Live data from Hacker News

North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

apnews.com

11–20 of 103 posts

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#11

This is so weird, because you could also just not elect them.

We have age minimums for just about everything it doesn't seem crazy to have age maximum for things for mainly the same reasons.

Isn't the minimum age for presidential candidates 35? That actually seems weirder to me than an age maximum of 80.

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#12
post #7
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you also find the two term limit for presidents weird then?

Not a completely fair comparison IMO because the first term is an advantage when running for the second.

all, if not nearly all, of the old people that this is aimed at would be career politicians for which many of the same rules apply.

the age limit for ND is 81. how many 81 year olds are fresh politicians?

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#13

This is so weird, because you could also just not elect them.

The issue is not electing people... it's re-election advantage. Incumbent candidates rarely lose, especially in Congress... and power is addicting. This leads to the current situation where U.S. Congress median age is pretty far on the cognitive decline curve - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/01/30/house-get... . I think there were multiple issues that took down USSR, but aging leadership with inflexible thinking that was not capable of keeping up with times was probably complicit in most of them.

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#15

This is so weird, because you could also just not elect them.

We have age minimums for just about everything it doesn't seem crazy to have age maximum for things for mainly the same reasons. Isn't the minimum age for presidential candidates 35? That actually seems weirder to me than an age maximum of 80.

That's not really weird at all. It's enough time to gain some experience and wisdom in the world before being endowed as Commander in Chief of the most powerful military on earth.

A maximum age is dumb though. There really is no telling what developments in tech will lead to in terms of human lifespan.

I'm more concerned with people staying in politics for too long. Yes if someone entered Congress at 25 they should certainly be gone by 45, but if they started at 65 I see no reason to boot them out based on some arbitrary age restriction.

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#17
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a completely fair comparison IMO because the first term is an advantage when running for the second.

all, if not nearly all, of the old people that this is aimed at would be career politicians for which many of the same rules apply. the age limit for ND is 81. how many 81 year olds are fresh politicians?

Doesn't matter if it's rare, it's a bad law if it restricts people arbitrarily. Just do term limits.

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#18

This is so weird, because you could also just not elect them.

We have age minimums for just about everything it doesn't seem crazy to have age maximum for things for mainly the same reasons. Isn't the minimum age for presidential candidates 35? That actually seems weirder to me than an age maximum of 80.

There is already precedent of careers in aviation having required retirement ages. In areas with high stakes, it is not unreasonable to have age limits.

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#19

This is so weird, because you could also just not elect them.

The issue is not electing people... it's re-election advantage. Incumbent candidates rarely lose, especially in Congress... and power is addicting. This leads to the current situation where U.S. Congress median age is pretty far on the cognitive decline curve - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/01/30/house-get... . I think there were multiple issues that took down USSR, but aging leadership with inflexible…

well maybe work on that "re-election advantage", understand and curtail it instead of instuting blanket (and imo insane) bans?

Re: North Dakota voters just approved an age limit for congressional candidates

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have age minimums for just about everything it doesn't seem crazy to have age maximum for things for mainly the same reasons. Isn't the minimum age for presidential candidates 35? That actually seems weirder to me than an age maximum of 80.

That's not really weird at all. It's enough time to gain some experience and wisdom in the world before being endowed as Commander in Chief of the most powerful military on earth. A maximum age is dumb though. There really is no telling what developments in tech will lead to in terms of human lifespan. I'm more concerned with people staying in politics for too long. Yes if someone entered Congress at 25 they should c…

Is it okay to die?

Are we each so important that we need to extend our life with technology, beyond the low-tech solutions of exercise, sleep, nutrition (can get enough exercise just meeting this need), warmth, purpose, and love?

What is the role of culture and generational bonds in all this?

Post reply on HN