Yes, we need to talk about President Biden’s age
To the editor: Age completely must be a consideration for crucial job in our nation. (“Is Biden too outdated to run once more? Is Feinstein too frail to remain? It’s not about age,” column, April 25)
The minimal age for president is 5 years greater than that for a senator and 10 greater than a member of the Home. Why? As a result of maturity and logic are important for this most vital of jobs, and people develop (normally) as one racks up life expertise. All of us mature at completely different ages, and all of us decline at completely different ages. However we nonetheless set age necessities for lots of vital jobs.
I used to be alive, and so was columnist Steve Lopez, the final time a sitting president died. Granted, it was sudden and violent, however it threw the nation into confusion and chaos for a time period. I imagine the identical would occur as we speak if a sitting president suffered a coronary heart assault.
President Biden seems and sounds match now, however check out pictures of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in 2018, when she was final reelected. My candy spot for a brand new president is between 50 and 72 years outdated — sufficiently old for knowledge and maturity, but younger sufficient to be statistically wholesome.
I don’t care a couple of most age for members of Congress, however this outdated girl positively needs one for president and vp.
Diane Scholfield, Vista
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To the editor: Whereas I agree with Lopez that folks age in another way, two people who insisted on serving regardless of their superior age have helped create the havoc we’re experiencing on abortion.
One was the late Supreme Court docket Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, whose resolution to not retire when Democrats managed the White Home and the Senate allowed then-President Trump to make his third Supreme Court docket appointment in 2020.
Now, Feinstein’s absence because of well being issues forestall her from voting to substantiate Biden’s judicial nominees.
Age might not be the largest issue, however a cussed insistence on staying on within the face of poor well being is a egocentric indulgence that has resulted in hurt. After all I’ll vote for Biden, however it is going to be with hope for his continued good well being.
Michael Peretzian, Los Angeles
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To the editor: As an age peer of Biden, I need to disgree with Lopez.
About one-fifth of adults ages 85 to 89 endure from dementia, and that is exactly the age bracket Biden will enter ought to he get reelected. Maybe dementia could spare Biden, however why take the danger?
Sure, the president can nonetheless give a speech with solely minor stumbling whereas studying from a teleprompter, however his employees have issued clarifications on statements made throughout his uncommon information conferences.
We actually have to ask if we’re higher off now than we had been just a few years in the past. If the reply isn’t any, why would we wish one other time period for Biden? By saying his reelection marketing campaign, Biden is sucking out the oxygen from potential candidates who could also be in a greater place to beat Trump and run our nation.
John T. Chiu, Newport Seashore
