politico often act like kid . Whether it’scalling each other public figure , getting intoslap fightson the legislative floor or just taking their toy and stump off to another sandbox , the way lawmakers act you ’d be surprised they are n’t still in pampers . The trueness is that many res publica around the globe require their elected official to have some life experience under their belt . That includes the U.S. , where you have to be at least 35 years old to be eligible to take the keys to the White House .
" Most modern democracies have an years requirement for the top executive federal agency , " read John Seery , a government and politics prof at Pomona College . " It ’s just a subject of where they fructify it . "
The U.S. Constitution impose three eligibility requirements on anyone thinking about run for United States President . so as to actually take the office , you have to be a " natural behave " citizen of the country , and you must have live in the States for at least the last 14 years . You also have to be no less than 35 geezerhood old . Although more and more people seem to be questioning that restriction , it appears likely to remain the law of the land for the foreseeable future .
Seery is the author of the volume " Too Young to Run ? A Proposal for an Age Amendment to the U.S. Constitution . " He order the age requirement is a remnant from the country ’s early Day , in which American patriots were still just a short wary about finding themselves under the rule of a Rex or other dictatorship . The minimum eld – not to mention thing like term limits and elections – make it harder for a president to keep the office in the family by passing it to new child .
" Monarchs often succeed to the throne at an early age , " Seery says . " So , if you make it old enough , the age lower limit is one hedging against monarch butterfly . "
Sure , Americans have a unknown compulsion with the British royal family , but that does n’t mean we want one of our own . The age requirement was one way to safeguard what John Adams called a " rude gentry , " or one in which loss leader rise on meritoriousness , not by birthright .
Still , it remains unreadable where the Constitution ’s drafters pulled 35 as an appropriate age to become the country ’s chief executive . Especially in an era in which three and a one-half X was about a mortal ’s fair life expectancy . Seery says the family who set up that necessity credibly wait to theRoman Republic , which has served as a model for government for centuries . Roman counselors were required to be at least 35 years quondam .
In other words , the historic period minimum halt from a one C - old concern about King and fagot ruling from an iron throne and pull inspiration from R.C. bureaucrats who governed Italy long before you could wander into the nearest café and find a adequate cupful of cappuccino . Maybe that ’s whysome peoplesay the rule should be transfer , even trying to formally petition the governance .
The argument against the geezerhood limit are pretty straightforward : If you’re able to drive car , be sent off to war and suffrage in elections by the time you pass on 18 , then why should n’t you be able to sit around at the table with the big son and girls who make all the decision about how the country bunk ? On the other hand , there ’s the wisdom that come with experience as well as some medical evidence showing that the brain doesn’tfully developuntil a individual reach his or her mid-20s . Then , of track , there ’s the stain that millennialsare dumb and ca n’t be trusted .
And after all , the country’syoungest presidentTheodore Roosevelt was still 42 years old when he became president after the assassination of William McKinley . And when you bet back in history , think of someone like Alexander the Great , who conquered much of the known world and managed an imperium , all before dying at the age of 32 .
Seery says maybe the U.S. is miss out on some upstart political science wiz who could heal everything ailing Uncle Sam . The LeBron James of politics could be sitting out there , just look for his or her chance to pass over out the country ’s debt , terminate hunger and finally get free of those stupid Segway tours in Washington D.C. once and for all . Instead , that person is probably coming up with a coolheaded new dating app somewhere in Silicon Valley .
perchance we have the whole eld matter upside down , accord to Seery .
" If you ’re going to have historic period restrictions , they should probably be against one-time , doddering people , " he says . recount us how you really feel , Seery .
