Staff Reports
Nikki Haley, the fierce and fearless conservative warrior, took the political world by storm when she announced her presidential campaign earlier this year. One of her eye-catching proposals was to institute term limits for Congress and mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over the age of 75. This not only served as a dig at the current dazed and confused president, Joe Biden, but also at his leading GOP challenger, who seems to be following in Biden’s stumble-prone footsteps.
Do We Need Age Limits for Our Political Leaders?
YES!! or at least a mental competency test yearly
https://t.co/h6Fo1Ddk2f— Miss M (@1Bunny4T) August 1, 2023
Let’s first take a look at Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s recent freeze-up. His staff tried to downplay the incident, claiming he felt light-headed. But let’s be honest, it looked more like he was fighting to stay upright at the podium. McConnell has had a string of health scares, including one that kept him away from his duties for weeks. While I can’t help but admire his tenacity, it’s essential to prioritize one’s well-being, especially when these incidents become more frequent. McConnell needs to take a step back and focus on his health.
On the other side of the aisle, we have California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who seems to operate on autopilot while her aides make decisions behind the scenes. Last week, we witnessed a painful moment as Feinstein appeared lost and confused during a routine task. Her team tried to pass it off as her being preoccupied, but it’s clear that age has caught up with her. This begs the question, should we reconsider Haley’s proposal? Perhaps it’s time to ensure our elected officials are mentally fit to serve.
I recently discussed this topic with Fox host David Asman, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis chimed in with a salient point. Biden has been in politics since before DeSantis was even born! The age gap is staggering, and it raises concerns about our leaders’ ability to make decisions that will shape our nation’s future. While Constitutional age minimums exist, age limits are a different story. Implementing these changes would require amending the Constitution, and we all know how daunting that can be in our current political climate.
Not only that, but arbitrary age limits could force brilliant minds like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas into early retirement. How would conservatives feel if a Democrat president were in power, and a sharp legal mind like Thomas was forced out purely due to his age? These are complex questions that need serious consideration. Likewise, implementing mental competency tests raises other challenges. How would they be regulated and evaluated? These are not easy solutions.
Ultimately, we must remember that the power to judge candidates’ fitness and ability to serve should lie with the voters. They have the right to decide who they believe is mentally capable and physically fit to represent their interests. But I won’t hesitate to say that it’s concerning when we see prominent politicians struggling and stumbling, raising doubts about their capacity to lead. Our elected officials should be held to high standards, and it’s essential to have open conversations about how to ensure their competence while respecting our democratic processes.
