We don’t just need to drain the swamp — we need to put age limits on politicians

Forget about draining the swamp.

It’s clear we have a more pressing matter in Washington, DC: We really need to fill the retirement homes.

Perhaps we should construct a pipeline that transports swamp dwellers of a certain age right to the pickleball court or golf course or hot tub, whatever Boomers get up to these days. I don’t judge.

While Attractive to Many, Age Limits for Politicians Are a Bad Idea

Recently declared presidential candidate Nikki Haley last month called for cognitive mental tests for political candidates over the age of 75. President Joe Biden is already the first octogenarian president at 80 years old and would be 82 if he were to be sworn in for a second term. Former President Donald Trump is not far behind at 76. Haley, who is 51, knows that the possibility of such a requirement is remote, but she clearly wants to bring attention to an issue that many Americans already recognize – that many of the nation’s leaders are well past retirement age.

The US doesn’t need age limits – it needs term limits

A perennial debate in American politics has been stirred up again: are our leaders in Washington too old, and if so, what should be done about it? The question has gained new significance as Joe Biden, already the oldest president in United States history at 80 years old, has officially launched his re-election campaign. At the moment, he is most likely headed for a rematch against Donald Trump, who turned 77 earlier this month.

Feinstein’s health has Newsom in a political trap of his own making

Whither Dianne Feinstein?

Feinstein, a fixture of California politics for more than a half-century and a U.S. senator for three decades, recently returned to the Capitol after a weeks-long battle with shingles, a very debilitating disease.

One might have thought that her return, after much carping from those on the Democratic Party’s left wing about her absence, would quiet those who wanted her to resign.

I fear Dianne Feinstein’s resignation from the Senate more than her staying put

Dianne Feinstein has become a painfully sad spectacle, being wheeled through the Capitol as she so visibly struggles to perform the basic duties of a United States senator. She has joined the ranks of formidable leaders who stayed in office too long. Yet at this point, I fear her resignation more than I fear her remaining in office. Since Feinstein effectively became the decisive vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee after the 2020 election, the window for her to resign without potential consequences to the judicial system was closed.

Dianne Feinstein literally forgot her three-month vacation from the Capitol

Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) breathtakingly selfish refusal to step down from her Senate seat may be benefiting Republicans, who get to watch President Joe Biden's judicial confirmations stagnate as they wait for the California Democrat to show up to work. But there's little question that the hubris of Feinstein, who turns 90 next month, sets a precedent that is bad for the republic as a whole.

Feinstein will retire rather than run again in 2024

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whose extraordinary career in California politics spans more than 50 years, announced Tuesday that she won’t seek reelection. 

“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein said in a statement.

The news wasn’t surprising: Feinstein, who at 89 is the oldest member of the Senate, raised just $559 in the final quarter of 2022 and had $9,969 in her campaign account on Dec. 31. 

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