March 16, 2024
By Kiara Rasmussen
Staff Writer
With a president who is 81 years old, there has never been more discussion on the topic of setting an age limit to serve in this important position. However, age should not force politicians to retire, as that is just ageism and discrimination.
The United States took steps to stop mandatory retirement in 1967 with the Age Discrimination Employment Act, which protects people 40 and older. It establishes that an age limit for holding a job is only allowed in rare circumstances when age is proven to be a “bona fide occupational qualification” reasonably necessary for the normal operation of the business.
People should focus more on biological age, which relates to mental agility, than chronological age, which is how old a person is. Misunderstanding these terms can further contribute to unfair age biases. While age sometimes prompts health problems, assessing one’s health is a better indicator of one’s ability to handle a rigorous job than imposing age limits.
Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, wrote in his 2010 book “Managing the Older Worker” that stereotypes against older adults are false.
A study by the American Association of Retired Persons concluded that, contrary to stereotypes, older workers score high in detail-oriented tasks, leadership, listening, organization, problem-solving and writing skills, which are all qualities leaders in government should have.
The study also found that 74% of workers between the ages of 45-74 said the opportunity to learn something new is fundamental to their vision of an ideal job, and 58% said job training is an essential element of that ideal job.
As the senior community grows, their political representation should too.
According to an article published in the Washington Post, the 65-and-older population will skyrocket in the 21st century. As the senior community grows, their political representation should too.
Currently, there are many older people occupying positions in the government, like 90-year-old Iowan Sen. Charles E. Grassley, 87-year-old California 31st District Rep. Grace Napolitano, 87-year-old New Jersey 9th District Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., and most importantly, 81-year-old President Joe Biden.
According to the Pew Research Center, as of January 2023, the median age for senators was 65.3, and the median age for members of the House of Representatives was 57.9.
Despite being one of the oldest Congresses in U.S. history, the government did relatively well handling the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges.
Regardless of age, qualified seniors are capable of executing their jobs proficiently.
Consequently, there is no reason to impose age limits on those holding elected office. Doing so would only harm the nation by curtailing the number of talented and experienced individuals eligible to serve in these important roles.
