Voters are the only test
Bipartisanship continues to rear its pretty head, probably in a way you didn’t see coming.
Over the weekend, President Biden made it clear he agreed with Republican Nikki Haley on one thing—she is not Nancy Pelosi.
On Friday, Donald Trump repeatedly (at least five times) confused Nikki Haley, a Republican primary opponent, with Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat and former Speaker of the House.
“He’s just not at the same level he was in 2016,” said Nikki Haley on CBS. She went on to say that Mr. Trump claimed that “Joe Biden was going to get us into World War II. I’m assuming he meant World War three. He said that he ran against President Obama. He never ran against President Obama. He says that I’m the one that kept security from the Capitol on Jan. 6. I was nowhere near the Capitol on Jan. 6.”
Putting aside the fact that no evidence has been produced to back up the security-related claim, a common if not constant narrative pushed by Republicans in the 2024 presidential contest is that due to his age—81—President Biden doesn’t possess the mental capacity to be the leader of the free world.
The Biden camp has fired back at Trump, who will be 78 in June.
Biden aired an ad showing many of Haley’s recent statements on the matter, which also showed video clips of Trump saying:
“You need Voter ID to buy a loaf of bread.”
“I’m driving over a road where it’s all paper. I know paper. I know cans.”
“I’m seeing it all the time. I’m seeing whales washing up on shore because of the wind.”
“Our veterans don’t have cell phones, do they?”
At the end of the ad Biden proudly says, “I’m Joe Biden and I approved this message.” Why wouldn’t he?
Repeated gaffes from Biden and Trump, as well as California Democrat Dianne Feinstein dying in her 90s while in the Senate and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal to step down after freezing up and being unable to continue two separate press conferences in recent months has led many to suggest an age limit and/or mental competency test to serve in higher office should be considered.
The idea has merit. But the pitfalls are many.
In the current political climate, it’s all but certain any test would be deemed unfair in content, or grading by any candidate who fails it.
And just as with congressional term limits, which requires amending the Constitution, citizens must remember an age limit could deprive the country of the leadership of a popular and perfectly fit future president simply because he or she has been on Earth for too long.
Then again, it’s just possible we can continue doing it the way it’s been done for more than two centuries, which is to let the voters decide who should run the country. Considering the United States has been the No. 1 economic and military super-power in the world for the better part of a century, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea to keep the system the way it is.