Rich Old Men Do Not Know What is Best for Me

The United States Congress has become more diverse in the last couple of decades, but still does not accurately represent the American population. The issue that this presents to citizens’ liberty, equality, and democracy is that these representatives are acting as trustees for the citizens, and cannot accurately make decisions that they think is best for a community that they have never been a part of.

The men who make decisions about abortion laws have never had a uterus, and thus, have no idea what is best for people who do have a uterus. The wealthy congressmen that have never lived in poverty do not know what is best for the people who are living in poverty.

The idea that the elected officials have full reign to use their judgement of what is best for the community is subjective, and often aspect such as religion, socioeconomic backgrounds, and advancement in their career in their party, seem to steer their judgement away from what is best for the people, to what is best for them. Add years upon years of incumbency, and these officials become as far away from “we the people” as it gets.

So, you have old men (and some old women) who were elected decades ago, deciding on issues that suit the citizens today, in a society which they have not been a part of since being elected.

The American people deserve a congress that accurately represents the American population and ideologies. If the Executive branch is subject to term limits, then it should be assumed the same for the Legislative branch.

Rich old men do not know what is best for me.

Ginsberg, B., Lowi, T. J., Weir, M., Tolbert, C. J., & Campbell, A. L. (2019). American Political Culture. In We the people: An introduction to American politics. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.