Flashback to this time last year, BYU Political Review released its November 2022 issue. An intelligent and highly influential writer (it’s me… I’m the writer) discussed age and how it impacted American politicians. Mitt Romney must’ve seen that article sometime between then and now, because on September 13th, he announced that he was not seeking reelection. [1] All jokes aside, I was completely blown away by Senator Romney’s speech. Not because I’m a liberal and am anxious to see a conservative leave office, but rather because I thought he spoke so profoundly on age, leadership, and generational representation in politics. He spoke so maturely and was keenly aware of his role, at his age, in shaping American politics. This article examines various parts of his speech and provides additional commentary meant to further explore his statements.
- “At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-eighties.”
Senator Romney has been involved in public service for the last 25 years, beginning his service in his 50s. By seeking reelection in 2024, he would serve another 6 years, ending that term almost at the age of 83. The way he says this makes it seem very obvious that he is too old to be in politics - that being in your 80s means you should retire. I believe that most would be inclined to agree with this, and yet, that mindset doesn’t seem to be reflected in the 118th Session of Congress. Following the death of Senator Feinstein, there are now 68 Senators over the age of 60, with 7 senators being part of the Silent Generation (people born from 1928-1945). [2] On top of that, there have been even more talks of fitness for office, term limits, and ageism, upon evaluating politicians like Senator Feinstien, Senator McConnell, and President Biden, making it clear that this is a very prevalent topic for many Americans today.
- “The next generation of leaders must take America to the next stage of global leadership.”
In order for America to continue distinguishing itself on a global scale, the government needs a new generation of leaders. We need more variety and more viewpoints from people who have lived very different lives from those who were born all the way back in the early- to mid-90s. After all, the oldest current U.S. senators were born in an age in which their adulthood was defined by post-WWII 1950s American exceptionalism. The youngest U.S. senators are all children of the 1970s and 1980s and all entered the Senate after 9/11. [3] It’s very apparent that there is a stark difference in the lives of these individuals and the perspectives they bring. I do believe that variety to be good, but I think in order for American to keep up on key global issues, it requires new perspectives from a much younger generation of leaders.
- “Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders.”
I believe this to be the main point of Senator Romney’s speech. He mentions earlier in his speech that America is facing many challenging issues, including, but not limited to, “mounting national debt, climate change, and the ambitious authoritarians of Russia and China.” And yet, he also states that, “political motivations too often impede the solutions that these challenges demand.” He recognizes that in the face of new challenges, there is a need for new political leaders who are ready and willing to contribute innovative solutions to address them. I don’t mean this to sound like I don’t think older generations of people can’t solve these issues. I just believe that change is necessary and obtaining a variety of perspectives can lead to greater policy implementation. With a majority of U.S. politicians being older in age, we won’t have that variety and we won’t be able to address current pressing issues as effectively without diversified age representation.
I don’t know quite exactly what the ramifications of Senator Romney’s speech will be. I’m sure many will continue seeking reelection up into their later years due to varying political motivations that keep them from retiring. Nonetheless, I hope his speech can act as a “stepping block” that motivates other politicians to evaluate their positions in American government. Having a call coming from inside the house might be just what we need to start lowering the average politician age and encourage younger individuals to run for office.
To view Senator Romney’s speech, follow this link: https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-releases-message-to-utahns-on-senate-reelection-plans/#:~:text=I%20have%20spent%20my%20last,they%20will%20be%20living%20in
