Age Limits

By Ellen Anderson

2024: The presidential election between the dementia patient and the narcissist. With the 2024 presidential election coming up this November and the two top candidates tying for the oldest reigning president in US History, there are some age debates occurring in the political world. The main one being; Should there be a maximum age limit for people running for federal office? There is arguing between both political sides, with neither leaning towards one specific opinion. But the bottom line is, there needs to be a maximum age limit for people running for president or federal office. 

The median age for a US president to be at their first inauguration is fifty-five. This is the prime age, and what most people believe most presidents should be when they enter office. However in the past almost century, most incoming presidents were above that age when they came into office. 

Approximately 82% of Republicans and 76% of Democrats believe a maximum age limit for elected officials is needed. Overall, half of Americans of any political stance believe that an elected official's best age for inauguration is somewhere in their fifties. The next two highest percentages are the 24% of people who believe the best age is someone in their 60s, and the 17% of people who believe that the best age for a president is in their 40s. Both parties do not have very different views on prime age for elected officials. This is a strong point because in this day and age, most topics of politics are highly controversial and both sides have very strong separate opinions.
The biggest problem that was brought up in an article that supported age limits in elected officials, was talking about some of the candidates' health according to their age. The first issue brought up is memory. As age increases, the ability to hold memory and capacity to problem solve using new learned techniques diminishes. This has been a problem pointed out by many regarding the current president, Joe Biden. He has been accused of having dementia and many people in both parties are worried about this becoming a serious security issue. There are also major worries about the officials, specifically the presidents, dying during their term, causing issues of transferring power. There are multiple elected officials, who have grown too old for office, and have either died or had serious health issues or scares. 

The people arguing against this new proposed law are either very old American citizens or older federally elected officials that do not want their spot in a certain place to be jeopardized and taken away from them. They argue that the founding fathers did not put a maximum age limit in the constitution, so why would we need one now. First of all, the constitution is almost 250 years old and much has changed since it was first written. This includes a major increase in life expectancy. The founding fathers did not need to make a maximum age limit in office because there was little to no chance of someone making it to the age of those candidates that are running for office currently. 

One compromise and solution to this debate, still favoring a maximum age limit, would be to make a maximum age limit bill and have a start to be set into motion for the next presidential and congressional election. This will make it more likely to pass and not affect Americans who are diehard Trump or Biden supporters. Trump and Biden will no longer be able to run for presidency after this term anyways, and whoever does not win will be prevented from running again due to the age limit. This is a win for whoever wins and will help the bill to be more likely passed. 

Keeping the constitutional law the same, even when circumstances are pushing said laws to limits, is immature and not a smart move by our country. We need to ensure the safety of our country and citizens. We need to make sure that we have a president and other elected officials who are cognizant and of the right mind. A maximum age is necessary, and we need to adjust and change the laws to fit according to our rapidly changing and growing country.