Mitch McConnell has some kind of health problem on camera this week. In the middle of a press conference, he suddenly stopped speaking and froze in place. After a few minutes, he was walked off camera. He returned some time later and only addressed reporters equations with “I’m fine.”
Clearly, he was not fine. Something happened. We could all see it on camera.
He’s 81 years old. He’s had several reported falls in the last two years that resulted in at least one hospital stay. One reporter, herself a stroke survivor, said she had experienced a similar “freezing” when she had one of her mini strokes.
I have no idea what McConnell’s health problems are – but I do know he’s 81 years old and has stated he intends to serve out his full term in the Senate through 2025.
Diane Feinstein, a California Senator who is 90, has been in the Senate for decades. It’s reported that she’s suffering from dementia and cannot function in her job. She’s shuttled around in a wheelchair by her staff, who prompt her how to vote and shield her from reporters questions.
Joe Biden, the President, is 80 years old. He’s clearly suffering from age related physical and cognitive declines. He is running for a 2nd term in 2024.
Trump is 77. He’s the front runner for the Republican Party against Biden in 2024.
Chuck Grassley is 90 and refuses to leave the Senate after decades of serving there.
Nancy Pelosi is 83. She gave up her Speaker of the House position, but is still in Congress.
Scott Galloway often says that the average age of a US citizen is 39. while the average age of our congress people and senators is over 70. He thinks we should have mandatory retirement ages so that our representatives reflect the population and the people they are supposed to represent.
I agree with him.
It just will never happen.
People in power never let go voluntarily. There is no way that congress will create laws that would make them give up their power. Not gonna happen.
They also won’t do this for Supreme Court Justices, for the President or for other high power political positions.
Of course, for commoners, there are mandatory retirement laws. Pilots, air traffic control agents, military personal, police officers, firemen and many other positions have mandatory retirement ages because these organization recognize that eventually, age related deterioration makes it impossible to be effective in your role.
I am not the least bit worried about any of this.
Because the grim reaper will eventually come for all of us.
I will likely outlive everyone I listed earlier in this post.
No matter how strongly they clutch to their positions of power, eventually, time will pass them by. They will die. With few exceptions, none will be remembered past one or two generations except for a Wikipedia page.
And then, the same will happen to me (sans the Wikipedia page since I’m not famous).
And you.
And everyone.