Nancy Pelosi Reflects On the Not-Quite-End of An Era
TimeAPR 2023
Nancy Pelosi to Run for Re-Election
Image copyright: US Congress, Office of Nancy Pelosi [via Wikimedia Commons]
The Spin
Narrative A
Nancy Pelosi’s decision to remain in office at the age of 83 highlights a major point of contention in American politics. Most Americans — regardless of their political affiliation — favor term limits amid concerns that having older politicians thrust into the most important positions interferes with their health and hinders them from adequately performing their duties. It's an injustice for everyone involved if politicians with a clear degradation of their health continue to serve the public.
Narrative B
Americans have made great progress in opposing discrimination upon characteristics such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, yet many people seem to be just fine with blatant ageism. At every turn, older politicians on both sides are heavily scrutinized after every slip-up, as the media calls for them to retire. The fact is that many of these 70-plus-year-old politicians are wiser and more effective than their younger counterparts. Modern technology and medicine have done wonders to keep people mentally and physically acute for much longer, and America's political system desperately needs seasoned leadership.