One of America's oldest senators is retiring. Let's hope he's not the last.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Monday announced he'll retire at the end of his term next year. Elected in 1974 in the wake of Watergate, he's the chamber's longest-serving Democrat, and, in most businesses, the retirement of an 81-year old after nearly five decades in his job would be big news.
In politics, it's an increasingly rare exception. Amazingly, Leahy is only the fifth-oldest sitting senator. A further 23 of his colleagues are in their 70s, while just one is under 40.
Respect for advanced age is built into the idea of a Senate, the name of which is derived from the Latin word senex or "old man." The Constitution sets a minimum age of 30 for senators. Still, the continued service of figures like Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who turned 88 in September, raise the question of whether gerontocracy can go too far. Long-serving lawmakers have experience and relationships that may help them deliver benefits to their constituents. But they're also susceptible to physical and cognitive decline that makes it harder for them to do their jobs.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Despite their self-image as the party of youth, the problem is especially severe for Democrats. In the other house of Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) are both octogenarians. At 78, President Biden is almost there. Before her death in 2020 at the age of 87, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg infuriated progressives by refusing to retire under a Democratic president. As a result, she was replaced by the comparatively youthful (and conservative) Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who is likely to serve for decades.
There are no easy solutions for our aging national leadership. If voters didn't like older candidates, they wouldn't keep returning them to office. And mandatory retirement, used in Canada's Senate, would require a constitutional amendment.
Yet Leahy's decision highlights one more way in which power has been concentrated in small group at the expense of the rest of the population. Under the circumstances, he should be thanked for doing the right thing. Let's hope he's not the last.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Samuel Goldman is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also an associate professor of political science at George Washington University, where he is executive director of the John L. Loeb, Jr. Institute for Religious Freedom and director of the Politics & Values Program. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard and was a postdoctoral fellow in Religion, Ethics, & Politics at Princeton University. His books include God's Country: Christian Zionism in America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018) and After Nationalism (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021). In addition to academic research, Goldman's writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Playful goslings, an exploding snowman, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: April 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How powerful is Iran?
Today's big question Islamic republic is facing domestic dissent and 'economic peril' but has a vast military, dangerous allies and a nuclear threat
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Making sense of FISA's strange bedfellows in Congress
The Explainer How a controversial intelligence gathering law is bringing progressive Democrats and privacy hawk Republicans together
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
US, Israel brace for Iran retaliatory strikes
Speed Read An Iranian attack on Israel is believed to be imminent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How green onions could swing South Korea's election
The Explainer Country's president has fallen foul of the oldest trick in the campaign book, not knowing the price of groceries
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Ukraine's battle to save Kharkiv from Putin's drones
The Explainer Country's second-largest city has been under almost daily attacks since February amid claims Russia wants to make it uninhabitable
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
India elections 2024: the logistics of world's biggest vote
The Explainer More than 10% of the world's population is registered for a historic democratic exercise, with PM Modi likely to dominate again
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published