Fandango’s Provocative Question #211

Do you believe that Joe Biden, at 82 shortly after Election Day 2024, is too old to seek that office. What about Donald Trump at 77? Most important, do you think there should be a maximum age set for an individual to run for President of the United States?

Last night, Garry and I watched a movie called “Eighty for Brady. ” It’s on Paramount+ starring Sally Field (76), Rita Moreno (91), Jane Fonda (85) and Lily Tomlin (83). It was great watching a movie where all the stars were my age or older. Even older than Garry. They were lively and funny. Not at all the stereotypical “old people.” My son recommended the movie because he found it funny and thought we’d like it too.

We did. It was encouraging, especially because it was based on a true story. Old doesn’t mean brain dead or addled. It means forgetting stuff like the names of things. Senior moments. That’s a far cry from dementia. The movie reminded me of what a big difference there is between a demented brain and a smart (but mature) brain.

Is Biden “too old” to run again for president?

As far as “too old to run”? If Biden feels strong and healthy enough to run, all honor to him. We’ve lost plenty of younger men in office through illness and violence. Age is not the major discriminator.

Shouldn’t the Democrats be putting up younger candidates?

Younger nominees? How about finding some? I think we should have younger people involved in this level of political leadership, but where are they? I would have thought by now that younger generations would have grabbed the reins and be ready to rise up and create policy.

There are plenty of women who would jump in — except this is such a misogynist country, we might never elect a woman. We have made gay people, transexuals and woman, who represent more than half the population, unelectable. What is wrong with us? Why are we searching for a way back to the worst days of the medieval era?

Younger people aren’t interested. Oh, I’m sure there are a few here and there, but not many and not prominent. Most young people don’t want the involvement and lack dedication. They aren’t willing to run for minor offices to begin to climb the long ladder. They are afraid to lose their privacy, afraid to have their sexuality blazing on Twitter. A lot of them don’t vote. Won’t vote. They complain constantly and are very eager to blame everything they think is wrong on my generation. That’s easier than taking the responsibility for improving things. Complaining seems to be where their involvement begins and ends.

As Garry said in a previous post:

We talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.

As a nation, we are going backwards in a hurry. “Freedom” is a great cocktail conversation among progressives, but not much happens when the party’s over. It’s painfully obvious how badly we’ve failed. Whatever moral compass this country had, it has been run over and is by now dead and buried.

Eight presidents have died in office. Four from natural causes — William Henry Harrison (pneumonia), Zachary Taylor (cholera), Warren G. Harding died of cardiovascular something or other or food poisoning (according to the doctors of his day) though my mother was sure he was poisoned by his own staff. Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially died from a cerebral hemorrhage that was probably overwork, exhaustion and residual polio.

Four presidents died by assassination — Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy. Please note that McKinley died of complications caused by having an incompetent doctor. With a better one, he would have lived.

Wilson had a stroke in office. He was unable to continue, so his wife ran the country. We now have laws to prevent this but somehow, Reagan managed to get around the law. Nancy Reagan ran the country when his Alzheimer’s overtook him.

No one got too old though quite a few were hopelessly inept or bunglers — and one was a mass murderer.

Biden’s done a good job, better than I thought anyone could. Within the limits of his power, he has reversed some of the worst abuses introduced by his predecessor. Not enough, but that’s a different discussion. I think four more years of Biden would be good for the country. If we had younger candidates who had any chance of being elected, I’m sure they would be running. I’m not seeing those people.

As long as the younger gens refuse to grab hold of the reins and take the ride, my aging “boomer” generation remains in charge. Otherwise, no one would be in charge. The failure of younger gens to meet modern challenges is, to me, baffling and frightening.

We are old. It isn’t just numbers. Nothing will make us younger. We are as smart as we ever were and have been tempered by living long enough to see how patience and determination can work well. We’ve learned by living. We won’t live forever.

Younger people need to jump in and be involved. Seriously involved. If that doesn’t happen, what will become of this nation when all the elders are gone?

Categories: #FPQ, Anecdote, Election, Getting old, politicians, Politics, POTUS, Provocative Questions, questions, Voting

Tags: #FPQ, candidates, Elections, getting old, Marilyn Armstrong, Voting