We’re ruled by a gerontocracy & that isn’t ageism, it’s a fact. And it sucks. I’m an octogenarian with all my faculties but I know my limits & they are real. The old white farts running this country are addicted to power & will hang on until death. 🤬🤮 Vote them out!!!!!
Amen--I am an 80 year old white woman who is full of anger at the arrogant, ignorant antics of the Punkin' head in the WH. He has desecrated the WH and the Capitol. I totally believe that there must be term limits and age limits for these offices. There is too much to lose if someone like the selfish bastard in the WH aggrandizes and enriches himself and his family and his cronies. Impeach Trump.
There are term limits for the president. Legislative term limits are destructive to democracy which I've seen first hand in Ohio. We cannot let ourselves get into this mindset of wanting to nuke democracy and cast excellent champions out of office because ..Trump.
Me too Susan and I want all those in government service who are my age or close to it to go home and enjoy their grandchildren or whatever it is people beyond their maximum output are supposed to do. I worked until I was 80 and now find to my surprise that there's actually enjoyable life to live without it. What a concept.
And for a history lesson, the Soviet Union was ruled by a gerontocracy during the last years of its existence. Brezhnev had gotten old and died in office. He was replaced by Yuri Andropov, another oldster who had gotten ill and went to the hospital for a long spell. It had seemed that Yuri Andropov had dropped off the face of the Earth before dying. And then there was Konstantine Chernenko, another old leader. (Is the lesson to be learned here that being ruled by a gerontocracy a prelude to disaster and the fall of a nation.)
I think it's way less of a problem than it's being portrayed. Who exactly is the problem? Sure, we have ONE big example in the White House — an anomaly and one who would be horrible at any age. And there's Mitch. Who else shouldn't be in office? Grassley and Sanders? OK, that's two more. I don't think either should have run their last election because they will be very old at the end of their terms. But simply being on the average older than the average voter isn't a problem as far as I can see,
I retired from teaching elementary school children at age 64 because it was an exhausting job and I knew it was time to step aside and let someone younger, with more energy, take the reins. Either being a president or senator is less tiring, or these old people are coasting, or both. I'm 74 now and I see nothing wrong or ageist with having an upper age limit, as well as term limits. That goes for the Supreme Court, too.
Agreed! I'm 73 and retired from teaching at 65. There are older folks who are sharp as tacks but there is a time and place for a younger generation to "take the reins" as you say whether it's teaching, politics, or whatever.
It has to be less tiring because they don't accomplish anything. Meeting after meeting, sitting at your desk during voting, and the hard stuff done by Congressional aides. We'd all like such jobs! Thank you for your service as a teacher. You should be more appreciated than you are!
Be mad at Andy Beshear all you want, but the Republican state legislature of KY has stripped him of his power to call a special election. KY is Boubon, Horses&poverty.
I like to think I’d be brave&call a special election on McConnell’s dereliction of duty, let the legal chips fall where they may, but it’s the federal Republican Senate committing fraud who’s at fault.
I agree and I feel your anger, your exhaustion, and your depression. We must get rid of these people and rebuild. Pete Buttigieg has started an organization doing just that--looking beyond the Trump/Nazi GOP crap to a future that works for everyone.
I'm fed up with spineless Democrats but as you point out, they are the only effective (I use the word with extreme caution) organization that has a chance to do the work, because they are so much larger than anyone else on the left. Not all Democrats are wimps, either; let's give the fighters the credit they deserve.
Our first job is the win the midterms by such a margin that all these attempts to steal or rig the election falls flat; then we kick numbnuts to the curb in 2028. But that's not going to be enough if "Establishment Democrats" think getting rid of the Nazis is the only thing that has to change and keep trying to go back to "the way it was." Those days are gone and we've been slow to recognize the immense damage the Trumpers have done to the system.
If we could get big money out of politics a lot of our problems would disappear, but how to do that?
Thanks for sticking with it even when it seems hopeless. If you'll hang in there, we'll do the same.
Get rid of what people though? If we don't distinguish between specific people we'll end up with a mess. What Democrats are "spineless" or are we once again frustrated that they aren't doing the impossible when they have no power, so we neuter them even more with our lack of support? We DON'T give fighters the credit they deserve because I think many of us don't have thoughtful standards to identify a fight: we are too easily swept away by high-flown talk and shiny faces. I wish we would more carefully looking into what our candidates and elected officials have done, and how they vote, to get a total picture and not swoon because someone did or said a thing we love. I am beyond sick of a politician saying something we agree will and everyone is shouting "So-and-so for president!" We'll get more thoughtful government when we are more thoughtful and learn to help others become more thoughtful too.
I don't know what we do about the racism and misogyny which are baked into today's GOP though.
Thank you. I am a smart, 87 year old woman. I can memorize poems, I can locate Armenia on a map, I know the names and states represented by most Senators and I agree with everything you said! My generation, even those with full mental capacity who can walk 2 miles a day, should bow out! Hard as many of us fought things have gotten out of control and we have to apologize and let younger generations have a go. I hate that I have had to give up a decade to that awful man in the White House. I will donate, write postcard, stand on street corners to protest, carry a whistle in my car. And I will scream at the TV and newspaper. And I will vote for age limits!
I TOTALLY agree with you!!! I’ve been saying this forever. Term limits for every elected official!!! And while we’re at it how about reversing Citizens United and having limits to campaign contributions!!! ALL of these elected officials (say but a few) are bought and paid for and beholding to their big money supporters/providers and NOT their constituents who voted for them and the citizens they are supposed to represent!!!
It was time for this government to crash and burn so that together, we the people, can create a new government/system that works for ALL 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Reversing Citizens United is essential, but term limits are really really awful. ALL are NOT "bought and paid for," but I assure you, with term limits they absolutely are. That's what happened in Ohio: term limits declare open season on buying politicians
Thank you for all your hard work. It is much appreciated! Yes, I know what you mean about feeling exhausted and discouraged. Some days I have to take a news break!
Congress, without any accountability for participation is dysfunction. This would never work for any other workplace and it doesn't work for The People.
I cannot look at or watch Trump. It really is nauseating. I am SO looking forward to the day when
we are not inundated with his voice, his words, and his actions. I have no problem with older people in government, IF they are still open to new ideas and not hanging on just to be there.
Bernie Sanders is a great example - he's older, but we still want him there.
The two oldest members of the Senate. Bernie will be 89 at the end of his term and Grassley will be 95. Neither should've run again. Bernie has also had mysterious health issues he hasn't been upfront about.
Bernie is ranked the 13th most progressive member of the Senate. I see a lot of people saying we should dump the tenth most progressive member, Chuck Schumer. Yes, his voting record is more progressive than Vermont Jesus's.
It's hard to be a "progressive" when one sees far left wing nuts from the DSA publicly spouting about abolishing police, the US Senate, doing away with borders, etc. If there is such a thing as a "common sense progressive," maybe you need to do a better job of educating your people about the importance of winning elections first, and not giving the far right blogosphere so much fuel.
Actually, I don't want Bernie there. He's too old and very out of touch. he will be 89 at the end of his current term, and never should've run again. If we're going to get all militant about age and term limits, we cannot pick and choose, and make Vermont Jesus an exception. There are many others I'd choose first, such as Ed Markey of Massachusetts, the second most progressive member of the Senate (after his colleague Liz Warren) who is 80 and facing a primary challenge from 47-year-old middle-of-the-pack, indistinguished moderate Seth Moulton.
Liz Warren and Ed Markey are two of our greatest progressive champions, who don't just TALK — they DO. It made me crazy during the 2020 presidential campaign when everyone was kissing Bernie's ass for "Medicare for All" when he had less than 500 words on his website, and no plan, just promises. Warren had nearly 10,000! She explained every step of actually getting there and how it would work. This is why her successes far outnumber Bernie's. Ideals are great; plans are better.
We’re ruled by a gerontocracy & that isn’t ageism, it’s a fact. And it sucks. I’m an octogenarian with all my faculties but I know my limits & they are real. The old white farts running this country are addicted to power & will hang on until death. 🤬🤮 Vote them out!!!!!
Amen--I am an 80 year old white woman who is full of anger at the arrogant, ignorant antics of the Punkin' head in the WH. He has desecrated the WH and the Capitol. I totally believe that there must be term limits and age limits for these offices. There is too much to lose if someone like the selfish bastard in the WH aggrandizes and enriches himself and his family and his cronies. Impeach Trump.
There are term limits for the president. Legislative term limits are destructive to democracy which I've seen first hand in Ohio. We cannot let ourselves get into this mindset of wanting to nuke democracy and cast excellent champions out of office because ..Trump.
No nuking. Time for the next generation to step in & they should be encouraged. Fresh perspectives needed not old stale rehashes.
Me too Susan and I want all those in government service who are my age or close to it to go home and enjoy their grandchildren or whatever it is people beyond their maximum output are supposed to do. I worked until I was 80 and now find to my surprise that there's actually enjoyable life to live without it. What a concept.
And for a history lesson, the Soviet Union was ruled by a gerontocracy during the last years of its existence. Brezhnev had gotten old and died in office. He was replaced by Yuri Andropov, another oldster who had gotten ill and went to the hospital for a long spell. It had seemed that Yuri Andropov had dropped off the face of the Earth before dying. And then there was Konstantine Chernenko, another old leader. (Is the lesson to be learned here that being ruled by a gerontocracy a prelude to disaster and the fall of a nation.)
I think it's way less of a problem than it's being portrayed. Who exactly is the problem? Sure, we have ONE big example in the White House — an anomaly and one who would be horrible at any age. And there's Mitch. Who else shouldn't be in office? Grassley and Sanders? OK, that's two more. I don't think either should have run their last election because they will be very old at the end of their terms. But simply being on the average older than the average voter isn't a problem as far as I can see,
I retired from teaching elementary school children at age 64 because it was an exhausting job and I knew it was time to step aside and let someone younger, with more energy, take the reins. Either being a president or senator is less tiring, or these old people are coasting, or both. I'm 74 now and I see nothing wrong or ageist with having an upper age limit, as well as term limits. That goes for the Supreme Court, too.
Agreed! I'm 73 and retired from teaching at 65. There are older folks who are sharp as tacks but there is a time and place for a younger generation to "take the reins" as you say whether it's teaching, politics, or whatever.
It has to be less tiring because they don't accomplish anything. Meeting after meeting, sitting at your desk during voting, and the hard stuff done by Congressional aides. We'd all like such jobs! Thank you for your service as a teacher. You should be more appreciated than you are!
Teaching is much harder than what those elected officials do, which is essentially nothing.
O
I’m personally holding John Thune responsible.
Be mad at Andy Beshear all you want, but the Republican state legislature of KY has stripped him of his power to call a special election. KY is Boubon, Horses&poverty.
I like to think I’d be brave&call a special election on McConnell’s dereliction of duty, let the legal chips fall where they may, but it’s the federal Republican Senate committing fraud who’s at fault.
I agree and I feel your anger, your exhaustion, and your depression. We must get rid of these people and rebuild. Pete Buttigieg has started an organization doing just that--looking beyond the Trump/Nazi GOP crap to a future that works for everyone.
I'm fed up with spineless Democrats but as you point out, they are the only effective (I use the word with extreme caution) organization that has a chance to do the work, because they are so much larger than anyone else on the left. Not all Democrats are wimps, either; let's give the fighters the credit they deserve.
Our first job is the win the midterms by such a margin that all these attempts to steal or rig the election falls flat; then we kick numbnuts to the curb in 2028. But that's not going to be enough if "Establishment Democrats" think getting rid of the Nazis is the only thing that has to change and keep trying to go back to "the way it was." Those days are gone and we've been slow to recognize the immense damage the Trumpers have done to the system.
If we could get big money out of politics a lot of our problems would disappear, but how to do that?
Thanks for sticking with it even when it seems hopeless. If you'll hang in there, we'll do the same.
Get rid of what people though? If we don't distinguish between specific people we'll end up with a mess. What Democrats are "spineless" or are we once again frustrated that they aren't doing the impossible when they have no power, so we neuter them even more with our lack of support? We DON'T give fighters the credit they deserve because I think many of us don't have thoughtful standards to identify a fight: we are too easily swept away by high-flown talk and shiny faces. I wish we would more carefully looking into what our candidates and elected officials have done, and how they vote, to get a total picture and not swoon because someone did or said a thing we love. I am beyond sick of a politician saying something we agree will and everyone is shouting "So-and-so for president!" We'll get more thoughtful government when we are more thoughtful and learn to help others become more thoughtful too.
I don't know what we do about the racism and misogyny which are baked into today's GOP though.
Thank you. I am a smart, 87 year old woman. I can memorize poems, I can locate Armenia on a map, I know the names and states represented by most Senators and I agree with everything you said! My generation, even those with full mental capacity who can walk 2 miles a day, should bow out! Hard as many of us fought things have gotten out of control and we have to apologize and let younger generations have a go. I hate that I have had to give up a decade to that awful man in the White House. I will donate, write postcard, stand on street corners to protest, carry a whistle in my car. And I will scream at the TV and newspaper. And I will vote for age limits!
Mr. Nellis, I am with you every step of the way!
No worries, Avi. It doesn’t snow in Minneapolis during the summer- kaaitz.😊👍🤗
don't slip on the ICE
I TOTALLY agree with you!!! I’ve been saying this forever. Term limits for every elected official!!! And while we’re at it how about reversing Citizens United and having limits to campaign contributions!!! ALL of these elected officials (say but a few) are bought and paid for and beholding to their big money supporters/providers and NOT their constituents who voted for them and the citizens they are supposed to represent!!!
It was time for this government to crash and burn so that together, we the people, can create a new government/system that works for ALL 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Reversing Citizens United is essential, but term limits are really really awful. ALL are NOT "bought and paid for," but I assure you, with term limits they absolutely are. That's what happened in Ohio: term limits declare open season on buying politicians
Thank you for all your hard work. It is much appreciated! Yes, I know what you mean about feeling exhausted and discouraged. Some days I have to take a news break!
Thank you for hearing my heartache about what my country has become. You give me hope that we CAN win back our democracy.
Thank you, Mike! We are all right there with you! Your voice of reason, intelligence, moral quality, and passion keep us going, too. It gives me hope.
Congress, without any accountability for participation is dysfunction. This would never work for any other workplace and it doesn't work for The People.
Mike, I'm losing my fucking mind right along with you.
I cannot look at or watch Trump. It really is nauseating. I am SO looking forward to the day when
we are not inundated with his voice, his words, and his actions. I have no problem with older people in government, IF they are still open to new ideas and not hanging on just to be there.
Bernie Sanders is a great example - he's older, but we still want him there.
Who is "we?" Sorry, but Bernie needs to go just like Grasley, on the other side of the aisle.
The two oldest members of the Senate. Bernie will be 89 at the end of his term and Grassley will be 95. Neither should've run again. Bernie has also had mysterious health issues he hasn't been upfront about.
If you are a progressive, you want Bernie in the senate.
Bernie is ranked the 13th most progressive member of the Senate. I see a lot of people saying we should dump the tenth most progressive member, Chuck Schumer. Yes, his voting record is more progressive than Vermont Jesus's.
It's hard to be a "progressive" when one sees far left wing nuts from the DSA publicly spouting about abolishing police, the US Senate, doing away with borders, etc. If there is such a thing as a "common sense progressive," maybe you need to do a better job of educating your people about the importance of winning elections first, and not giving the far right blogosphere so much fuel.
Keep in mind that is only one faction of the DSA. Not all of them are so far out there. Still, it does taint the whole project.
Actually, I don't want Bernie there. He's too old and very out of touch. he will be 89 at the end of his current term, and never should've run again. If we're going to get all militant about age and term limits, we cannot pick and choose, and make Vermont Jesus an exception. There are many others I'd choose first, such as Ed Markey of Massachusetts, the second most progressive member of the Senate (after his colleague Liz Warren) who is 80 and facing a primary challenge from 47-year-old middle-of-the-pack, indistinguished moderate Seth Moulton.
I'd stick with Liz.
Liz Warren and Ed Markey are two of our greatest progressive champions, who don't just TALK — they DO. It made me crazy during the 2020 presidential campaign when everyone was kissing Bernie's ass for "Medicare for All" when he had less than 500 words on his website, and no plan, just promises. Warren had nearly 10,000! She explained every step of actually getting there and how it would work. This is why her successes far outnumber Bernie's. Ideals are great; plans are better.
I like you, Mike Nellis, and when you post live video, I always watch it.
Neither does he, or anyone else around him , so we all agree. That was easy.
He's out in my mind as well. He's likely on life support or dead and Trump knows this that's why it's so messed up.