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Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

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Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#561

Putting politics aside … Why don’t they have an age limit on the president (or any elected office)? E.g., you must be younger than the average life expectancy (currently men: 73yo / female: 79) - while in office. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html

Politicians who refuse to retire is a huge, bipartisan problem in the US affecting both genders. Putting an age limit on the president or members of congress would probably have to be done via a constitutional amendment, because the Supreme Court has ruled in the past that states cannot add eligibility requirements that are not in the constitution. One reform that would help in Congress would be to modify the seniority system. Right now, members of Congress gain seniority as long as they keep being re-elected, so you end up with a situation where all the most powerful committees are headed by ancient legislators teetering at death's door. Since those committee chairs are very powerful, they get lots of campaign donations which help keep them in office until God calls them home. I think modulo arithmetic should be used to calculate seniority. A member of the House should have their seniority set to their time in office modulo 10 - after five terms they are reset to seniority zero. For senators, maybe modulo 18 could be used.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#562

Not going to happen, but I wonder how a mixed party ticket would do. Kamala (or whoever) + Mitt Romney as VP ? Has it ever been done? Would it work to attract the center/swing vote, or more likely to be a negative?

This is an interesting thought experiment. What would the US be like with a completely impossible ticket? Would we flourish under a Lenny Bruce-Knuckles the Echidna ticket? What if Misty and Brock were the respective RNC and DNC chairs? These are the sorts of questions the status quo politicians don’t want us to be asking

This is one of the best Hacker News comments I've read in a while.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#563
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ordinarily, yes. But she doesn't poll well with a lot of key demographics due to her tough on crime stance as a DA. Making her president would mean she'd be the presumptive nominee, and I think the party has more optimal choices lined up. This election will come down to four battleground states. Those are the only states and battles that matter.

I hate to say it yet I don't think she's polling well because even in 2024 I don't think America is ready to allow a woman of colour be POTUS.

You’re downvoted, but you’re correct.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#564
post #24

Shouldn't he resign and let Kamala step in?

Then the senate would refuse to approve a VP replacement. Remember that leading up to counting the electoral votes loose-lipped GOP senators were saying that Pence (the VP) wouldn’t be counting the days electoral votes? How do you think that would proceed?

Note that by the 25th Amendment both houses would have to confirm. The (bare) Democratic majority Senate would be a challenge. The GOP majority House an even stronger hurdle. Though confirmation is a simple majority, not a supermajority (2/3 vote):

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxv>

There's also the fact that in ascending to the Presidency, Harris would no longer be President of the Senate, which would lose her tie-breaking vote, AFAIU.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#565

Putting politics aside … Why don’t they have an age limit on the president (or any elected office)? E.g., you must be younger than the average life expectancy (currently men: 73yo / female: 79) - while in office. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html

It's considered to be up to the voters to pick the best candidate.

This is flawed. How are is a voter supposed to be able to pick the best, with inaccurate/no information? It's impractical. Like a laws passed to protect a person by name would be impractical. It doesn't scale.

The US has suffered for the lack of information. How can this be addressed, in the next 20 years, is a much more interesting question.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#568

Putting politics aside … Why don’t they have an age limit on the president (or any elected office)? E.g., you must be younger than the average life expectancy (currently men: 73yo / female: 79) - while in office. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html

[flagged]

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#569

Not going to happen, but I wonder how a mixed party ticket would do. Kamala (or whoever) + Mitt Romney as VP ? Has it ever been done? Would it work to attract the center/swing vote, or more likely to be a negative?

I have a "radical" idea: why not actually let the constituency of this party make the choice.

It's too late to organize that for this election.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#570

Endorses Kamala so probably no 'mini-primary' or other challengers which is a bit of a shame. Kamala was pretty uninspiring in the primary and hasn't seemed to get a lot done as vice president while trump has gathering momentum and, maybe more importantly, money. The 'king making' party apparatus that pushed Biden despite the health issues has a lot to answer for.

Harris didn’t make it to _a_ primary. If her debate performance is anything like it was in 2020, her campaign is already over.

Nobody was voting for Biden for Biden... people were voting against Trump. I think any of the leaders Harris, Whitmer, Newsom will all do fine.

The bar is so low right now, I think most people will be impressed by basic competence, which all three have in spades.

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