Summary
Bernie Sanders won reelection to a fourth U.S. Senate term, defeating Republican Gerald Malloy and several minor candidates.
The 83-year-old Vermont independent, known for his democratic socialist views, has been a key figure in progressive causes, collaborating with the Biden administration on domestic policies like health care and workers’ rights.
Sanders cited threats to democracy, economic inequality, and climate change as motivations for seeking another term.
Malloy, a former Army officer and businessman, criticized Sanders for lack of results, while Sanders emphasized his record and commitment to progressive reforms.
I’m not sure why Bernie is the exception for me…I feel like a giant hypocrite being ok with this. But dude does still seem spry AF.
Others mentioned the cognitive side; the other part is that Bernie isn’t out of touch. He knows what the people want and he voted for it. That’s very different to your average gerontocrat who barely knows what the internet is.
It’s worth mentioning the POTUS is SIGNIFICANTLY more stressful and consequential than even his current position. Quite literally, stress can age you faster, inuring physical changes in the body. In addition to that, I also have faith in the people and professionals he surrounds himself with to stand by him because they believe he can do it, not because they want to be the puppeteers of a powerful senator. May be wishful thinking in the end, but I think the general point it the situations are quite different.
Because he is still mentally sharp and he is still fighting as hard as he can for the average American. His values have not changed, nor has his fighting spirit.
It should require cognitive tests. There are plenty of younger people who aren’t at the same cognitive level, and plenty older obviously. Age is a useful metric, but it isn’t actually the one that matters. It’s just much easier to identify.
