Stoneage Ramblings

By John R. Stone

President Joe Biden did the country a favor by choosing not to run for reelection. The issue of his age is real, and while he may be able to function now with rest available by not campaigning, what could have happened over the next four years is hard to predict.

He can retire from the presidency in January and spend his remaining years with his kids and grandkids. Only 46 people have ever been president so it is a very exclusive club indeed. Getting there was no small accomplishment. He can be proud of that.

When President Dwight Eisenhower had his heart attack in the 1950s, the issue came up about transition of power, it wasn’t clear as it should have been. Eisenhower and Vice-President Nixon signed agreement that Nixon could act in his absence. It’s true legal value was questionable. Later the 25th Amendment was written to provide for a clearer transition of power. It was ratified in 1967.

If a president dies or resigns because he or she doesn’t feel capable of continuing in office the vice-president takes over. That’s clear.

But what if a president doesn’t realize he or she has become incapable of doing the job? Then the 25th Amendment to the Constitution kicks in. It could get messy.

Section 4 of that amendment reads in part: “Whenever the Vice-President and a majority of either the principal officers of executive departments or of other such body as  Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall immediately assume the power and duties as president.”

It goes on to say that the President may then say he or she is able and retake power. And if Congress disagrees it can overturn the President’s return to power with a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress meaning the vice-president would take over the presidency.

There had been cases before Eisenhower’s medical issues such as in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson had a stroke. That was mostly kept secret and his wife is alleged to have run things. By the time his condition became an issue with Congress he was a few months from the end of his term and Congress elected to do nothing.

President Joe Biden will turn 82 on Nov. 20 of this year. Former President Donald Trump turned 78 on June 14, just a few weeks ago. If he wins in November he would be 82 when he finished his term.

The average life expectancy in the United States in 2024 for a male is right around 75. For a female it is 80. Those numbers are rounded off, different government agencies have slightly different numbers mostly within one year of the numbers mentioned.

We have members of Congress who are into their 80s and at least one in his 90s. They don’t work a full year, Congress takes multiple two and three week breaks during the year. Granted, these aren’t all vacations. Many Congressional “work” weeks don’t start until Tuesday and end Thursday night.

Warren Buffet is in his 90s and still adept at making lots of money. Many others are functional into their 80s.

But they are not on call 24/7 to be responsible for the well-being and safety of 342 million Americans.  A President is.

Both President Biden and former President Trump have displayed signs of aging on occasion recently such as an inability to complete sentences and remembering names. While Biden’s debate night appeared more severe, Trump’s word salad and rambling at rallies shouldn’t be much of a source of confidence. Neither is likely to get better, aging doesn’t work that way.

Biden’s decision to step aside and avoid a possible 25th Amendment mess is something for which we should be thankful.