After hearing so much in the news about the Supreme Court and our Senators in D.C., I have got to get this off my chest! Now, I may be wrong, but I think that in some states and jobs 65 is a mandatory retirement age. So my question is: Why do we have Supreme Court justices and Senators in their 80’s and 90’s? I mean they probably have all their faculties and years of experience, but so do most workers at 65. I just am not comfortable with someone who may wear Depends and has 1 foot in the grave making national and groundbreaking decisions! The senior Senator from West Virginia is 96!!!
Now, I’m sure getting re-elected is easy since half the people in West Virginia are probably his relatives, his being around so long, but c’mon! 96!
Are you telling me these folks have their eyes on the future? I’m surprised they remember what they had for breakfast. Nap time is over, wake-up, time to make a Supreme Court decision!!! Sorry, I just don’t get it. Now I know justices are appointed, but put a limit on the terms they can serve for crying out loud. If laws and precedents are going to be passed that affect people in the years to come, I want the people who make these decisions to be there also! And hey, if they still want to work I know Wal-Mart needs greeters and McDonalds hires part-time help. Step down and let someone, say, 65, 70, step in.
It’s like directions on a shampoo bottle, why are they there?
D.R Tweed
This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2008.
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We, the people, have the right to vote. If people want a 96 year old in office, it is their right.
I’m not sure where you got the idea that there was a mandatory retirement age. But, you are incorrect. When it comes to employment, there is are some jobs which require physical abilities (such as the military, firefighters, etc) and there are some that require extensive mental abilities (airline pilots) that may set up suggested retirement ages. However, the US has federal regulations which state that “an employer can no longer force retirement or otherwise discriminate on the basis of age against an individual because (s)he is 70 or older.”
As Jed said, we have a right to vote. We are the ones that put them in place.
Tweed: Get that knot on your head examined. There is no future. Have you ever lived in the future? Can you take me there? It’s always been now wherever I’ve been. Have you ever lived in a time when it wasn’t now? Considering we all live in the now, not the past or future, taking care of the now now is probably sensible. What difference does it make how much change one has lived through in the now, other than the potential wisdom derived from the experience? Dry behind your ears and be here, now…
Eat your rice…wash your bowl…and shut your pie hole…and hope a couple of old farts don’t toss you off a bridge.
The eloquence and logic of your reasoning is exactly why mature Justices’ are of great value…wisdom,logic,and hopefully more common sense!