Sorry, You’re Too Old, Get Over It!

Yes, Boomers are fighters but it’s time to let go.

From ChatGPT

The thing is - bodies do age. Faculties begin to decline.

Which is why we don’t see an 80-year-old in the cockpit of a United Airlines 737. It’s why we don’t see 90-year-old doctors in the ER.

It’s also the reason why we shouldn’t see an 85-year-old Congressman filling in forms for re-election in 2026.

And while ageism exists and is doing quite well, thank you very much, it’s important to know when to let the next generation take over. And when to let them be held responsible by the American people.

But in American Politics, we hold onto senior politicians like only they know the codes and secret handshakes that run our government, and without them, well, everything would come to a complete halt.

This is complete bull, of course, and everyone knows it, including those filling in the forms today for another run in the House or Senate.

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While most of us are very grateful to those who have put in 30-40 years of public service, it is quite painful and disheartening to see a member of Congress perform their duties at a pace and level of competence that would get them fired as a clerk at a 7-Eleven.

But for some reason, when it comes to running our government, being old automatically means being experienced, and that is supposed to make up for lapses in judgment, and a general frame of reference on who they are serving that is decades out of date.

There are exceptions in all fields, even in politics. Think Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as two examples, along with members on the other side of the aisle who are still operating at a high level. But that’s not enough.

It’s time for the Boomers to go home and rest. It’s time for the younger generation to take hold of the reins and for good reason. We need their energy. We need their perspectives.

And frankly, we need people who haven’t been beaten down by the system so they no longer believe there is hope to turn everything around.

We need that renewed sense of urgency.

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Watching some of our leaders, some of whom were over the age of consent when Nixon first ran for office, is scary and debilitating. They understand that things are bad, but the answers they come up with are weighted in 20th Century logic.

They see dangerous executive orders being issued from the Oval Office, and they write a stern letter in response.

They’re thinking is rooted in procedural changes while the “enemy” is setting fire to the castle.

We are telling them in town hall meetings and over the phone what we, the people, need, but they run first to their special donors to make sure none of them would be offended if they did that.

It’s enough.

Our system is broken in part because we keep the old parts in place and fear replacing them with new.

Our lawmakers are addicted to the funds donors provide to run their campaigns and too often do what addicts do - anything for the next “fix.”

There is a conscious effort “out there” to keep the old men and women coming back because they are known entities. Those who donate know what to expect from them. Whereas bringing in new people to run our country is full of unknowns. Which is exactly why we need to do just that.

Boomers (and I’m one of them), thank you for your service.

Now, please hand the keys to the new guys coming in and try just being an average citizen for a while. See what it’s been like out here for the rest of us.