Should politicians retire by a certain age?

+ racketeering charges not just for gangsters; Quran burning in Sweden US Edition - Today's top story: There's no age limit for politicians − as people live longer, should that change? [View in browser]( US Edition | 31 August 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Despite all the evident tension between Republican and Democratic politicians on just about every issue, they are united on at least one point. Democratic and Republican politicians alike are staying in office for longer and longer – in some cases well into their 80s and early 90s. While people need to be a certain age before they can be elected to office in the U.S., there is no mandatory retirement age, nor term limits for members of the House and Senate. A growing number of public incidents involving older politicians raises the question about whether this should change. Senator Mitch McConnell on Wednesday silently froze while speaking with journalists, about one month after a similar scene was captured on camera. University of Washington bioethicist Nancy Jecker [explains why the U.S. has no such limits for politicians]( – and the ethical issues that imposing one would raise. “Whatever view one takes on the ethics of age limits for politicians, voting remains the primary way to put one’s views into practice,” Jecker writes. Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor Mitch McConnell, Diane Feinstein and Joe Biden are all over 80 years old, joining a number of politicians who are staying in office well past their 70s. Anna Moneymaker/Chip Somodevilla/Samuel Corum/Getty Images [There’s no age limit for politicians − as people live longer, should that change?]( Nancy S. Jecker, University of Washington While there are minimum age requirements for people who want to hold political office in the US, there are no limits on when someone must retire. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a news conference after former President Donald Trump’s Aug. 15 indictment. Joe Raedle/Getty Images [RICO is often used to target the mob and cartels − but Trump and his associates aren’t the first outside those worlds to face charges]( Gabriel J. Chin, University of California, Davis Federal and state RICO charges, which target racketeering, have been applied to a wide range of crimes committed by politicians and business people over the past few decades. Iraqis raise copies of the Quran during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 22, 2023, following reports of the burning of the holy book in Copenhagen. AP Photo/Hadi Mizban [Quran burning in Sweden prompts debate on the fine line between freedom of expression and incitement of hatred]( Armin Langer, University of Florida Several countries across Europe are introducing new legislation to curb hate speech against religions, even as they get rid of older blasphemy laws. 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Stevenson, University of Virginia One by one, former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants in the Georgia presidential election interference case turned themselves in for arrest at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. - [How to get federal disaster aid: FEMA is running out of money, but these strategies can help survivors of Hurricane Idalia and the Maui fires get aid faster]( Latisha Nixon-Jones, Jacksonville University An expert in disaster law explains the steps for securing aid, what to do if everything is lost and the deadlines to watch. - [Iran’s street art shows defiance, resistance and resilience]( Pouya Afshar, UMass Lowell Iranian artists are showing renewed determination to promote freedom as a cultural necessity in Iran, even in the face of a government crackdown. - [The federal government turns to local communities to help refugees settle into the US, but community-based programs bring both possibilities and challenges]( - [Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson made a suggestion during the 1963 March on Washington − and it changed a good speech to a majestic sermon on an American dream]( Like this newsletter? 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