The next US president will be either 82 or 78 years old on inauguration day, barring a significant change in the political winds. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who twice froze in front of cameras and was unable to speak for several agonizing moments, is 81. His Democratic counterpart, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, is a relative spring chicken at 72. Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away last month at age 90, after months of frequent absences from the chamber.
Are these politicians more experienced and sage? or older and less mentally capable? Are they mentally capable of holding such critical positions? Do they lack the necessary modernity to govern well? Does even implying that they can’t manage the jobs is ageist?
In light of the value of experience and wisdom that one would hope comes with age, experts in the diverse domains of human cognition, neuroscience, psychology, and ethics believe that it is irrational and unfair to presume that everyone in their 70s or older is less capable of serving as a leader. However, the likelihood of cognitive impairment does increase significantly after age 65, and an increasing number of scientists and even some politicians are pushing for, at the very least, cognitive testing for elected federal officials and other high-ranking individuals.
Toss them all out
Let’s hear from We the People before we go into the research on the aging brain and the mysteries of cognitive decline.
According to a Pew Research Center survey issued on October 4, around three-quarters of US adults are in favor of setting an upper age restriction for Supreme Court judges and elected officials in Washington, DC. Only 3% of respondents believe that a president should be at least 70 years old. The viewpoint is unfailingly unpartisan.
