The Average Age of our Government Officials Clearly Shows they’re in it for Themselves!

Ok, I don’t write too many threads unless something gets under my skin. Just recently I read a thread about Joe Biden possibly having signs of early dementia posted by dontreally. I started thinking about the age of all our elected officials. So I started to do some research on my own and what I found was really incredible.

When I started viewing the ages of our Senators and Congress men and women, I felt like I was reading the age of the old communist Soviet Politburo. Dictators serve their entire life in office, but when you look at the age and the length of time in office by our own elected officials, you might as well call them dictators! It’s no wonder why we have government gridlock. We have old dogs that are set in their old ways, and not enough new blood that will bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to the negotiating table.

Here are just the top 25 oldest elected officials in the Senate and Congress. Keep in mind; I only listed those who were 65 and older. There were over 90 congressional representatives that were over the age of 65! It was easier to find the age of the Senate members than the congressional members. Some of the sites that listed the age of congressional members were taken down. (I realized why after searching relentlessly for a list on their ages).

Of course, while there is a compelling list of benefits to having elder statespersons — such as wisdom, carefully crafted relationships, patience and historical context — there are also significant shortcomings: a group of leaders out of touch with the emerging lifestyles and values of a new generation and, as a consequence, an increasingly disaffected electorate.

When looking at the age of these members, look at the age of when they ran for office. I was thinking that a lot of them should have been thinking about retiring and yet others were well beyond their retirement age! I have to question their motivation when the majority of people usually look forward to retiring when they reach their 60’s. Yet these representatives chose to start a career in politics?

Let’s not forget the motivation of salary for these representatives, they are well above the average hard working American...

House Members & Delegates and all Senators .......... $169,300
House and Senate Majority & Minority Leaders ......... $188,100
Speaker of the House ............................................ $217,400

Pay increases are determined by a cost-of-living formula, and they take effect automatically, unless Congress votes to stop them.

Lets not forget about another motivating factor, their added healthcare benefits…

Currently members of Congress have the same health insurance options as millions of other federal employees and retirees and their families. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program gives them a wide choice of private insurance plans. And according to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 51 million persons in the U.S. had no health insurance at all in 2009 — just under 17 percent of the population.

Here is something else to look at, which is just as ridiculous. Most of these officials have been in office for over 20 years! I guess the longer they hold onto their jobs the bigger their pensions. The length of time in office for a lot of these representatives prove that. Serving the public isn’t a lifetime career. When these politicians are in office 20, 30, 40 and over 50 years, they become intimidating to newly elected officials. They become “senior members” and they start to take their positions for granted. They develop long relations with Lobbyists and corporate donors. They also start taking advantage of government perks. It becomes a way to line their pockets using taxpayer’s money, lead the good life and gain power and influence.

In the mean time, they’re supposed to be concerned about our increase in taxes, the cost of healthcare, loss of jobs, education, social security, medicare…yeah right! These stats clearly show there’s an alternative motive why they want to stay in office way beyond their retirement years. Yet we live in an era of career politicians, and several would rather change their life-long party affiliation — recent examples have included Arlen Specter (deceased), Jim Jeffords and Joe Lieberman — than lose their elected office.

Congressmen are now looking more towards their next job opportunity and less at what they're doing right now. Usually their best offers are coming from the companies that the lobbyists represent.

The cancer that is killing American Democracy is the money spent on campaigns. How can a person raise 10's of millions and not favor that source's interests?

Congress is decidedly older than the populace it represents: Although Americans may serve in the House beginning at age 25, only 10 percent of House members have been under the age of 40 in recent years. By comparison, 22 percent of the general population and 30 percent of registered voters are between 25 and 39 years old. The average American is more than 20 years younger than the person who represents him or her in the House.

The average age of Members of the 113th Congress is among the highest of any Congress in recent U.S. history. The average age of House members in the 113th Congress is 57; the average age of senators is 62.

Here’s the Lists…







There is no doubt that these representatives should be limited to 12 yr terms or less. They need to go back home, go back to work or retire. Their salaries should be more in line with the average worker, and their pensions should be scaled back considering these are expected to be temporary positions.

In May of 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against term limits in Congress in the case ofU.S. Term Limits v. Thornton. By a 5-4 vote, the justices found that states could not impose them on the U.S. Congress. Since Congress had been unable to muster the required two-thirds majority needed for a constitutional amendment to pass, the matter did not come up in Congress again.

After the Supreme Court ruling, many Representatives made non-binding pledges to limit their own terms. Some of those Representatives stood by their word and left Congress, while others broke their pledges and continued to run for re-election.

The public is said to generally favor congressional term limits. A July 2003 Wall Street Journalpoll found that two-thirds of Americans believed that giving Congress term limits was a positive idea.

While the 111th Congress was the oldest in our nation’s history — with the average House member age 57 and average senator age 63, the newly elected 113th Congress is hardly more youthful — with average ages of 58 and 61, respectively.

Probably the reason why they take so many breaks is because they don’t have the stamina to negotiate for long periods of time. They probably discuss more about their arthritic pains and the type of medication they’re on than our nations business.

… And yes, I’m in my mid 50’s, so it’s not like I’m in my 20’s trying to rip on the older generation. It’s time that members of congress and the senate hand over the reins to the younger generations. The public needs to demand term limits and age limits. We need fresh ideas not hard heads.

reply to post by WeRpeons


I agree. They are totally in it for themselves. They legislate as though no one else exist but they themselves and the corporations who funnel them money through campaign donations. It's sick. They ALL need to be replaced by a new younger generation. I would even argue that the parties themselves need to retire as well. No more Democrats or Republicans. I would rather have six or seven political parties in Washington DC than these two.

Well in order to become a true politician you must bend over and accept your initiation by your money lords. After the money lords have taken the last shreds of dignity from these former 'men', the newly initiated politicians can only feel bitterness and callousness. The only way they see to satiate their pain is to cover it with money and selfishness.

I would like to see the average lifespan of a politician compared to a working stiff.

Added to the "perks" is the licence to steal from the public through INSIDER TRADING which they are free to participate in.......
You or i would do time in the big house for the same thing.....
This is why they stay....gorging themselves on power and wealth.

I knew that most of them were old farts but not that many, I thought retirement was at 65, maybe they should look in the mirror and hang it up.

Not only are they in it for themselfs but they don't understand todays society since they have been living a pampered life getting free hair cuts to look good on tv or the camera.

I seen that there was a bill to limit thier terms to only 8 years, we need fresh blood and new ideas.

Most of those Seniors Citzens in D.C need to wake up and smell the roses and change there depends.