Dem
47
GOP
53
Dick Durbin is leaving of his own free will, but many politicians have to be carried out of office in a wooden box. Political forecaster Nathan Gonzales has come out saying we don't need term limits, we need age limits. We have seen far too many politicians who stayed around way beyond their best-by date, most recently Joe Biden, whose decision to hang on in there until it was too late may end up doing grave harm to the country.
The first argument against age limits is that it is age discrimination and that is somehow illegal or unfair. Well, the Constitution already has age limits built in. You can't serve in the House unless you are at least 25 or in the Senate unless you are at least 30, and you can't be president until you hit 35. Why is it all right that the Constitution bars a 24-year-old from serving in the House but it is not all right that it bars an 84-year old? Of course, putting in age limits would require a constitutional amendment. But age limits really aren't partisan. It might actually pass. A recent poll showed that 82% of Republicans and 76% of Democrats support an age limit.
Also, on the subject of age limits, the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18, so the Constitution already mentions age in several places.
Then there is the nasty matter of what the limit should be and whether it should be the same for the House, Senate, and presidency. 70? 75? 80? 85? What if in 100 years people are almost always healthy at 100 and many live to 200? A number picked now could be way off in 100 years. One way out is not to pick one, but to say Congress may set the lower and upper age ranges by law, allowing future flexibility. Older members might chafe at being turned out to pasture, so the Amendment could be worded to say that it does not apply to members currently in office. Also, to avoid someone being ejected from Congress or the White House mid-term in the middle of a birthday party, probably the Amendment should state something like "May not be sworn in above an age determined by Congress."
There are some international comparisons available. Senators in Canada have a mandatory retirement age of 75. There will soon be an election for pope and cardinals 80 and older don't get to vote. Tough luck.
The average age of CEOs in the S&P 1500 is 58. The median age for U.S. senators is 65, but there are 14 senators 75 and older. While Durbin is out, Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) is 81 and running for reelection next year. There are 41 House members 75 or older, some of them much older, like Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) at 87 and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) at 86.
Some people might argue that knowledge is important to make Congress function. Function? Did someone say Congress is functioning? Who? And more important, why? (V)