Time to Institute Retirement Ages for Federal Officeholders

Our editorial last week called for Mitch McConnell to follow Nancy Pelosi’s lead and step down from leading his caucus in light of his age and visible difficulties speaking in public on a few recent occasions. McConnell is 81, and he was in robust health until a fall in March. Pelosi is 83 and left leadership in January along with Steny Hoyer (84), but James Clyburn (83) is still the No. 2 House Democrat. Dianne Feinstein, visibly failing mentally in the Senate, is 90.

President Joe Biden is 80 and running to serve until he is 86. (Seventy-seven percent of Americans think he’d be too old for the job.) Donald Trump is 77 and running to serve until he is 82.

About the Author

Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute.

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Our editorial last week called for Mitch McConnell to follow Nancy Pelosi’s lead and step down from leading his caucus in light of his age and visible difficulties speaking in public on a few recent occasions. McConnell is 81, and he was in robust health until a fall in March. Pelosi is 83 and left leadership in January along with Steny Hoyer (84), but James Clyburn (83) is still the No. 2 House Democrat. Dianne Feinstein, visibly failing mentally in the Senate, is 90.

President Joe Biden is 80 and running to serve until he is 86. (Seventy-seven percent of Americans think he’d be too old for the job.) Donald Trump is 77 and running to serve until he is 82.