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They shouldn't, though Congress has a massive skew towards them. The median senator is on Social Security. The median House member is just shy of being able to
by jfengel 3y ago
They shouldn't, though Congress has a massive skew towards them. The median senator is on Social Security. The median House member is just shy of being able to make tax-free withdrawals from their 401(k)s.
The minimum ages necessarily put an upward skew on it, but very few are anywhere near the minimum. There is little need to ensure representation for the elderly. And meantime, anybody of working age is badly under-represented.
- edgyquant 3y agoVery few young people have the privilege to afford campaigning. It makes sense most people able to do so are old enough to have the savings, skills or passive income that allows them the freedom to hit the campaign trail.
- jfengel 3y agoWhich is yet more reason to give us something to put a thumb on the younger side of the scale. An age limit would be a crude form of that. So would a term limit. We could alter the seniority system that gives much more weight to people who have been there the longest. But that's a rule Congress passes for itself, and it's hard to imagine many incumbents giving up on a privilege they've been waiting for.