I'm tired of superannuated senators

[cali]

No, I don't think that there should be any mechanism that requires a U.S. Senator to retire at a given age, but I think these folks should have the good grace to step down at say, age 80 or so. I find it truly selfish of them to cling to power.

I have sympathy for Senator Lautenburg with his diagnosis of cancer. I find it irresponsible of him to plan to run again when he's 86 and seriously ill. And he's just one of several. The U.S. Senate is too old. It's not representative and these guys serve for too long in the insular club that's the Senate.

[Captain Hilts]

1. I agree. The Vatican doesn't permit cardinals above a certain age to vote on the next pope.

They're onto something.

[Raven]

2. I know some 80 year olds that can run circles around me (actually,

not that difficult) but I agree, Cali. There should be some sort of a manditory retirement age for these folks.

[LARED]

3. We have no one to blame but ourselves nt

[Clovis Sangrail]

4. there's a minimum age limit ... why not a maximum ? /nt

[elleng]

5. Let the voters decide.

[cali]

6. sure. that doesn't change

my opinion that these ancient guys are insular and disgustingly selfish. I like an admire my senior senator who is just 70 and has served 6 full terms and is running for a seventh. I'll support him this year but if he runs again in 2016 after 42 years in the Senate, I'll be working my ass off AGAINST Senator Patrick Leahy.

[Mz Pip]

13. Exactly

The voters are in charge. If they choose to re-elect Lautenberg or Byrd or whoever else is getting up there in years, so be it. Good grief Strom Thurmond served until he was nearly 100, or maybe he actually was 100. If that's what the voters of the state want, that that's what they should get.

[LiberalFighter]

14. The problem is that the voters only get to decide based on the ballot.

And the ballot is decided by those in power. Sure others can have their name placed on the ballot but the apparatus of the party goes into action to convince these other candidates not to run in the primary.

[karynnj]

16. Not completely true

Senator Lautenberg had a primary challenger, who actually was an establishment designated superstar. Had Lautenberg not opted to win, he would have been the candidate favored by most of the political establishment. His campaign did not give me (and presumably others) any good reasons to vote for him - except for his view that Lautenberg was too old. In addition, Andrews seemed to be a centrist Democrat rather than the liberal Lautenberg is.

Had someone run a NOT nasty primary campaign and presented a vision that appealed to the voters, Lautenberg could have lost. That is not what Andrews, IMO, did.

[elleng]

17. Thats true, but there are ways to let those who shouldn't run know.

Not easy, but doable. We the People have to learn to use our power.

[vaberella]

7. Agist much...Gotta love your post...for the annoying LULZ if nothing at all.

As for Senator Lautenberg, if he's in his right mind, I see nothing wrong and if his condition can be treated without it affecting his job.

[cali]

8. perhaps it is ageist, but I'm not advocating forced retirement

and I can only assume that you vehemently stand against the age requirements for the Senate and the Presidency.

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. Why would anyone want to work until the day they die?

I don't get it.

Why wouldn't a person want to enjoy a little (or a lot) of time with family or friends after so many decades of working?

I couldn't wait to retire and enjoy what years I have left on this earth.

[Go2Peace]

10. Maybe because these are mostly Rich people who want to continue to enrich themselves?

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Maybe so. But enjoying life is priceless.

I can't begin to tell you how many people I worked over with over the years and never lived to enjoy one damn day of retirement.

Life is too short without enjoying some of it.

[Clovis Sangrail]

12. some people genuinely *enjoy* working at their profession /nt

[Dappleganger]

15. In complete agreement.

[DavidDvorkin]

18. I'm tired of ageism.