2024

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

OPINION
The solution to America’s gerontocracy
Vote for candidates who aren’t addicted to power.
By Jeff Jacoby Globe Columnist, July 3, 2024


Thomas Jefferson could easily have won a third term as president. He was the most influential figure in the Democratic-Republican Party, which had displaced the Federalists to become the dominant political force in the United States. In the first decades of the 19th century, there was no limit on how many terms a president could serve and George Washington’s precedent of stepping down after eight years had not yet hardened into custom.

But Jefferson had no intention of remaining in office indefinitely. He looked forward to leaving the White House and was eager, in the words of historian Peter Onuf, to “satisfy his boundless curiosity for life.” His interests ranged from mastering Greek to managing his estate at Monticello to promoting scientific research. Above all he was absorbed with planning the new University of Virginia, from designing its campus to shaping its curriculum.

The ability to walk away from power is a great virtue in a democratic republic. It is also one that too many contemporary political leaders lack. President Biden’s disastrous performance in last week’s debate with Donald Trump reinforced what an overwhelming majority of Americans already believed — our octogenarian president lacks the cognitive agility a president needs, but he is determined to hang on to power nevertheless. A wide swath of voters also think Trump, 78, is too old for the White House.

Biden, 81, is hardly the only high political official who cannot admit that his time has passed. Washington today is more of a gerontocracy than ever. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell is 82 and has had episodes of freezing up and staring blankly when answering questions. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California was 90 when she died last September, having steadfastly refused to resign despite her manifest inability to think clearly and function independently.

In May, Senator Bernie Sanders, who is 82, announced that he is running for yet another six-year term, his fourth. Nancy Pelosi is no longer the House speaker, but the 84-year-old is seeking a 20th term in Congress. Even more ancient is Senator Chuck Grassley, who has been on Capitol Hill since 1975 and will be 95 when his current Senate term ends.

In his legendary 1961 inaugural address, John F. Kennedy declared that the torch had been passed to a new generation. But America today is governed by ancient politicians who cannot bear to think of passing the torch to younger men and women.

There are some admirable exceptions.

Senator Mitt Romney of Utah announced last fall that he would not run for another term — not because he has lost interest in public affairs but because of his age. “At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-80s,” Romney said. “Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders.”

Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan likewise announced that she would leave Congress when her current term ends. Noting that she had been just 24 when she entered politics, the 74-year-old Democrat expressed the desire to make way for someone younger.

Ideology aside, the best public officials have always been those who know better than to overstay their welcome. John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the earth, went into politics and served four terms as a Democratic senator from Ohio. When he announced that he wouldn’t be running for a fifth term, he said candidly that people his age — he was then 75 — were simply too old for the job.

“One immutable fact remains,” Glenn told an audience of college students. “There is still no cure for the common birthday.”

Alas, there is also no cure for the common politician’s ego. Many officials regard themselves as indispensable and are certain that no one can possibly do their job as well as they can. They cannot imagine relinquishing power voluntarily, addicted as they are to the perquisites of their office and the deference shown to them by mere mortals. Many have spent so many decades in office that they have no other identity; to give up their position is, at some subconscious level, to give up the one thing they care about.

It is a paradox of democratic politics that only those willing to walk away from power deserve to be entrusted with it in the first place. America’s gerontocracy has become a serious problem, but the solution is ultimately in the hands of the people. If we don’t want to be governed by elderly politicians, all we have to do is stop voting for them.

Jeff Jacoby can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @jeff_jacoby. To subscribe to Arguable, his weekly newsletter, visit globe.com/arguable.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/07/03/ ... age-power/

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

https://www.realclearpolling.com/bettin ... /president

[old salt]

https://centuryofbio.com/p/illumina

My wife was first sequencing genes in 1990….right as the human genome project was making its way into public consciousness. Plenty of of people know Illumina’s market dominance. Just not people Old Soldier knows.

Market dominance is not necessarily a monopoly.

BTW......if Grail is SO important, and cancer treatment trumps other considerations? Illumina can simply sell of the companies they already bought, lowering their marketshare.

Why don't they do that?

...because they were not offered that option.
They might have done that if offered that option..
They were blind sided by Khan after her FTC Judge ruled in Illumina's favor.

Illumina = the "monopoly" that no one's heard of.

They don't need to be offered that option. A good CEO figures it out. That's what they get paid to do. If they're not smart enough to know that having 80% marketshare means that buying up more companies might not be an option? The problem is your CEO sucks.

Blindsided at 80% marketshare? When Old Salt himself told us the FTC isn't doing their job breaking up monopolies in the grocery sector?

Come on. Let's move on. We get it, you're angry. I'm out of things to say here....

Illumina's CEO was smart enough to start & build the company.
He was not isolated. Bill Gates & wife + Jeff Bezos were major shareholders.
Even Carl Ichan was in big. Obama spoke at one of their forums in 2022.
https://investor.illumina.com/news/pres ... fault.aspx
Former FDA Director Dr Scott Gottleib (who you saw all over tv during covid) was & remains a BoD member.
They were all blindsided by Biden's & Khan's attack.

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

[Kismet]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

[old salt]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

[old salt]

Yup. Flynn in charge of the military. Bannon as Sec’y of State (hey, I did my time; where’s my reward?)

While Trump will have immunity for all the crimes he commits, his underlings will not. But Trump can pardon anyone and everyone who works for him. It will simply be one of the forms you sign on your last day of employment – a blanket pardon from the dotard himself. Signed in illegible sharpie.

How will Flynn be in charge of the military ? What office will he hold ?

Senate confirmation for Bannon or Flynn ? Trump threw them both out of the WH early in his first term.

They are useless to him inside the govt. More useful in MAGA world.

[Typical Lax Dad]

https://centuryofbio.com/p/illumina

My wife was first sequencing genes in 1990….right as the human genome project was making its way into public consciousness. Plenty of of people know Illumina’s market dominance. Just not people Old Soldier knows.

Market dominance is not necessarily a monopoly.

BTW......if Grail is SO important, and cancer treatment trumps other considerations? Illumina can simply sell of the companies they already bought, lowering their marketshare.

Why don't they do that?

...because they were not offered that option.
They might have done that if offered that option..
They were blind sided by Khan after her FTC Judge ruled in Illumina's favor.

Illumina = the "monopoly" that no one's heard of.

They don't need to be offered that option. A good CEO figures it out. That's what they get paid to do. If they're not smart enough to know that having 80% marketshare means that buying up more companies might not be an option? The problem is your CEO sucks.

Blindsided at 80% marketshare? When Old Salt himself told us the FTC isn't doing their job breaking up monopolies in the grocery sector?

Come on. Let's move on. We get it, you're angry. I'm out of things to say here....

Illumina's CEO was smart enough to start & build the company.
He was not isolated. Bill Gates & wife + Jeff Bezos were major shareholders.
Even Carl Ichan was in big. Obama spoke at one of their forums in 2022.
https://investor.illumina.com/news/pres ... fault.aspx
Former FDA Director Dr Scott Gottleib (who you saw all over tv during covid) was & remains a BoD member.
They were all blindsided by Biden's & Khan's attack.

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Market dominance is not necessarily NOT a monopoly either….

I won’t be cowed.

[Kismet]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

It's a free country sailor. Thankfully you are not in charge here.
Delusional becomes you Salty Gaslight.
Keep yammering your alleged "facts"

Apparently you did everyone a favor regarding investing 101 and how you lost your shirt on Illumina but blaming the FTC and Biden Administration for your apparent lack of investing acumen.

[Typical Lax Dad]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

It's a free country sailor. Thankfully you are not in charge here.
Delusional becomes you Salty Gaslight.
Keep yammering your alleged "facts"

Apparently you did everyone a favor regarding investing 101 and how you lost your shirt on Illumina but blaming the FTC and Biden Administration for your apparent lack of investing acumen.

Days later and he is still angry and whining.

[old salt]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

It's a free country sailor. Thankfully you are not in charge here.
Delusional becomes you Salty Gaslight.
Keep yammering your alleged "facts"

Apparently you did everyone a favor regarding investing 101 and how you lost your shirt on Illumina but blaming the FTC and Biden Administration for your apparent lack of investing acumen.

Tell me about investing acumen. Lost my shirt ? I still have a 2000% gain on my ILMN shares, just down from the 5000% gain when ILMN announced the re-acquisition of GRAL, ...before Biden & Khan interfered (without precedent) in that market sector, needing a scalp,after failing against Amazon & Microsoft.

[Typical Lax Dad]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

It's a free country sailor. Thankfully you are not in charge here.
Delusional becomes you Salty Gaslight.
Keep yammering your alleged "facts"

Apparently you did everyone a favor regarding investing 101 and how you lost your shirt on Illumina but blaming the FTC and Biden Administration for your apparent lack of investing acumen.

Tell me about investing acumen. Lost my shirt ? I still have a 2000% gain on my ILMN shares, just down from the 5000% gain when ILMN announced the re-acquisition of GRAL, ...before Biden & Khan interfered (without precedent) in that market sector, needing a scalp,after failing against Amazon & Microsoft.

Happy 4th of July!

[old salt]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

It's a free country sailor. Thankfully you are not in charge here.
Delusional becomes you Salty Gaslight.
Keep yammering your alleged "facts"

Apparently you did everyone a favor regarding investing 101 and how you lost your shirt on Illumina but blaming the FTC and Biden Administration for your apparent lack of investing acumen.

Tell me about investing acumen. Lost my shirt ? I still have a 2000% gain on my ILMN shares, just down from the 5000% gain when ILMN announced the re-acquisition of GRAL, ...before Biden & Khan interfered (without precedent) in that market sector, needing a scalp,after failing against Amazon & Microsoft.

Happy 4th of July!

Did you pull the trigger on GRAL ? I scooped up the loose cash coins from under my portfolio cushions & doubled my stake in GRAL at yesterday's opening. ...in for a penny, in for a pound.
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/06/25/g ... agusa.html

[LaxFan2311]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

How is telling someone to STFU and GFY on here allowed?? Reported.

[Typical Lax Dad]

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

Maybe try taking your own advice and STFU already.

The only upside for everyone else is that it has been days since you yammered about Hunter Biden

At least I respond with facts, rather than just snark & brainless emojis. Just Butt out if you want to stop the discussion.

It's a free country sailor. Thankfully you are not in charge here.
Delusional becomes you Salty Gaslight.
Keep yammering your alleged "facts"

Apparently you did everyone a favor regarding investing 101 and how you lost your shirt on Illumina but blaming the FTC and Biden Administration for your apparent lack of investing acumen.

Tell me about investing acumen. Lost my shirt ? I still have a 2000% gain on my ILMN shares, just down from the 5000% gain when ILMN announced the re-acquisition of GRAL, ...before Biden & Khan interfered (without precedent) in that market sector, needing a scalp,after failing against Amazon & Microsoft.

Happy 4th of July!

Did you pull the trigger on GRAL ? I scooped up the loose cash coins from under my portfolio cushions & doubled my stake in GRAL at yesterday's opening. ...in for a penny, in for a pound.
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/06/25/g ... agusa.html

Yes. Has some decent upside and I had rotated out of a pharma stock and was looking to replace it. The Grail conversation was timely. Anyway we will see where it goes long term.

[a fan]

Market dominance is not necessarily a monopoly.

Your opinion. This is not anywhere near a fact.

FTC disagrees. The more you post, the more everyone here understands why the rich and the Republicans LOVE monopolies.

They line your pockets. That's it. Nothing more. Khan is FINALLy doing at least SOME work to slow these monopolies. I hopes she's in this post for her entire career.

And you'll cheer her work....so long as she dismantles companies that you don't own shares in.

Illumina's CEO was smart enough to start & build the company.
He was not isolated. Bill Gates & wife + Jeff Bezos were major shareholders.
Even Carl Ichan was in big. Obama spoke at one of their forums in 2022.
https://investor.illumina.com/news/pres ... fault.aspx
Former FDA Director Dr Scott Gottleib (who you saw all over tv during covid) was & remains a BoD member.
They were all blindsided by Biden's & Khan's attack.

If you want to move on, then stop responding.

I'm giving you an out, because this is the point where you yell and scream at me for going round and round. As usual, I'm seeing no matter how polite I try to be with you....it never works. I'm always the bad guy.

And if you're going to lecture us about how we don't know the first thing about Illumina....maybe don't tell us that you think the CEO of Illumina is a founder. He's been on the job for under year. The previous CEO wasn't a founder, either.

It's real simple: you're upset you lost money, and are starting there, and looking for someone to blame. You understand monopolies just fine, and know what happened.

And you know that if Grail is important, Illumina could simply sell off other parts they've acquired (16 acquisitions), and buy Grail.

Neither you nor Illumina want to do that, because the REASON they peaked at that $500 per share was that they get to push their monopoly even further with Grail in tow.

This is about money, and nothing more. Shocker.

I hope the next Khan is even more aggressive than she is.

You simply want more money, and don't care how it happens......I want innovation and fair competition in our markets. Big difference.

[admin]

No personal attacks.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Illumina disobeyed a direct order. Was told not to close that deal until all approvals were in hand. We recently waited 18 months for all global approvals to be in hand for a global acquisition…the last of which was China. Illumina’s management team was arrogant. Icahn sued them in part for jumping the gun on the acquisition.

You don’t ignore regulators. Just like you don’t ignore an order from a superior officer.

[njbill]

Yup. Flynn in charge of the military. Bannon as Sec’y of State (hey, I did my time; where’s my reward?)

While Trump will have immunity for all the crimes he commits, his underlings will not. But Trump can pardon anyone and everyone who works for him. It will simply be one of the forms you sign on your last day of employment – a blanket pardon from the dotard himself. Signed in illegible sharpie.

How will Flynn be in charge of the military ? What office will he hold ?

Senate confirmation for Bannon or Flynn ? Trump threw them both out of the WH early in his first term.

They are useless to him inside the govt. More useful in MAGA world.

Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

If the Republicans win the Senate, they will approve anyone Trump nominates.

[old salt]

Yup. Flynn in charge of the military. Bannon as Sec’y of State (hey, I did my time; where’s my reward?)

While Trump will have immunity for all the crimes he commits, his underlings will not. But Trump can pardon anyone and everyone who works for him. It will simply be one of the forms you sign on your last day of employment – a blanket pardon from the dotard himself. Signed in illegible sharpie.

How will Flynn be in charge of the military ? What office will he hold ?

Senate confirmation for Bannon or Flynn ? Trump threw them both out of the WH early in his first term.

They are useless to him inside the govt. More useful in MAGA world.

Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

If the Republicans win the Senate, they will approve anyone Trump nominates.

Tell us exactly how Flynn would become CJCOS. What would the process be ? Would Congress have to approve his 4rh star ?

[old salt]

You simply want more money, and don't care how it happens......I want innovation and fair competition in our markets. Big difference.

I want groundbreaking, innovation companies to be allowed to grow & develop without arbitrary & capricious govt interference, which stifles & delays innovation & growth.

If Illumina's acquisition had gone through without delay, the cancer test would have FDA approval by now & would be widely available covered by Medicare, Medicaid & Health Insurers. On their own, Grail is hoping for FDA approval by 2026, at the earliest. Grail would not exist had Illumina not founded it then spun it off.