senate is at least twenty-five. It doesn’t say why the age is twenty-five. It just says twenty-five. Well, what should the maximum age limit be for this office? Should there be a maximum limit, too? I think so. Also, the state constitution says a state representative should be at least twenty-one. It doesn’t say why that is the best minimum age for a state representative. It just says that is the age. Once again, the question needs asked…..shouldn’t there be a maximum age limit, too? I think there should be.

Personally, I find it very difficult, if not impossible, to vote for someone over the age of 70. My reason is simple. Just like people are considered too young to run, they should also be considered too old to run because they aren’t in touch with the majority of our younger population.

The maximum age limit really is an issue in Congress. Look at the United States Senate. As of February, one senator was over 90. Four senators were in their 80’s. 21 senators were in their 70’s. 33 were in their 60’s. Are they really in touch with young adults, at all? Maybe we need to ask their grandchildren or their great-grandchildren.

I know there are those who say that the elders in the country are the brightest in the country because of their life experiences. But, there eventually there comes a time in every person’s life when the mind isn’t what it once was, and the body isn’t able to handle some of the stresses associated with holding a public office. So, if there has to be a minimum age limit, there should also be a maximum one, too.

For everyone who thinks age means experience, here are some names to remember. Teddy Roosevelt was elected President at the age of 42. Thomas Jefferson was in his early 30’s when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. Martin Luther King, Junior was in his 30’s when he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Think About It.

3 Comments to “Minimum age limits”

Wolfe_Tone says:

March 2, 2010 at 10:56 am

As I read this commentary, I could almost feel brain cells dying.

Assuming they had any working gray matter to begin with, I submit that most readers killed innumerable brain cells wasting the couple minutes it took to read this inanity through to the end.

I’d be interested in Mr. Davis’ opinion on this, since he’ll be 69 years old on his birthday this month. Perhaps you should ban him from posting his opinion, as well (actually, having read some of his posts, you MAY have a point).

Mr. Nicks, in keeping with your suggestion that “old folks” shouldn’t be allowed to run for office, perhaps a other “maximum age” rules are in order:

I suggest that the “no old folks running” rule be expanded to “no old folks voting” as well.

Then it will be completely the decision of the “young ‘uns.”

By the way – for whom did you vote in the last presidential election?

I’m assuming it was Barack Obama… since Republican Senator McCain and Libertarian Candidate Bob Barr were both far too old for your liking.
joe says:

March 2, 2010 at 8:41 pm

i agree with the author. I am sick and tired of the people in congress that have been there all ” My Life”. I am not happy with their crap and they need to go. They have gotten rich and need to retire their old addled mind to the front porch, or other endeavors cause they sure can’t seem to run this country as it was originally meant to by via our constitution.
BC Kenai says:

March 8, 2010 at 9:56 pm

Hummm….Guess that ALL is in the eye of the beholder, as it were. It would seem that the writer thinks that only the young have the wisdom and maturity to do what is prudent, borne of the newness of their experience and conviction. Certainly, there are those of youth that DO have a wisdom beyond their years just as those of age that still have much to offer. Transversly, there are those who should never be in that position – only born of a political machine, personality, or just luck.

Let’s not throw the towel in yet for the older leaders. Political euthanasia is not the answer. I am, however, in favor of term limits for all Congress.