The United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government. It was ratified in 1788. Probably will not see the 250-year celebration in 15 years? Maybe I will? I find as you age, people become ruder towards age. They also treat you as being less on the mark. They do not like when you reply back with an intelligent answer. But, should we update the Constitution? Another post, I think. However, there is a battle going on about Biden’s age at 80. There is also one about trump who is 77, who really should be sitting in a level 1 prison (maybe a Level 2?) by now. But how old is too old? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar latest asks the question. The Wall Street Journal poll finds 73% of Americans think Biden is, to
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Angry Bear considers the following as important: Age, biden, politics, President, Trump
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The United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government. It was ratified in 1788. Probably will not see the 250-year celebration in 15 years? Maybe I will?
I find as you age, people become ruder towards age. They also treat you as being less on the mark. They do not like when you reply back with an intelligent answer.
But, should we update the Constitution? Another post, I think.
However, there is a battle going on about Biden’s age at 80. There is also one about trump who is 77, who really should be sitting in a level 1 prison (maybe a Level 2?) by now. But how old is too old?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar latest asks the question.
The Wall Street Journal poll finds 73% of Americans think Biden is, to some degree, is “too old to run for president.” An earlier Associated Press-NORC poll showed 77% of Americans, including 69% of Democrats, think Biden is “too old to effectively serve” another term. About 76% of Americans believe he lacks the “mental soundness” to be president. That’s a lot of people and it is also misleading.
Also cited was, 59% say the same about Trump. This so enraged Trump, he challenged Biden and Rupert Murdoch (owner of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal) to acuity tests. Of course, he would decide which test would be given and the circumstances under which it would be administered. (I’m sure Honest Don wouldn’t be coached on the test, right?) He posted:
“In a phony and probably rigged Wall Street Journal poll, coming out of nowhere to soften the mental incompetence blow that is so obvious with Crooked Joe Biden, they ask about my age and mentality. Where did that come from?” Notice how anything unflattering or in which he loses is “rigged.”
In an irony totally lost on Trump, his childish outrage and silly challenge indicate someone who clearly lacks mental soundness. AB: And maybe we should be looking at something different to judge who should be the president? Kareem suggests mental soundness. I am adding stability and experience as an ordinary person. The latter is a challenge as few of our Pres’s come from ordinary circumstance.
So, what accounts for this difference in assessment?
Part of it is what Kareen calls the .99 marketing con. You know, retailers sell something for $9.99, and the consumer subconsciously thinks,
“At least it’s not $10.” We see a 7 in front of Trump’s age and think.
“At least it’s not an 8, like Biden.” Only three years, but we think ten years.
Trump’s dye job helps. His hefty weight makes him less wrinkled. His relentless irrational attacks on everyone give the impression of being energetic rather than just curmudgeonly desperate (AB: or just plain stupid). This difference in judging mental capability is what all elderly face: the grayer the hair, the slower the walk, the deeper the wrinkles—the more marginalized.
Even as an oldster myself, I get it. Youth equals energy, passion, late work nights. According to scientific research, creative productivity at 80 is about half what it was in our 40s.
But maybe how much you do in a day isn’t as important as how well you do it. Age and experience can mean making fewer mistakes (because you’ve already made them). Maybe it also means delegating for higher efficiency. Maybe it means working smarter.
Having lived a lot of years doesn’t make you wise. It’s what you learned from all those years that makes you wise. Some are just as clueless at 90 as they were at 19. But others have filled their minds and hearts with knowledge and compassion worthy of a lifetime.
Being president requires physical stamina and mental sharpness. You’re juggling chainsaws while people toss baseballs at you. Flaming baseballs. So, rather than just look at the raw number of these men’s ages, we should look at their records to see if they have been working smarter.
Trump’s record as president is a shambles of lies, misrepresentations, and destructive policies. He accomplished next to nothing positive.
On the other hand, the Biden Administration has improved the economy by most indicators (even though there are struggles that he has no power over). His Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act brought $1 billion (AB: probably more) for roads, bridges, drinking water, and more.
You get the gist. With Trump, there was no gist, just tax breaks for the rich and rollbacks of consumer protections in order to make the rich even richer.
What do you think?
You can also read the rest of Kareem’s article here: