The Obama interregnum, and the appointments to his administration revealed so far , contain more elite academic credentials than any previous presidency. In addition to all the Harvard and Yale advanced degrees, add the scattered MIT PhD, Stanford JD, and mere Johns Hopkins Master's (the new treasury guy). The vast majority of them are also at the peak of their powers - ages 40's and 50's. It will be interesting to see how all this raw brain power will guide the US in the 4-8 years ahead.
The only notable old guy appointed to Obama's inner circle is Paul Volcker, who will be among the economic team to be announced next week.
An aside: I live in a town where the inhabitants' median age is 20 years higher than the national average, so many of my neighbors are over 70 years old and I see what they do from day to day. Most of them are very active, but it is a fact that they are not going to be solving many differential equations and they are constantly distracted by physical maladies. I don't think a 71 year old man like McCain should have had any business running for president. It is frightening enough to see Senators like Stevens, Byrd, and Spector exercise all that power in their dotage.
Sarah Palin scares me more than old people. This is a dumber, prettier version of George Bush. I think it's high time we have some academic requirements in place before you can even think of running for national office. Going to four or five different schools to get a journalism degree, or finishing 894th out of 899 in the Naval Academy simply doesn't cut it.
That's why, with all the praises FDR has received, he shouldn't have been able to run for a third, let alone a fourth term. The shape of the world would probably be in a different position. FDR was very sick and though having the 'hammer', let Stalin have his way with Eastern Europe because he was getting too senile to understand the politics after WW2. He basically gave Stalin most of what he wanted at Yalta.
On Nov 21, 5:56 pm, Bill T <wct...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> The Obama interregnum, and the appointments to his administration > revealed so far , contain more elite academic credentials than any > previous presidency. In addition to all the Harvard and Yale advanced > degrees, add the scattered MIT PhD, Stanford JD, and mere Johns Hopkins > Master's (the new treasury guy). The vast majority of them are also at > the peak of their powers - ages 40's and 50's. It will be interesting > to see how all this raw brain power will guide the US in the 4-8 years > ahead.
> The only notable old guy appointed to Obama's inner circle is Paul > Volcker, who will be among the economic team to be announced next week.
> An aside: I live in a town where the inhabitants' median age is 20 years > higher than the national average, so many of my neighbors are over 70 > years old and I see what they do from day to day. Most of them are very > active, but it is a fact that they are not going to be solving many > differential equations and they are constantly distracted by physical > maladies. I don't think a 71 year old man like McCain should have had > any business running for president. It is frightening enough to see > Senators like Stevens, Byrd, and Spector exercise all that power in > their dotage.
> Sarah Palin scares me more than old people. This is a dumber, prettier > version of George Bush. > I think it's high time we have some academic requirements in place > before you can even think of running for national office. Going to > four or five different schools to get a journalism degree, or > finishing 894th out of 899 in the Naval Academy simply doesn't cut it.
How about a requirement that the candidate have some executive experience - like being governor of a state? Or having served with distinction in the military? Or having started and managed a successful business? Of course that would have eliminated Obama.
How does crashing two military aircraft prior to becoming an enemy prisoner deem you someone who has served with 'distinction"? Is that really the guy you want leading our military?
Most military experts agree McCain would have lost his pilot status after crashing his FIRST airplane were it not for his last name. In fact, most of them say he wouldn't even had gotten in, OR graduated were it not for his last name.
Tell me, Mike would ever consider getting on an aircraft being piloted by John McCain?
Did you really want him at the controls?
Me? I'll take the Harvard Magna Cum Laude guy or the Rhodes Scholar guy any day.
> How about a requirement that the candidate have some executive experience - > like being governor of a state? Or having served with distinction in the > military? Or having started and managed a successful business? Of course > that would have eliminated Obama.
What about running a national campaign involving tens of thousands of people? And winning?
> That's why, with all the praises FDR has received, he shouldn't have > been able to run for a third, let alone a fourth term. The shape of > the world would probably be in a different position. FDR was very sick > and though having the 'hammer', let Stalin have his way with Eastern > Europe because he was getting too senile to understand the politics > after WW2. He basically gave Stalin most of what he wanted at Yalta.
FDR wasn't that old chronologically, but I agree that his physical infirmities contribute to his giving up the farm at Yalta. The sad truth is that our cognitive abilities start declining in our 30's and rapidly worsen in our 50's - 70's.
The proof is all around - just follow a 70 year old in the supermarket check-out line.
One unfortunate aspect of the US senate is that power accrues to the very old. Equally worrisome is the ages of Supreme Court justices.
Many Fortune 500 companies have mandatory retirement ages for their top executives and Board directors. Yet at the top of our government structure are decrepit, sick, early-Alzheimer's officials. The lead Congressman for health care reform is recovering from having part of his brain removed and then the rest bombarded with radiation. The press cheered that the old guy (age 83) chairing the House Energy committee was replaced by the young 'un (age 67).
At the top levels of the federal government, we are suffering from the rule of a gerontocracy.
news:67aac59d-1e0f-4a73-9379-e0c07b3aee74@x38g2000yqj.googlegroups.com... That's why, with all the praises FDR has received, he shouldn't have been able to run for a third, let alone a fourth term. The shape of the world would probably be in a different position. FDR was very sick and though having the 'hammer', let Stalin have his way with Eastern Europe because he was getting too senile to understand the politics after WW2. He basically gave Stalin most of what he wanted at Yalta.
Hey Russ, what the fuck? You've got to be kidding me! You think that FDR gave Stalin all that shit, because he was SENILE? I don't THINK so
Russ, he gave Stalin all that shit, because it was RIGGED! They CHEATED! Or for an even better term, THEY SCAMMED!
Seriously, Russ, you of all people should know, that the game was rigged. Why would Yalta have been any different? Holy shit, it was the ultimate scammed poker game.
> Sarah Palin scares me more than old people. This is a dumber, prettier > version of George Bush. > I think it's high time we have some academic requirements in place > before you can even think of running for national office. Going to > four or five different schools to get a journalism degree, or > finishing 894th out of 899 in the Naval Academy simply doesn't cut it.
The Pharaonic Egyptians had locusts and frogs, we could have had Sarah Palin for VP.
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