by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
Not having been a particular fan of Nancy Pelosi after she elbowed and pushed her way into control of the House of Representatives for a second time, I must nevertheless give credit where credit is due. For the past few days she has been adroitly backing Trump into a corner over his upcoming State of the Union speech, and yesterday she completed the process by sending him a letter which declared that the speech would not happen until the government shutdown was over - at least not in the House of Representatives.
And instead of snorting a fistful of crushed Adderol and rage-tweeting all night, Trump surprised many by quietly and completely backing down. He said that the House was the proper venue for his speech, and that he would wait to deliver it until the shutdown was over.
Nancy had lowered the boom - and I am damned proud of her for doing it. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing a bully get what is coming to him, and when that comeuppance is delivered by a woman, well . . . that is just gravy!
So that kerfuffle is over, at least for the time being, but I still have an issue with Pelosi, and Trump, and a couple of other prominent U.S. politicians - and that problem is their age - and if that makes me an ageist or politically incorrect, then so be it.
Donald Trump is the oldest person to have ever been elected President of the United States. He won that freak election in 2016 at the ripe old age of seventy, and today he still holds office at seventy-two. He will add another year to that total in June. Nancy Pelosi is seventy-eight and will turn seventy-nine in March. She will be eighty before her current term as Speaker of the House ends.
I will be seventy-one in March, and though I am still reasonably active and fairly fit of mind, I know that both my physical abilities and mental processes are slowing through the aging process. March will also mark the five-year anniversary of my retirement, and I am thankful every day that I had the good sense to leave the rat race when I did and make room for younger people to move up in the workforce.
I went to a very small rural high school. Though the young people associated with our class (1966) usually numbered around thirty, only twenty made it through to graduation night. This week I received word that another of our class had passed away - making a total of eight of the twenty who have died so far.
There comes a time, Nancy. There comes a time, Fat Boy.
Some people don't (or won't) recognize when the time to step aside has arrived, and they continue to cling to their self-importance and past glories like barnacles on an aging battleship. They feel that only they can do the job the way it needs to be done. And that notion becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when they decline to offer leadership opportunities to new faces who are eager to learn the craft of governing and to prove their own abilities.
The Democratic presidential field this year also harbors some tottering old war horses: Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, and Mike Bloomberg are all well into their seventies. Hillary (should she decide to run again) is in her early seventies, and Elizabeth Warren will be seventy this June.
Yesterday the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, announced that he was considering entering the presidential race, and he made it very clear that he sees the upcoming contest as a generational issue. Age, whether it's a fair marker or not, is going to be part of the political discourse.
Nancy Pelosi did a great job yesterday in out-maneuvering Donald Trump and bringing him under her control - and she deserves our utmost appreciation for that outcome. She had a very good day. But Pelosi, and Trump, and several other politicians of national renown are nearing the end of their relevance and ability to lead. They are literally feeling their way along the darkening twilight trails at a time when our nation needs to be connected to the vision and vitality of its youth.
It is time for a real change in leadership. Instead of talking about walls and wars, we need to start focusing on things like climate change, tax fairness, medical care for all, and well-funded public education. The focus needs to shift from the prejudices of the elderly to the very real issues facing families and children. America needs to be focused on tomorrow, and its our youth who will be leading us there.
Citizen Journalist
Not having been a particular fan of Nancy Pelosi after she elbowed and pushed her way into control of the House of Representatives for a second time, I must nevertheless give credit where credit is due. For the past few days she has been adroitly backing Trump into a corner over his upcoming State of the Union speech, and yesterday she completed the process by sending him a letter which declared that the speech would not happen until the government shutdown was over - at least not in the House of Representatives.
And instead of snorting a fistful of crushed Adderol and rage-tweeting all night, Trump surprised many by quietly and completely backing down. He said that the House was the proper venue for his speech, and that he would wait to deliver it until the shutdown was over.
Nancy had lowered the boom - and I am damned proud of her for doing it. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing a bully get what is coming to him, and when that comeuppance is delivered by a woman, well . . . that is just gravy!
So that kerfuffle is over, at least for the time being, but I still have an issue with Pelosi, and Trump, and a couple of other prominent U.S. politicians - and that problem is their age - and if that makes me an ageist or politically incorrect, then so be it.
Donald Trump is the oldest person to have ever been elected President of the United States. He won that freak election in 2016 at the ripe old age of seventy, and today he still holds office at seventy-two. He will add another year to that total in June. Nancy Pelosi is seventy-eight and will turn seventy-nine in March. She will be eighty before her current term as Speaker of the House ends.
I will be seventy-one in March, and though I am still reasonably active and fairly fit of mind, I know that both my physical abilities and mental processes are slowing through the aging process. March will also mark the five-year anniversary of my retirement, and I am thankful every day that I had the good sense to leave the rat race when I did and make room for younger people to move up in the workforce.
I went to a very small rural high school. Though the young people associated with our class (1966) usually numbered around thirty, only twenty made it through to graduation night. This week I received word that another of our class had passed away - making a total of eight of the twenty who have died so far.
There comes a time, Nancy. There comes a time, Fat Boy.
Some people don't (or won't) recognize when the time to step aside has arrived, and they continue to cling to their self-importance and past glories like barnacles on an aging battleship. They feel that only they can do the job the way it needs to be done. And that notion becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when they decline to offer leadership opportunities to new faces who are eager to learn the craft of governing and to prove their own abilities.
The Democratic presidential field this year also harbors some tottering old war horses: Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, and Mike Bloomberg are all well into their seventies. Hillary (should she decide to run again) is in her early seventies, and Elizabeth Warren will be seventy this June.
Yesterday the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, announced that he was considering entering the presidential race, and he made it very clear that he sees the upcoming contest as a generational issue. Age, whether it's a fair marker or not, is going to be part of the political discourse.
Nancy Pelosi did a great job yesterday in out-maneuvering Donald Trump and bringing him under her control - and she deserves our utmost appreciation for that outcome. She had a very good day. But Pelosi, and Trump, and several other politicians of national renown are nearing the end of their relevance and ability to lead. They are literally feeling their way along the darkening twilight trails at a time when our nation needs to be connected to the vision and vitality of its youth.
It is time for a real change in leadership. Instead of talking about walls and wars, we need to start focusing on things like climate change, tax fairness, medical care for all, and well-funded public education. The focus needs to shift from the prejudices of the elderly to the very real issues facing families and children. America needs to be focused on tomorrow, and its our youth who will be leading us there.
5 comments:
Another reason for a more youthful President is the nuclear reason. H.R. 669 requires Congress pass a Declaration of War before a perhaps senile Commander-In-Chief can commence nuclear war.
1. H.R.669 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To prohibit the conduct of a first-use nuclear strike absent a declaration of war by Congress.
Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] (Introduced 01/17/2019) Cosponsors: (42)
Committees: House - Foreign Affairs
Latest Action: House - 01/17/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. (All Actions)
Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced Here are the steps for Status of Legislation:Introduced
I often marvel at all we have in common, including "almost age." You'll be 71 for three months before I turn 72 --- Class of 1965. We live on a farm, mow grass a lot of lawn, enjoy our critters. We've also taught English and share almost identical political beliefs. Plus we do blogs every day. I just wanted to add my two cents about your comments on age. Besides also knowing that I no longer have the stamina to keep up the pace necessary for local committees, let alone the United States government, I also believe that our generation needs to step aside for those who will inherit this country. They are the future; they need to solve the problems and they need to come up with innovative ways of helping our nation function in a way that it meets the needs of its people. We, of the elder set, can take on the responsibility of providing wisdom when needed and support every single day.
Make that "mow a lot of lawn." Didn't catch my edit until after I posted.
Marianne, Thank you for your wonderful comments. Whenever I crawl out on that age limb, I always fear that it will unleash a torrent of anger, so it was reassuring to see that you have basically the same concerns - and state them in such a positive manner! I read through some of your blog this evening - you write beautifully.
Best to you, my friend!
Thank you, Rocky. My dear friend Helen Newton from Sandpoint put me on to your blog a couple of years ago. Seems you are a cousin to one of her classmates. Can't remember which one at this time, but I enjoy reading your thoughts each morning with my first cup of coffee. Keep up the good fight, and mow those lawns!
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