Amen. And I say that as a 70-year old woman. We need younger, fresher blood in the Democratic party to fight back and save our Democracy before it's too late.
Spot on. I just had this conversation with my husband. I love my dad. He is a 30 year retired high school teacher from the NYCDOE. He has always advocated for young people. But at 85, even he is out of touch with what younger people want and need. He went to city college in NYC for free. His new home cost $25,000 (his salary was probably around $6000 or so a year). He got health insurance from his teaching job and had a strong union. He was able to retire after 30 years at age 55. These are no longer things that are true for most younger people, so how could even he relate? It’s time for our older leaders to pass the torch. Not ageist, realist.
Oh, Charlotte, you nailed this one, and brought back a great memory for me, on that train from DC to NYC. A few seats ahead of me were Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn. I’ve never been so starstruck, or so proud to be a fellow journalist (at the time.) We need those heroes, and we need them to be fully awake, aware, and ready to roll. And, please, smart enough not to be drinking crap like Ensure and calling it nutrition. Not a small thing.
I agree with Charlotte’s take on the situation. However, drinking Ensure might not be a crap decision but a medical one. Ensure is often prescribed by doctors to patients who aren’t getting enough nutrition in other ways. Maybe he was downing them hand over fist to catch up on what he was supposed to be doing all day. Maybe he wasn’t “…drinking crap like Ensure and calling it nutrition”. Maybe he was just trying to take care of himself by following his doctor’s orders. That he chose to do so without considering his public position and his surroundings show that it is time for him to step down.
Understand completely, Kasumi, but I’m always campaigning for medicals to insist on better nutrition for patients, elders, everybody. Ensure is full of sugar. I want people to know there are better choices.
Thank you for your decency and kindness to this man. It's one of the things about you I love.
I'm 66, with a long career of fighting the good fight behind me. Doing that takes so much energy, both physically and emotionally, so that now, when faced with another fight everything in me feels fatigue. I work out daily, and hike miles in the mountains, so it's not like I'm disabled by age. I'm simply disabled by all I've done before, and how much it took out of me. I can't imagine what it must be like for the old man sitting across from you who has done so much for so long.
So yes, we need new, young blood, people who understand technology because they grew up with it, who know how to use it for the good of us all. We need people with the energy it takes and who have new ideas about how to approach this moment.
I'd like to add one more thing. While youth has the energy and the ideas, age may have experience and connections. So I hope that as the torch is passed, those with the ability will mentor and assist the ones coming up to replace them.
Yes. It is time for those who have lost the fire for their work to gracefully step aside and create space for those who have the passion and courage to meet the moment. Then step beside them with support and wisdom, but let the young ones lead now.
Spot on!! Ever since I was on the mall watching Obama’s first inauguration, and it hit me that our country is being run by all white men!! As Congress filed in to witness, it was like I was hit on the head! Seeing them all together, rather than one on one interviews was mind boggling. So, I’ve been voting for the younger ones!! How is this ever going to change????!!! I so wanted AOC to get that leadership position but the old guy won out!! 🤬 I’m a 65 yr old retired teacher and I now work part time coaching new teachers entering the profession. This is how Congress should be!! Thank you for another great read!
Amen. Im an old hippie and think of this quote a lot “your old road is rapidly aging, please get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand the time they are achanging”
I don't think I could have remained silent under the circumstances. I would have needed to express my frustration out loud. Tired as he may have been, I'd be gracious enough to treat him as I might a customer service rep on a phone call. "Nothing personal, but the Dems really need to step up right now," type of statement. Then let him have his rest time. There is no time to waste.
Charlotte, perhaps you have written about this already and I missed it. Could you write about how Democrats and others who want to get in the fight should be messaging? We could all learn from that.
Absolutely. & I’m saying this as a soon to be 73 year old woman. Step aside, tired politicians, share your wisdom & then get out of the damn way. We don’t have time for anything else.
“If you don’t know how to message in this moment, it’s time to pass the torch. If you’re tired of all this, it’s time to give up your seat for someone who’s ready to fight. If you don’t get that we are no longer living in the American Politics of Yesteryear, it’s time to allow people to thank you for service and make room for someone else.” I would add that there’s no need to wait until the midterms. You can resign now! Don’t just occupy a seat for the next 22 months. Go ahead and move on to greener pastures.
Amen. And I say that as a 70-year old woman. We need younger, fresher blood in the Democratic party to fight back and save our Democracy before it's too late.
72. This message has to get louder!
Spot on. I just had this conversation with my husband. I love my dad. He is a 30 year retired high school teacher from the NYCDOE. He has always advocated for young people. But at 85, even he is out of touch with what younger people want and need. He went to city college in NYC for free. His new home cost $25,000 (his salary was probably around $6000 or so a year). He got health insurance from his teaching job and had a strong union. He was able to retire after 30 years at age 55. These are no longer things that are true for most younger people, so how could even he relate? It’s time for our older leaders to pass the torch. Not ageist, realist.
Oh, Charlotte, you nailed this one, and brought back a great memory for me, on that train from DC to NYC. A few seats ahead of me were Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn. I’ve never been so starstruck, or so proud to be a fellow journalist (at the time.) We need those heroes, and we need them to be fully awake, aware, and ready to roll. And, please, smart enough not to be drinking crap like Ensure and calling it nutrition. Not a small thing.
I agree with Charlotte’s take on the situation. However, drinking Ensure might not be a crap decision but a medical one. Ensure is often prescribed by doctors to patients who aren’t getting enough nutrition in other ways. Maybe he was downing them hand over fist to catch up on what he was supposed to be doing all day. Maybe he wasn’t “…drinking crap like Ensure and calling it nutrition”. Maybe he was just trying to take care of himself by following his doctor’s orders. That he chose to do so without considering his public position and his surroundings show that it is time for him to step down.
Understand completely, Kasumi, but I’m always campaigning for medicals to insist on better nutrition for patients, elders, everybody. Ensure is full of sugar. I want people to know there are better choices.
Thank you for your decency and kindness to this man. It's one of the things about you I love.
I'm 66, with a long career of fighting the good fight behind me. Doing that takes so much energy, both physically and emotionally, so that now, when faced with another fight everything in me feels fatigue. I work out daily, and hike miles in the mountains, so it's not like I'm disabled by age. I'm simply disabled by all I've done before, and how much it took out of me. I can't imagine what it must be like for the old man sitting across from you who has done so much for so long.
So yes, we need new, young blood, people who understand technology because they grew up with it, who know how to use it for the good of us all. We need people with the energy it takes and who have new ideas about how to approach this moment.
I'd like to add one more thing. While youth has the energy and the ideas, age may have experience and connections. So I hope that as the torch is passed, those with the ability will mentor and assist the ones coming up to replace them.
Yes. It is time for those who have lost the fire for their work to gracefully step aside and create space for those who have the passion and courage to meet the moment. Then step beside them with support and wisdom, but let the young ones lead now.
Charlotte! You are so fucking on target! Thank you for having the words that I can’t put together for myself. Love you.
Spot on!! Ever since I was on the mall watching Obama’s first inauguration, and it hit me that our country is being run by all white men!! As Congress filed in to witness, it was like I was hit on the head! Seeing them all together, rather than one on one interviews was mind boggling. So, I’ve been voting for the younger ones!! How is this ever going to change????!!! I so wanted AOC to get that leadership position but the old guy won out!! 🤬 I’m a 65 yr old retired teacher and I now work part time coaching new teachers entering the profession. This is how Congress should be!! Thank you for another great read!
This goes for Jon Stewart, time for his ass to go. This shit is not funny anymore.
Amen. Im an old hippie and think of this quote a lot “your old road is rapidly aging, please get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand the time they are achanging”
Perhaps this elderly congressman needed to have his nap interrupted. The rest of us aren’t sleeping - why should he?
I don't think I could have remained silent under the circumstances. I would have needed to express my frustration out loud. Tired as he may have been, I'd be gracious enough to treat him as I might a customer service rep on a phone call. "Nothing personal, but the Dems really need to step up right now," type of statement. Then let him have his rest time. There is no time to waste.
Charlotte, perhaps you have written about this already and I missed it. Could you write about how Democrats and others who want to get in the fight should be messaging? We could all learn from that.
Abso- fucking-lutely right.
Absolutely. & I’m saying this as a soon to be 73 year old woman. Step aside, tired politicians, share your wisdom & then get out of the damn way. We don’t have time for anything else.
I bet it was Schumer.
“If you don’t know how to message in this moment, it’s time to pass the torch. If you’re tired of all this, it’s time to give up your seat for someone who’s ready to fight. If you don’t get that we are no longer living in the American Politics of Yesteryear, it’s time to allow people to thank you for service and make room for someone else.” I would add that there’s no need to wait until the midterms. You can resign now! Don’t just occupy a seat for the next 22 months. Go ahead and move on to greener pastures.