Gerontocracynile
Critical Analysis
According to the data in the graph above, what is the average age of the President, House Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader?
Is it fair to call the U.S. Government a gerontocracy (government by the old)?
According to the data in the graph above, how much has the average age of the President, House Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader (the legislative triumvirate) changed since the mid 1990s?
What is your explanation for that change?
What is one consequence of having such an old legislative triumvirate (POTUS, House Speaker & Senate Majority Leader). In particular how do you think the age of the legislative triumvirate impacts policy for issues like climate, trans-rights, and student loans?
Identify the age of each of the following: President Biden, Speaker of the House Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Schumer?
Of the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader, make a claim about who has more power.
According to the visuals below, how do Congressional party membership, and congressional chamber vary by age?*
Imagine the Democrats lost control of the legislative triumvirate in the 2024 POTUS elections and the current leadership was replaced by what is the most likely Republican leadership of President Trump, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Senate Majority Leader McConnell. How would that change the age of government leadership and how would that impact the policy they would likely make?
One example of the ancient Greek gerontocracy can be seen in the city state of Sparta, which was ruled by a Gerousia, a council made up of members who were at least 60 years old and who served for life. Plato, one of the most penetrating, wide-ranging, and influential authors in the history of philosophy, famously stated that "it is for the elder man to rule and for the younger to submit". Explain whether you agree with Plato’s statement.
Learning Extension
The Y Axis is an amazing Substack newsletter. I read it all the time and it has become a regular part of our class starters/labs. Read the details of the latest Y Axis Post: Congress is old as heck. If you like the newsletter, subscribe.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by November 8, 2022, register to vote (it will take less than 2 minutes) and vote for people who are less than 77 years old.