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Following one more weird freezing episode that the general public witnessed Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell expertise this week and the rising variety of studies surrounding well being scares for different aged elected officers, individuals are beginning to demand time period limits and even age limits for these in public workplace.
Throughout a press convention in Kentucky on Wednesday, a reporter requested the 81-year-old about his reelection plans. As a substitute of responding, he simply stood stock-still on digicam. Even after his aides interceded to examine on McConnell and ask if he heard the query, he remained frozen. That is McConnell’s second freezing episode in simply over a month.
In July, he froze throughout a information convention on the Capitol as he was discussing an annual protection coverage invoice. After he abruptly stopped talking mid-sentence, his colleagues approached him on the podium to ask if he was OK. When he didn’t reply, he was escorted away earlier than returning a short while later to renew the convention.
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It’s been extensively reported that McConnell suffered a few falls this yr. A fall in March left him with a concussion and a fractured rib, however after a six-week depart, he returned to work in April. Even after this second freezing incident, his physician “medically cleared” him to proceed his work schedule.
Nevertheless, the quick time between each episodes is leaving many doubtful about McConnell’s skills to proceed his in-office duties.
This goes for different politicians like Sen. Dianne Feinstein and even President Joe Biden, whose ages and well being issues have additionally made headlines and renewed questions on whether or not they’re as much as fulfilling their duties.
“It’s time for many of them to go,” wrote one social media consumer.
Biden is the oldest president in historical past, turning 81 this November. Sen. Feinstein simply turned 90 over the summer time. Even Donald Trump, the main and embattled GOP presidential contender, is 77.
Biden’s well being has grow to be a supply of fear for a lot of voters in his time as president. His frequent gaffes and stutters throughout numerous remarks and press conferences usually garner emotions of unease. Docs from his annual examination this yr stated he’s in “good well being” regardless of minor well being points with osteoarthritis and acid reflux disease. His neurological examination additionally got here out clear.
A current NBC Information ballot revealed that 68 p.c are involved that the president doesn’t possess the “needed” psychological and bodily well being to serve. Roughly 55 p.c report they’ve “main” issues. If Biden is re-elected in 2024, he’d be 86 by the point his second time period ended.
Feinstein has additionally drawn a lot consideration this yr on account of her prolonged restoration from the shingles virus. Her absence from workplace brought about her to overlook 91 votes and stalled the nominations of a number of judicial nominees. She’s served as a U.S. Senator for California for greater than 30 years after being first elected in 1992.
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984, so he’s been in workplace for practically 40 years now.
Based on the Pew Analysis Middle, in 2022, the median age within the U.S. Home of Representatives was 57.9 and 65.3 within the Senate. This present 118th Congress is definitely one of many oldest in historical past.
You received’t discover many elected positions that include time period limits outdoors the manager department and some federal companies. Judicial appointments and congressional seats on the federal stage don’t have time period limits.
As NPR studies, one of many chief causes for the dearth of turnover in federal politics stems from polarization and the facility behind being an incumbent politician. That’s based on one historian the outlet spoke with.
“These long-serving members are fairly protected,” he stated. “By way of main elections, it’s very exhausting to defeat an incumbent,” Alan Lichtman, a historian and professor at American College in Washington, D.C., informed NPR.
Present officeholders are re-elected time and time once more, partly as a result of events seldom problem their very own members in primaries. Actually, 98 p.c of incumbent lawmakers have been re-elected in 2022. And as aggressive seats dwindle, so does the power to unseat a sitting lawmaker.
Different benefits of being an incumbent politician embody entry to large donor bases, established relationships in Washington, and expertise.
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