Bernie Sanders

[Zsa Zsa's leg 932]

7 minutes ago, Sean said:

Well he will be 89 at the end of his term which is significantly above US life expectancy.On that basis I would say he is a lifer along with McConnell and Grassley.

My definition of "lifer" was staying in office until one dies, like Feinstein or Robert Byrd, while knowing they were far too ill to function in office.

 

I remember reading a story where one of Byrd's staffers at a Democratic Caucus meeting tried to tell Harry Reid what Byrd thought about a bill. Reid, seeing through the bullshit as Byrd had lost his mind long before his death, said something along the lines of "that was great, but we all know Robert Byrd didn't say that."

 

As far as I know, Sanders and Grassley have not had serious illnesses that would preclude them from doing their job. If Sanders were to retire at 89, he could reasonably live a few years on. I don't think he is determined to stay in office until he dies. I agree with your broader point though.

[The Old Crem 3,801]

20 minutes ago, Sean said:

Well he will be 89 at the end of his term which is significantly above US life expectancy.On that basis I would say he is a lifer along with McConnell and Grassley.

McConnell is going at the next election but i am not sure if he will makes it there. 

[Sean 6,612]

1 hour ago, Zsa Zsa's leg said:

My definition of "lifer" was staying in office until one dies, like Feinstein or Robert Byrd, while knowing they were far too ill to function in office.

 

I remember reading a story where one of Byrd's staffers at a Democratic Caucus meeting tried to tell Harry Reid what Byrd thought about a bill. Reid, seeing through the bullshit as Byrd had lost his mind long before his death, said something along the lines of "that was great, but we all know Robert Byrd didn't say that."

 

As far as I know, Sanders and Grassley have not had serious illnesses that would preclude them from doing their job. If Sanders were to retire at 89, he could reasonably live a few years on. I don't think he is determined to stay in office until he dies. I agree with your broader point though.

Oh ok I get the distinction but he has the capacity to be a lifer .Taking on a 6 year term at 83 means you are statistically likely to die in office.Not sure what the odds of an 83 year old making 89 are but don't think the odds are fantastic still.Issue will losing capacity like Feinstein did is other people end up making decisions for you as once you lose capacity you aren't by definition making decisions about your future.For example Feinsteins office announced she wouldn't stand again but the next day she denied it probably as she couldn't recall basic short term information at that point and thus wasn't able to make decisions for herself (which we all already knew was the case) at least she could make decisions for millions of others whilst not knowing what was going on though I guess.

[Sean 6,612]

My mother had a similar experience with a boss.The boss ran a very successful private business for decades and took my Mum on as an admistrator and she had already turned 90 by this point but moved and acted like someone several decades younger.Her mind was razor sharp and she was in good physical shape too and seemed years younger.Then 3 years later Mum and all the other employees had to fill in more for her.She would forget times and dates of appointments and confuse people plus started struggling with basic tasks like answering the phone or making cups of tea and this became chronic.She had also developed a hunchback and her gait was unstable.Many discussions where had across the company about her ability to function and especially drive but never amounted to anything as she was a spinster with no family or obvious successor.One day she saw a pedestrian walk out at a level crossing and went to apply the brakes with her foot but missed and hit the accelerator braking both the pedestrians legs.She then refused to surrend her driving license at which point my mother resigned her position.The lady in question I know died bedbound in the final stages of dementia seven years later in a nursing home aged 100 but we never knew what became of the company.

 

The is the issue with geriatrics being in charge they are fine until they aren't and when you are way past life expectancy age related decline will get you at some point and by the time it does you aren't aware of it.My Mum always said she would have listened and gave up her driving license when she first knew her if someone had said it was time to stop but when the dementia set in she couldn't see there was an issue.