Do we want younger Politicians?

[Luvnit2]

A 21-year-old college student just beat a 20-year Republican incumbent in North Carolina for state representative.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/college-junior-wins-gop-primary-10-term-incumbent-nc-state-lawmaker-lot-hard-work

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

Personally, I don't want anyone younger than 30 in government. There are certainly exceptions, but most twenty-year-olds don't know what they don't know. If you can't make Major then I don't want you making major decisions (no pun).

[Belsnickel]

(03-07-2024, 09:05 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Personally, I don't want anyone younger than 30 in government. There are certainly exceptions, but most twenty-year-olds don't know what they don't know. If you can't make Major then I don't want you making major decisions (no pun).

I tend to agree. It is why I am actually in favor of an amendment to increase the minimum ages for federal office by at least five years for each one.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-07-2024, 09:08 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I tend to agree. It is why I am actually in favor of an amendment to increase the minimum ages for federal office by at least five years for each one.

I'm ok with a 35 year old POTUS, but would certainly prefer one in their 40-50's.  The interesting thing is this would be a relatively easy change to push through.  The GOP would be all for it, and the Dems wouldn't be able to gainsay it without stepping all over their arguments about young adults needing to be given more leeway due to your brain not being fully matured until 24-25.

[Belsnickel]

(03-07-2024, 09:11 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I'm ok with a 35 year old POTUS, but would certainly prefer one in their 40-50's.  The interesting thing is this would be a relatively easy change to push through.  The GOP would be all for it, and the Dems wouldn't be able to gainsay it without stepping all over their arguments about young adults needing to be given more leeway due to your brain not being fully matured until 24-25.

The way I see it, at the time the Constitution was written a 25-35 year old had a lot more life experience than a 25-35 year old in today's society. It's why I am in favor of upping the minimums.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-07-2024, 09:53 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: The way I see it, at the time the Constitution was written a 25-35 year old had a lot more life experience than a 25-35 year old in today's society. It's why I am in favor of upping the minimums.

I completely agree with the logic.  I've said it to many young people I've been asked to counsel, an 18 year old coming back from WW2 was a man, an 18 year old now is a large boy.  It's not their fault, we just don't prepare children for adulthood at all any longer.

[*Nately120*]

(03-07-2024, 09:11 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I'm ok with a 35 year old POTUS, but would certainly prefer one in their 40-50's.  The interesting thing is this would be a relatively easy change to push through.  The GOP would be all for it, and the Dems wouldn't be able to gainsay it without stepping all over their arguments about young adults needing to be given more leeway due to your brain not being fully matured until 24-25.

We are a country that markets kid-sized firearms, I think there is bi-partisan support for ignoring brain development for various reasons.  As I've said before, I think any human being who has reached our vaunted age of 18 should be allowed to run for office or be president and it's up to the voters (median US citizen age is currently 39 years of age) to use their supposedly developed brain to decide if the candidates are right for the job.

I'm not saying an amount of wisdom doesn't come with age, but thinking you are wise simply because you aged is very unwise.

It's all a moot point anyways as far as president goes.  Depending on how much you count Biden and Trump's hair plugs, we only elect "Christian" men who are reasonably tall (as in taller than the average man) and have most if not all of their hair.  Let's see, if google says the average American man today is 5'9 we haven't elected a man shorter than that since 1897 with William McKinley who was 5'7 which may have been average way back then.  I'm 5'10 or so and my great grandfather who was born around that time was like 5'3.

Add in that in our entire history as a country we've never elected a man under the age of 43 to be president and we're currently looking at a 2024 election where either choice will be the oldest president ever and the debate as to whether we should raise the age of the president to 40 is moot even by the standards of internet discussion.

[*pally*]

(03-07-2024, 09:11 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I'm ok with a 35 year old POTUS, but would certainly prefer one in their 40-50's.  The interesting thing is this would be a relatively easy change to push through.  The GOP would be all for it, and the Dems wouldn't be able to gainsay it without stepping all over their arguments about young adults needing to be given more leeway due to your brain not being fully matured until 24-25.

no way would that ever get through the Congress and also pass 3/4 of the states

[Mike M (the other one)]

(03-07-2024, 09:05 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Personally, I don't want anyone younger than 30 in government.  There are certainly exceptions, but most twenty-year-olds don't know what they don't know.  If you can't make Major then I don't want you making major decisions (no pun).

Is that in Dog years?

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-07-2024, 11:50 PM)pally Wrote: no way would that ever get through the Congress and also pass 3/4 of the states

Why?  Do you have that little faith in the Dems having a consistent position on brain development?

(03-08-2024, 08:20 AM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Is that in Dog years?

No.

[GMDino]

(03-07-2024, 09:11 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I'm ok with a 35 year old POTUS, but would certainly prefer one in their 40-50's.  The interesting thing is this would be a relatively easy change to push through.  The GOP would be all for it, and the Dems wouldn't be able to gainsay it without stepping all over their arguments about young adults needing to be given more leeway due to your brain not being fully matured until 24-25.

(03-08-2024, 12:22 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Why?  Do you have that little faith in the Dems having a consistent position on brain development?


No.

Interesting that you assume the gop would be "all for it" and "Dems" would oppose considering the gop believes 12 year olds are developed enough to have a baby.

Anyway currently you have to be 25 to be in the House anyway.  30 for the Senate.

A quick check (it probably changed since Feinstein is still listed) says the average age of the House is just over 57 and the Senate just over 64.

The youngest is a 26 year old Democratic representative from Florida.

The oldest is Grassley who is 90.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-08-2024, 12:35 PM)GMDino Wrote: Interesting that you assume the gop would be "all for it" and "Dems" would oppose considering the gop believes 12 year olds are developed enough to have a baby.

Interesting in the sense that it's based on pure logic?  Younger people tend to heavily favor the Dems.  Making it impossible for them to hold federal office would be a huge win for the GOP.  You're right though, it is interesting that the people whose brains aren't fully developed tend to vote Dem.

[Arturo Bandini]

Older ones would be hard to find.

[GMDino]

(03-08-2024, 12:40 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Interesting in the sense that it's based on pure logic?  Younger people tend to heavily favor the Dems.  Making it impossible for them to hold federal office would be a huge win for the GOP.  You're right though, it is interesting that the people whose brains aren't fully developed tend to vote Dem.

Wouldn't younger people still vote for Democrats like they already are though?

Just because the candidate isn't 21 they "heavily favor" Democrats so why would that change?

Especially when they have to be 25 and 35 respectively now anyway.

[CKwi88]

I'm more in favor of amending policy based on objective criteria rather than a subjective "I don't think an x-year-old is old enough" mentality.

Leave it as it is, let the voters sort it out.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-08-2024, 12:53 PM)GMDino Wrote: Wouldn't younger people still vote for Democrats like they already are though?

Yes.

Quote:Just because the candidate isn't 21 they "heavily favor" Democrats so why would that change?

Especially when they have to be 25 and 35 respectively now anyway.

It won't change, they'll just be less of them.  Voter enthusiasm is going to be higher when voting for someone closer to their own age.  It's a lot easier to be excited about putting someone close to you own age in office, a bit of vicarious living, than it is someone over ten years older than you.

[Luvnit2]

I am torn on if an age requirement should be used at the state level to hold office. I have met intelligent, well rounded mature 18-year-olds, I have also been around 25-year-olds with no maturity.

I guess the question becomes if no requirement for older age, then other than being an adult why they should be stopped from running. Isn't that what a free election is about. If a 21-year-old can convince voters to vote for him over his competition Starting with a handicap of young age), the voters decided and the voters live with the consequences.

[*Nately120*]

(03-08-2024, 12:22 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Why?  Do you have that little faith in the Dems having a consistent position on brain development?

This country is built upon 18 year olds and their less developed brains being thrown into the militaristic, capitalistic, or sexual meat grinders with legal and moral impunity.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-08-2024, 03:01 PM)Nately120 Wrote: This country is built upon 18 year olds and their less developed brains being thrown into the militaristic, capitalistic, or sexual meat grinders with legal and moral impunity.

Jerry Nadler agrees.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5017928/user-clip-rep-nadler-rejects-raising-draft-age#:~:text=in%20a%20war.-,Rep%20Nadler%20(D%2DNY)%20rejects%20the%20idea%20of%20raising,to%20die%20in%20a%20war.&text=Louie%20Gohmert%20Jr.,-Sheila%20Jackson%20Lee&text=Hank%20Johnson%20Jr.,-Mike%20Johnson

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(03-07-2024, 09:08 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I tend to agree. It is why I am actually in favor of an amendment to increase the minimum ages for federal office by at least five years for each one.

And a maximum, please. Maybe tie it to the country's life expectancy at the time of the latest census and if they need to be below that age by the time the term would finish.