An older leader often has fewer long term stakes in the decisions they make, if they were to destabilize the economy or lead the country into conflict, they may not experience the full consequences of their actions, as their personal future is less affected compared to younger generations. Leadership at that level requires making decisions that will shape the long term future of a nation, and it’s crucial that those in power have a vested interest in that future. Additionally, presidents and politicians are public servants, and like any profession, there should be an age limit or retirement age to ensure the vitality, adaptability, and long term accountability necessary for effective leadership. At what age do you think they need to retire?
At the end of the day, most of what people care about isn’t age, it’s cognitive function (though age itself is important; why care about the America of 2040 if you won’t live to see it).
Many of these people in power would fight age limits, but they are usually so sure of their abilities, that they may not fight cognitive tests with published results.
For example, if you give someone a Montreal cognitive assessment, and their reaction to it is:
And those last 5 questions are:
You might think that person shouldn’t be in charge of the country.
Oops.