BY JULIA SAFRIN
Age should never be a limitation for anybody when pursuing a dream, voicing their opinion or trying new things. However, when it comes to a stress-filled job like the presidency, one should take their age into consideration before running.
Many good things come out of old age— including maturity, wisdom fostered by years of experience and self-confidence. Even though those are traits that can be beneficial for a successful presidency, older people are lacking in other areas and may not be as modern as present-day society.
In the age of technology where people do more tweeting than talking, older generations may be out of touch with social media and the trends of modern society.
These changes are completely normal with age, however, the risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia increases with age, and after the age of 65, the risk doubles every five years.
Being out of touch with modern society is a minor, fixable issue. But as aging occurs, the body also slowly starts to deteriorate, which could lead to health complications.
As age increases, bodily parts and systems— such as the cardiovascular and digestive systems, bones and muscles, eyes and ears and so on— start to decline. One’s risk for a heart attack increases with age. Stress is among the risk factors of a heart attack and it’s not a secret that the presidency, dubbed “the hardest job in the world,” is very stressful and ages those who fill the position.
A study, published by the British Medical Journal, discovered that world leaders live 2.7 years less than their runner-ups and are at a 23 percent higher risk of premature death. But this is only when they get to office and serve. Before taking office, there is still a whole campaign trail to do.
The U.S. presidential campaign trail is the longest political campaign, taking up about a little less than two years. Two years campaigning and four years per presidential term makes a maximum of 10 years. Society went from mixtapes to iPods in 10 years. A lot can change in a decade, from the world to a person’s health and mental stability.
Along with the decline of bodily parts and systems, mental capabilities and functions also start to worsen with age. With age comes the loss of cognitive abilities such as the ability to remember certain words and names and to multitask.
Although one may be healthy when they take office, 10 years and the challenging task of being president may cause a decline. A senile president is not fit to lead.
These changes are completely normal with age, however, the risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia increases with age, and after the age of 65, the risk doubles every five years. A person with Alzheimer’s or dementia need to be taken care of, not taking care of millions of others, like a president needs to.
President Donald Trump is 72 and is halfway through his first term. Former Vice President and potential 2020 presidential nominee Joe Biden is 76 and Bernie Sanders, 2020 presidential nominee, is 77. By the time they would be done serving the next presidential term, they’d be in their late 70s and early 80s. And the job of president does not benefit one’s health or improve their longevity.
Bodily and cognitive systems and functions only get worse with age. The ability to serve as president, lead a nation and be able to handle the stress and responsibility will consequently decline, as well.
Although one may be healthy when they take office, 10 years and the challenging task of being president may cause a decline. A senile president is not fit to lead.
An older president is not beneficial for the president or for the people. Just because one may be too old for the presidency does not mean that they are too old to be voicing their political views and opinions, or playing an active role in politics and the government. However, they should stay out of the Oval Office.
Photo courtesy of The Boston Globe
