Why is our government so damned old?

Maybe they've got better things to do and aren't interested in running for office. I never wanted to do that when I was their age, it didn't look like any fun.

The USA is fucked

Finland’s prime minister is 34!

R3, an outlier. And a woman at that!

Yang would have killed it. What a shame!

Because Baby Boomers can't exit the stage gracefully.

Most of the young ones may be more technologically savvy than the old guys, but a huge part of the job is getting the job done by hiring the right people, and cajoling Congress to go along with the President's agenda. Most of the young ones simply don't have that kind of savvy. That only comes with age and experience. Federal Government is first and foremost an "old boy" club. Male or female, if you can't fit in with the old boys you'll have a hard time of it.

R3 Fuck, she's hot

Younger people rarely vote and are shockingly ignorant as to how government works. or how we operate as a society.

All they know how to do is whine about old people.

I believe brain dead Rethug Tom Cotton is the youngest Senator. So much for youth.

The USA political system is geared towards old timers. Plus, old people vote. Young people are less inclined to do so. if every person who attended a BLM march or protest would vote we could change this country. That is how sanders lost. He spoke to the younger generation but none of them came out to vote. Mayor Pete had momentum but once the old folks figured out he was gay they dropped him.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

R6 exactly Baby Boomers are greedy fucks.

Agreed, OP.

On the Democrats' side, there's an annoying tendency to reward dynasties and "people whose time it is" as if the best candidate is best decided by who is holding a paper ticket with the next number called to buy a marble rye at a bakery counter. Democrats has a massive talent for picking the right candidate 15, 20, or 30 years too late and too old.

All women!

R14 We’ll see how they do...

R14 But DL hates women

It’s FINLAND R3.

Yeah boomers work well beyond their prime years...that is just American culture. hopefully the next generation will wise up.

R16, everyone hates women, even women

R17, what are you on about, he/she spelled it right

America is dominated by a large age cohort called the Boomers. They were coddled and spoiled during a post-war economic expansion. They thought they were themselves responsible for their affluence, and they see everything they have as a reflection of their grandiose self-importance.

Narcissists are known for being deluded. These people believe they aren't old, that they are more talented and relevant than anything else out there. Their pop stars are still touring in their freaking 70s and 80s.

Narcissists don't share the limelight with anyone. That's why they quite forcefully excluded all Gen X from everything economic, political, cultural, social, during Xs' formative years, until the present day. That's why they don't retire. They require all the attention, fame, money, and other rewards from being involved in politics, entertainment, the workplace. They pound their chest that it is their right to share their expertise and wisdom with all; but they don't acknowledge that other younger people also have important contributions to make.

Boomers breeded a boomlet of Millennials, another large group who share both the narcissism of their parents, and the damaged psyches of being raised by narcissists. They are already taking over, even though they don't know anything about anything, because they never bothered to learn anything, because narcissists don't require skills or effort, only getting along with narcissists. I expect government by Millennials will be even more chaotic than the present.

Anyone young and talented in America is in tech, entertainment, or investment banking. Why serve your country when you can serve yourself?

R22, good point

R21, nailed it!

The governing parties are so old because they won't back anyone other than these dinosaurs. They're frightened by the young 'uns.

R21 OK Karen. Would you like to speak to the manager?

[quote] They are already taking over, even though they don't know anything about anything, because they never bothered to learn anything, because narcissists don't require skills or effort, only getting along with narcissists.

How exactly are they taking over because I see a lot of awful Gen X in politics too

There aren't an awful lot of Gen X anywhere, because there aren't a lot of them. OTOH, it would be normal to see them in government, since they are now becoming mature themselves, in their 40s and older. Gen X got a raw deal from the Boomers and Silent Generation and it hobbled many of them economically and in other ways. HIV/AIDS and still-rampant discrimination against gay men when they were young - a lot of that perpetuated by Boomers - didn't help them either.

Millennials will take over because they will be put into place by Boomers when they begin inevitably keeling over. They will also take over because being narcissists themselves, they will demand recognition and a place at the table. They won't be in a mood to defer to anybody when doing so.

Gen X is horrible too. They’re more introverted and tend to be functioning sociopaths.

There's a younger generation coming up. The Boomers will be flushed out soon. In the meantime Democrats can use their experience as long as they realize how serious things are.

Who was the Millennial who decided he was ready to be Speaker of the House now? If take Nancy with her old-lady voice, Barbie rack, and impeccable legislative savvy any day.

I think 75 should be the maximum age for public service. That would force many of the politicians to set up succession plans and invest time in lining up their successors, retiring well before they hit the maximum age. These people should not be dying over the age of 75 while still an elected official, it is ridiculous.

Because we have too many narrow minded people like the poster I encountered in another thread here, who said they wanted Biden to “start running for re-election on inauguration day.” When I countered that I was more interested in his veep pick, and that I hoped he would only serve one term and make way for his veep to succeed him, I was attacked as if I said I preferred Trump to Biden.

This is America okay, we like our elected officials old as hell, with a death grip on our federal government.

That's just the way it is. It's the culture in this country.

If you don't like a candidate because you think he/she is too old or is promoting a dynasty, or for whatever reason, VOTE THE CANDIDATE OUT! Work to promote a candidate that you prefer and persuade others to vote for your candidate. Perennial incumbents wouldn't have an advantage at each election without earning it if the voters weren't too lazy to find and support alternatives. That's how AOC got elected and that should happen more often -- it would keep everyone who's in office on his/her toes to avoid being voted out next time. We don't need federal term limits, we need an informed and active electorate to operate the system the way it was designed to work.

Many of us tried to get new people in (Pete B. would have been great, for example), but everyone bitched about how he’s “too young” and “not experienced enough.” So this is the result. If you don’t give younger people a chance, then you get stuck with old people.

[Quote] Mayor Pete had momentum but once the old folks figured out he was gay they dropped him.

That was savvier of them than I'd have expected. Amazing!! The olds are fit to hang on to power obviously!

R36, though I would have voted for Buttigieg, you know, he's in his 30s. Why not somebody in their 40s or 50s? What happened to that generation? Why don't we hear much of them?

Maybe because young people are assholes?

There are old fools (none quite like them) and there are old heads on young shoulders (I'm looking at you Pete!).

[quote] Many of us tried to get new people in (Pete B. would have been great, for example), but everyone bitched about how he’s “too young” and “not experienced enough.”

In a strange turn of events, it was actually younger voters -- of the 20something BernOut variety -- who ended up being the most maliciously vocal against Buttigieg. Buttigieg was actually doing quite well with older voters, which is how he won Iowa of all places. Many of these same youngest voters who were backing the oldest candidate in the race (Bernie, even older than Biden) are now bitching about Biden's age. Go figure.

New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, is 40.

Austria's chancellor is 33, younger than the Finnish PM.

There should be a term limit on Congress too. Too many of these geezers hang around.

I noted the other day a 16 term - 16!! - congressman was defeated or something. This careerism in public service only promotes cronyism and corruption.

More (young) people should be given a chance. They sure can't fuck up any worse than these old codgers.

People today are mentally teenagers until their 40's. It's pathetic and the reason there are few notable young politicians. Social media and staring at phone screens are no replacement for public speaking and debate.

Younger candidates sometimes have ideas and not mere gimmicks (Ron Paul style) or a few buzzwords, and they can have a sense of momentum and ambition and experimentation. They want to use their time well and figure they will have to chase after some issues after they leave office.

Older candidates lean to a different approach: "Now, now, we'd all like to do that, but my seven decades in the Senate tells me that that's not how things get done in Washington!" They want to put their "legacy" in a crock pot and keep it baby bottle warm because after the presidency is a book deal and death.

For presidents I prefer the former.

Funny one word has not appeared thus far, even when vilifying Millennials: nepotism. Yes, they will take power... and guess what? It’s some idiot spoiled brat handed everything. It’s already playing out right in front of your face with Ivanka and Trump’s brood handed the reins of almost everything. The list is too endless to mention, but it’s endemic... it’s not the Millennials so much as it’s the position their affluent parents can place them in... and aren’t they also to blame for doing that? Boomers suck.

Donald Jr is Gen X R47

And nepotism had nothing to do with his position in government?

[quote]On the Democrats' side, there's an annoying tendency to reward dynasties

The Dems have the Kennedys and the Repugs have the Bushes and that's about it for dynasties.

I find people who complain about "Democratic dynasties" are usually dogwhistling some anti-Clinton drivel, but they're not exactly a dynasty.

A majority of GenXers who wanted to become politicians were scumbags, R38. Think Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton.

And what would DL Fave Barbara Bush say about all this? Since Boomers love nostalgia, she’s the only dynastic wife and mother of presidents (though she said she’d never vote for Jeb) in American history... WWBD?

Bar said she'd never vote for her own son? That bitch really DID know how to hate.

Bar is a DL fave for a reason...

Olds cannot think beyond a few more years that they have to live. That's why climate change is not as big with them as with the younger generations who have to live with the consequences.

R54 Bar was a magnificent cunt

[quote]Why is our government so damned old?

Politicians take that "four score and seven years ago" shit personally.

[quote]Maybe because young people are assholes?

Yeah, because these older people (Dump, Mitch, Miss Lindsey, etc) are just SO pleasant!