American politics has an age problem.

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Senior GOP representative from Texas has been missing from Congress for five months. Kay Granger, who is 81 years old, stepped down as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee this spring. And she announced last year that she would not seek re-election. During the month of July She disappeared from Congress altogether. and has missed voting in the months since.

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last week Dallas Express (Who is now CEO is facing a major challenge with Granger in 2020.) Reported Granger lives in an assisted living facility. Her son soon Confirmed that she had lived there for at least several months Yesterday he reported that say The agent’s decline was “very rapid” and she moved into a nursing home before she started showing signs of dementia. statement at AxiosGranger said. “Since the beginning of September My health challenges have progressed. This makes frequent trips to Washington difficult and unpredictable,” her employee yesterday said. Post a picture of representatives; It is not clear how many of her co-workers know about her condition.

Once again, the moral questions of America’s political elders reveal themselves. This is a particularly sensitive topic. Because many of us have loved ones, parents, grandparents, siblings who are in intellectual decline. They deserve attention. sympathy and honesty from us That’s also true of members of Congress. Supreme Court Justice And the president too But the stakes are much higher. And in those cases Sometimes compassion means being honest when it’s time to move on.

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As Granger’s story reminds us, keeping politicians in their roles even in the face of intellectual decline is damaging to those who depend on them. Voters and local officials in Texas appeared shocked to learn their representative was missing, said Rolando Garcia, executive director of the state Republican Party. say It was a “sad and shameful way” for Granger to end her career. “Sadly, no one cares enough to ‘Take the key away’ before she gets here.” He wrote on X– Did the authorities and Granger’s family protect her? Are they misleading the public? Were they lying to Granger herself? How difficult is it to tell influential people in politics that it’s time to resign? In 2024, these are familiar questions. Elderly members of Congress and Supreme Court justices have resisted calls to retire senators. Dianne Feinstein and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg both died in office. Almost all this year Our politics is dominated by 80-year-olds, including Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Grassley (who, at 91, is actually underage), but Joe Biden’s decision to run again at age 80 years is considered the most severe case against the geriatric regime.

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This is despite growing signs that Biden is fading. But the White House continues to vehemently deny it. At least until June’s disastrous presidential debate. last week Wall Street Journal Detailed report How Biden officials are building a weak presidential defense group Strict access control Write a script of interactions with his cabinet. and scheduled meetings during his “worst” time (the White House denies that the president’s schedule “There have been changes due to his age.”) “Interactions with senior Democratic lawmakers and some Cabinet members These include powerful secretaries such as Lloyd Austin from the Defense Department and Janet Yellen from the Treasury Department. Occurs less frequently or occurs less often, “where journal Reportedly, “Some congressional leaders have had difficulty listening to the president at key moments. This includes before the United States would disastrously withdraw from Afghanistan.” Meanwhile, the White House has pushed back against evidence that Biden Oldest man ever to serve as president. They may not be able to function effectively for another four years.

America’s politicians have an age problem. And this problem looks special. Acute Among Democrats in Congress The prevalence of older politicians may make the elected class less relevant to younger voters. And it makes it more difficult for new voices in politics to emerge. But in essence This is an issue of honesty. Don’t Americans have a right to know that Biden is struggling? Don’t Texans deserve to know about Granger? And if any of them were lied to by the people who supported them? Don’t they, too, deserve the truth?

Ultimately, Biden relented. And one result is that the next president of the United States will be 82 years old at the end of his term. Like Biden

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