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After Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell froze mid-sentence throughout a press convention Tuesday, Google searches for the time period “gerontocracy” — oligarchical rule by the aged — spiked, in accordance with Google Traits.
Within the days earlier than the episode, nearly nobody was trying to find the time period. Within the afternoon hours, as information of McConnell’s episode unfold, Google searches for the time period started to rise then shortly quadrupled, peaking round 7 p.m.
McConnell, for his half, has insisted that he’s “effective,” although each he and aides have declined to touch upon his medical standing. Earlier this yr, McConnell suffered a traumatic head damage from a fall. Whereas his workplace disclosed particulars of the episode, they didn’t point out a reported second fall two weeks in the past and that he typically makes use of a wheelchair to get round.
At age 81, McConnell is one in every of a quickly rising cohort of political leaders over 70 on Capitol Hill. The typical age in Congress has elevated sharply over the previous a number of many years. Whereas within the Nineteen Eighties, solely about 5 p.c of Congress was over 70, now nearly 25 p.c is.
As a member of the so-called Gang of Eight, McConnell, a Republican, is routinely briefed on essentially the most extremely labeled intelligence that the U.S. authorities possesses. This makes questions on his psychological health maybe extra essential than for many different members of Congress.
Yelena Biberman, a political scientist and Atlantic Council senior fellow, has mentioned that it’s “very regarding” that there’s “a complete cohort of very previous politicians on the highest ranges of the federal authorities.”
The issue of getting old American rulers is way from partisan. For years, it has been an open secret on Capitol Hill that California’s Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has suffered from an age-related decline. Feinstein’s scenario got here to the fore once more Wednesday — lower than 24 hours after McConnell’s episode.
In a Senate Appropriations listening to, Feinstein tried to solid her vote for an $823 billion army price range earlier than being repeatedly coached by her colleagues to “simply say ‘aye.’” Feinstein — in remarks she was apparently not imagined to be giving — praised the $26 billion enhance within the protection price range, earlier than being interrupted and instructed to easily vote sure.
Later, throughout the identical listening to, Feinstein was once more corrected, prevented from voting in opposition to a measure, when she — and her celebration — supposed her to be voting for it.
As was the case with McConnell, Feinstein’s aides have up to now not been forthcoming about her well being standing. Earlier this yr, Feinstein underwent an prolonged absence for what she claimed was a case of shingles that was later revealed to incorporate a bout with encephalitis, irritation of the mind. As chair of the highly effective Senate Judiciary Committee, the absence left Democrats unable to nominate federal judges.
In Might, following her return, Feinstein was requested by a reporter about coming again. She didn’t appear to concentrate on her absence. “I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working,” she insisted. When requested if she’d been working distant, she retorted, “I’ve been right here. I’ve been voting.”
The age pattern extends past simply Congress. At age 80, Joe Biden is the oldest president in U.S. historical past. Polling information reviewed by NBC discovered that 44 p.c of Democratic main voters imagine Biden shouldn’t run for reelection, many citing his age.
Likewise, former President Donald Trump, the present frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, is 77 years previous.In 2017, Vox reported {that a} pharmacist had crammed Alzheimer’s prescriptions for members of Congress.
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