this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2026
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The US FAA requires commercial pilots to retire at 65. This is done because after that age, a gradual worsening of cognitive functions could lead to tragedy given the detail-oriented nature of the work.
The decisions our representatives make can and often are just as damning. Sure, the time scales are longer, so it isn't as clear when a poor decision was made as, say, crashing a commercial airliner. But the danger is there, and it exists for far more people than any single pilot could affect.
It is absolutely asinine that there are no limits to how long these representatives can pretend to "represent". I think the AARP tends to have enough representation in the US already.
As for Pelosi herself, she made her own legacy and I won't dwell on it here. But I think many would agree that we'd have been better off if she had been forced to retire at 65.