By Gary Franks
Syndicated Columnist
Political power is in the hands of the people. Our democracy responds to the cries of the people. And the people would like to prevent America from having five and a half more years of octogenarian governance, whether it’s President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump again.
Here is a very idealistic way — I admit — to do that.
Health reasons excluded, only one thing would prohibit Trump and Biden from running again: a constitutional amendment on age limits for public office.
It could state the following:
“Retirement is mandatory for all federal government workers and elected officials when they reach the age of 80. Anyone seeking to be elected to the executive branch (president or vice president) will be prohibited from doing so if during their term they will become 80.”
Method one: Imagine if the living U.S. presidents of the past (with the exception of Jimmy Carter and Trump) would request each of the 50 state legislatures to consider voting on a non-binding resolution to this effect, it would happen.
Method two: State legislators in just one state could get the ball rolling. The media would be forced to cover it, and other states would follow. Even just a vote on an age-limit constitutional amendment would garner press coverage.
Constituents can call their state representatives, state senators or the state Speaker of the House and demand a non-binding vote on the resolution. As each state does this it would place a tremendous amount of pressure on Congress to at least have a vote on the measure. With the people’s support, Congress would pass it.
Following the approval of Congress the measure would go to the states for ratification. With the affirmative vote of 38 states, it would become the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
It would prohibit the presidential nomination of Biden or Trump in 2024.
The American people are not just saying it, they are screaming it in poll numbers unseen in the history of polling. They do not want either of the leading candidates for president, Biden or Trump, to face each other again. As of today, both lead their respective parties for the nomination.
Biden figures he has four aces or paths to victory in 2024 despite only 26% of Americans wanting him to run again. So, why not go for it?
Ace 1: As the man that beat Trump in 2020, he can boast that he is the only one who could do it again, assuming Trump will get the GOP nomination again.
Ace 2: It could be even better for Biden if Trump does not get the GOP nomination as it is a near certainty that Trump would call foul on the GOP primary process and would run as a third-party candidate. Former President Bill Clinton won both of his elections for president despite never reaching 50% of the vote thanks to the third-party candidacy of Ross Perot.
Ace 3: Republicans could hand-deliver the election to Biden via unforced errors or performing “political malpractice.” Biden thought he hit a triple when he woke up on third base after the 2022 midterm elections. No, Biden did nothing. The Republican Party, thanks to 81-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, failed to rein in two senators who touched the third rail in politics — Social Security and Medicare along with abortion. Biden actually “mocked” Florida Sen. Rick Scott’s error on changes in the former during the State of the Union address.
Any federal bill that would restrict or outlaw abortion, even if passed, would obviously be rendered unconstitutional since the Supreme Court sent it back to the states to decide on.
Ace 4: Biden benefits from a divided Republican Party, still reeling over the way Trump beat former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush while berating his brother’s (George W. Bush’s) presidency.
Not having the Republican Party running full-throttled to match the Democrats’ “machine politics” and craftiness helps Biden. Plus, “Never Trumpers” give encouragement to independent voters to side with the Democrats.
So, why not run again if you’re Biden? You have four aces and a joker — the liberal media, which often acts as an appendage to the Democrat Party.
All Biden has to do is show up, or not even show up, and he will likely return to the White House. (Not even his announcement for re-election was done live; it was pre-recorded.)
As more than 70% of Americans know, the country is headed in the wrong direction. Our adversaries know this as well.
China’s President Xi Jinping reportedly will not even take a phone call from Biden. The mutual dislike between us and Russia has resulted in no direct talks between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin for quite some time. Not good.
Mexico and Saudi Arabia have shown great disrespect toward us. Afghanistan looks like it will revert to being a terrorist state. North Korea and Iraq are rushing to get nuclear weapons. And this all happened while American families for a period struggled to find baby formula.
More of the same is simply not advisable.
When a once unhittable pitcher loses “a little” on his fastball due to age, anyone can hit his pitches into the grandstands. That is why we take the pitcher out of the game. Get it, Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump.
Gary Franks served three terms as U.S. representative for Connecticut’s 5th District. He was the first Black Republican elected to the House in nearly 60 years and New England’s first Black member of the House. He’s host of the podcast “We Speak Frankly” and author of “With God, For God, and For Country.” Reach him on Twitter @GaryFranks. His column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lima News editorial board or AIM Media, owner of The Lima News.
