Category: politics

When is a President or Justice too Old to Serve

The
age of presidential candidates has become a central issue in American politics,
particularly in the lead-up to the 2024 election. This topic has gained
unprecedented attention following a series of events that have reshaped the
political landscape.

Perplexity.ai
(2024, October 15) with prompts by E. Hall. Image produced by DALL-E with
prompts by E. Hall.

The 2024 Presidential Race: A Turning Point

The
2024 presidential race took an unexpected turn when incumbent President Joe
Biden, at 81 years old, made the surprising decision to drop out of the race.
This decision came after mounting concerns about his age and perceived
cognitive decline, which became increasingly apparent in public speeches and
during a pivotal debate with former President Donald Trump.

Biden’s
withdrawal marked a significant shift in the political narrative, as it removed
the oldest serving president in U.S. history from the race. This development
left former President Donald Trump, at 78, as the oldest major party candidate
in the running.

Trump’s Age Paradox

Despite
being only three years younger than Biden, Trump has faced less scrutiny
regarding his age. A Gallup poll conducted before Biden’s withdrawal showed
that while 67% of Americans believed Biden was too old to be president, only
37% held the same view about Trump.

However,
Trump’s own statements have added a layer of irony to the age debate. In an
October 16, 2024 interview, Trump remarked, “Only stupid people put old
[people into office], … You know, you don’t put old in, because they’re there
for two years or three years, right?” This statement, made in reference to
his selection of younger Supreme Court justices, notably avoided addressing the
question of his own advanced age. [Cite]

Public Perception and Political Implications

The
age factor has significantly influenced public perception of the candidates. A
survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that Americans have mixed views
about how the news media covers the ages of presidential candidates.

The
poll revealed that while 32% of Americans believe news organizations give too
much attention to Biden’s age, only 19% feel the same about Trump’s age.

This
disparity in perception has political implications. Republicans are more likely
to say that Biden’s age is getting too little attention (48%), while Democrats
tend to believe Trump’s age is underreported (46%).

Historical Context

The
current focus on age is not without precedent. Throughout U.S. history, there
have been several older presidents who have left their mark on the nation.
Ronald Reagan, who took office at 69, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, who served
until 70, are notable examples.

The Debate Over Age and Leadership

The
ongoing debate raises important questions about the relationship between age
and effective leadership. While experience is often valued in political office,
concerns about cognitive decline and physical stamina in older candidates have
become increasingly prominent.

As
the 2024 election approaches, voters are grappling with these complex issues.
The outcome of this election may well set new precedents for how age is
perceived and discussed in future presidential races.

Oldest Justices and Politicians

Name	Age	Current Role	Major Accomplishments
Clarence Thomas	76 16	Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 17	Justice Clarence Thomas has served on the Supreme Court since 1991, advocating for conservative interpretations and contributing to significant rulings such as Bush v. Gore and cases concerning Second Amendment rights. His influence has been notable in revisiting previous court decisions on civil rights and administrative power, marking him as a pivotal figure in contemporary judicial discourse. 18
John G. Roberts, Jr.	69 19	Chief Justice of the United States 19	Roberts has authored significant Supreme Court opinions, including the 2012 ruling that upheld the Affordable Care Act. He is known for his moderate conservative judicial philosophy and ability to navigate ideological divides, including key First Amendment cases. His tenure reflects an important shift in the Court’s ideology and he is often involved in pivotal decisions that impact civil rights and public policy. 19
Samuel A. Alito, Jr.	74 20	Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 21	As an Associate Justice, Alito has authored significant opinions on major cases that reflect conservative values, such as those concerning gun rights and religious liberty. He has been described as a key judicial voice for conservatives and has shaped modern legal interpretations in multiple high-profile rulings. 22
Kay Ivey	79 23	Governor of Alabama 24	Kay Ivey has presided over record low unemployment at 3.5%, significant investments in the state’s economy totaling over $42 billion, and has led initiatives for infrastructure improvements and educational enhancements during her time as governor. 25
Jim Justice	72 26	Governor of West Virginia 27	Enacted the largest state tax cut in West Virginia history returning over $750 million to the residents through tax cuts. Signed more pro-life legislation than any governor in state history and supported initiatives in school choice and economic diversification. 28
Joe Biden	81 29	46th president of the United States 30	Biden has passed major legislation including the American Rescue Plan ($1.9 trillion for COVID-19 relief), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at combating climate change. His presidency has also been marked by historic investments in infrastructure and significant efforts in promoting public health and pandemic response such as getting over 500 million COVID-19 vaccinations distributed. He also oversaw a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending the longest war in American history. 31
Donald Trump	78 32	45th President of the United States 33	Major accomplishments during Trump’s presidency include appointing three Supreme Court justices, implementing significant tax cuts through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, achieving record low unemployment rates for various demographic groups, and initiating several substantial federal regulations and reforms in areas such as immigration and trade policy. 34

17 October 2024

Finally, a great GOP plan to address climate change. Who’s Who

The unbelievable list of Who’s-Who from the GOP world have joined together (Climate Leadership Council) to come up with a very workable, market-based, approach to address climate change. Schultz and Baker have been around since the Reagan era. One of their crowning achievements was related to getting the world to reduce all of fluorocarbons (like Freon) which was wiping out the protective ozone layer of our atmosphere. You rarely hear the discuss on the ozone layer, right? Schultz and Baker are a big part of the reason why. The world-wide agreement on fluorocarbons is know as the Montreal Protocol.

Here is a great article by Schultz and Baker, both from Ronald Reagan era Republicans. A Conservative Answer to Climate Change.

First, to address climate change, has some scary implications. It really is unnerving if there is no energy policy in the US. In this report, we may have the only energy policy forming since the attempt by President Carter to have an energy policy. Obama tried to use the EPA to regulate fossil fuels and more, which is no substitute for an actual energy policy that is congress/legislative based.

For decades, economists have linked a market based approach to address the non-sustainable use of energy in the US and globally. One approach is to build a more complicated approach for putting a price on carbon, cap and trade (Emissions trading). A simple tax is so much more straight forward. In this case, they want to take the carbon tax and rebate it back to the population in the form of dividend rebates. The estimate is that the bottom 70% of the population, income-wise, will have a net benefit from this plan. Revenue neutral.

From an international security issue, it reduces the money we send to other countries in order to use more fossil fuels ($1T over every couple years). The large producers of the world are not necessarily friendly to us: Russia, Venezuela, Saudi, Iran. Much of the terrorism of the world is also paid from from oil moneys (ISIS and the renegades in Nigeria).

The beauty of this approach — above and beyond environmental benefits — is that people can take that dividend money and pay even more for gas and gas-guzzling vehicles. Or, even better, use if for something they value more.

I’ve been very disappointed in the GOP; they have let the deniers drown out the engagement of addressing such the critical issue of the non-sustainability of fossil fuels. A smart market approach will work nicely and solve lots of problems simultaneously. This approach will apparently reduce carbon emissions by 2x from Obama’s EPA approach to “clean energy”, and 3x what dumping the plan an reverting to business as usual (BAU). As one of the authors and economist Greg Mankiw says, “this is pretty close to a panacea in the way that it solves lots of problems as once”. No need to subsidize renewable; let the best solutions rise and the worst dwindle.

Consider this dividend-tax as insurance. You buy insurance to reduce future risks and costs. This plan starts to steadily reduce carbon emissions.

Everyone wins with this plan. Well, except maybe coal, oil and gas companies and countries.

Now these guys need to go convince Pres Trump and his merry band of fossil burners. Surprisingly, it might just work.

Also see Amy Harder Feb 8 blog on the topic in WSJ. She discusses the meeting of the Climate Leadership Council with Pres Trump where they voiced that they were “cautiously optimistic”.

9 February 2017
The Wonk Gap – NYTimes.com — its the lie not the truth that is telling.

The Wonk Gap – NYTimes.com:

Rotary International has a 4-Way test that starts with “Is it the truth?” In all we say and do …

If the facts that are presented are not truthful, then whatever follows in the arguments are bogus. Who benefits and why can not meaningfully be determined.

Stated differently, often (usually?) based on a careful organization of the facts, the best decisions are self-evident.

So what does Dr. Paul have to say about outright denial and miss information on the right? He points out the healthcare costs have actually been tame in recent years. Current estimates of the future costs/savings are actually better the GAO had originally estimated. Until recently, healthcare costs had been increasing at about 10% per year over the last 30 some years. All evidence is that these costs are much tamer, just over inflation, for the last few years. And that is prior to Obama care really kicking in.

I know! I’m surprised too, because Obama care doesn’t do nearly enough to address out-of-control healthcare costs as I would like to see. But shifting people out of the emergency room as the primary care, has got to save tons of money.

Klugman points out how obvious and untruthful some of the information is that continues to be propagated. At least on PBS, you will find a serious analysis of the issues and usually a fare representation of both sides.

Why would anyone anywhere continue to accept consistent untruths and even blatant lies?

I like to hear what I want to hear. But I need to hear what I don’t want to hear. As long as it is factual.

Counter factual is, will, counterproductive, to say the least.

Good article Dr Paul. It is too bad that the right people won’t read it. And the people who do read it, probably won’t apply the concept of truth-in-information-sources to their own media noise.

We all need to unfriend sources who promote bogus information, and let them talk to empty space. Only then will we have meaningful solutions to replace meaningless bickering.

‘via Blog this’

12 September 2013
The next crisis: Sponging boomers | The Economist

The next crisis: Sponging boomers | The Economist:

The math is ugly. This is a great article that summarized some really big key issues that arise from the generational move of the Boomers into retirement. BoomAge could be the syndrome.

Those age 65 or older are expected to consume about $333B more in benefits/services than they paid in taxes. No worries, let’s let our kids and grandkids take care of that bill.

And the bad thing about doing nothing (gridlock and more) is that it simply delays the solution and compounds the impact.

Some really cool (ugly really, but interesting) stats are the impact that inflation has had on the US national debt. The young, with debt, benefit from inflation. Older, with savings, get hit. The voting and politically active retirees will increase by almost 10% to 26% of the voters and will have time to push for services, benefits and low inflation.

Social Irresponsibility: Debt, Population, Inflation, Politics, gridlock, Boomers, Boomage

‘via Blog this’

2 October 2012
Bill Gates Helps Reinvent the Toilet – Earth911.com – Poo Power

Bill Gates Helps Reinvent the Toilet – Earth911.com:

I know what you’re thinking, when you contemplate the power of poo. You’re thinking about Winnie the Pooh. Right. “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” Winnie famously said… Talking about going out and making a difference.

Apparently the same can be said for poo. We need to take new and better toilets to the masses of people, 2.5B or so, that do not have clean sanitation. And you use that same poop and pee-power toilet to generate poop and pee-power. Something you would want to call Poop-Pee Power, I’m sure.

Processing it and storing the “fuel” (methane?) can then be used for power. Fuel cell for on demand, when needed,no moving parts, power seems logical. A requirement is that the final outputs must be power and hydrogen. Bill Gates says in the press release related to the challenge/competition:

“Imagine what’s possible if we continue to collaborate, stimulate new investment in this sector, and apply our ingenuity in the years ahead, . . . Many of these innovations will not only revolutionize sanitation in the developing world, but also help transform our dependence on traditional flush toilets in wealthy nations.”

Innovation such as this will bring sanitation, health and power to poor and unclean masses.

No crappy jokes here. (Well, maybe a few.)

This is a great idea, that’s a HEAD of its time — or maybe a little BEHIND the times.

We all really should have done something like this a LONG time ago.
And that’s the stinking true of it.

“Innovative solutions change people’s lives for the better,” said foundation Co-chair Bill Gates. “If we apply creative thinking to everyday challenges, such as dealing with human waste, we can fix some of the world’s toughest problems.”

By the world’s toughest problems, do you think that Bill thinks we can apply some of such solutions to politics? It seems that PolitiPoo should be especially high-octane and extremely combustible. !:-)

The trick seems to be keeping it out of the fan long enough to harness PolitiPoo power.

‘via Blog this’

18 September 2012

Category: politics

When is a President or Justice too Old to Serve

Finally, a great GOP plan to address climate change. Who’s Who

The Wonk Gap – NYTimes.com — its the lie not the truth that is telling.

The next crisis: Sponging boomers | The Economist

Bill Gates Helps Reinvent the Toilet – Earth911.com – Poo Power