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How age diversity in a presidential Cabinet could affect policies and programs
President Joe Biden’s Cabinet and top appointees will likely be the most
diverse in U.S. history. He says they were purposely chosen to “look like
America.”
As a scholar of how age is viewed in society, I study age as a major demographic
grouping. With regard to President Biden’s Cabinet choices, my question is how
diverse these appointments are in terms of age, and whether this matters.
Uniting boomers and zoomers
At 78, Joe Biden is the oldest American president. Vice President Kamala Harris
is 22 years younger. Most U.S. presidents and vice presidents are closer in age.
Mike Pence, for example, is 13 years younger than Donald Trump.
However, there are a few exceptions from recent history. President George H.W.
Bush was 23 years older than Vice President Dan Quayle. The other notable
exception is the 19-year age difference between President Barack Obama and Vice
President Biden. That close working relationship may in part explain Biden’s
comfort with choosing a running mate and top advisers who are much younger.
As for other Cabinet members, no nominee is as old as the president. Those
currently being vetted or already on the job range in age from 39 to 75, with an
average age of 56.
Having so many advisers of different ages should – theoretically – bring
perspectives from different age groups and better represent constituents of
different ages.
For example, funding for long-term care is an issue that affects all
generations, although it’s typically associated with seniors.
According to research from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, over
50 million adults in the U.S. provide unpaid care to an adult or child with
special needs. Because of shrinking family sizes and the fact that more seniors
are living into their 80s and beyond, middle-aged adults and older are
increasingly being called on to care for older relatives. Younger parents,
meanwhile, may want to increase long-term care supports for children with
special needs.
Another example is the debate over student loans. Forgiving college debt might
not be a personal priority for older people, but an educated workforce
unburdened by debt helps drive the economy. With the ratio of working-age to
nonworking-age adults declining rapidly, an increase in worker productivity
associated with a more skilled workforce can generate the tax revenues to
support Social Security and other government benefits for retirees.
And then, of course, there’s the environment. Younger people are more likely to
see climate change as an urgent issue, while older adults might downplay
environmental concerns in favor of economic productivity. Having both
perspectives can balance a strong economy with a livable environment for future
generations.
Generational politics
There’s a popular view that different generations have distinct political
identities. According to this theory, major social and political events shape
generations of voters.
For example, the silent generation, born between 1928 and 1945, experienced the
Great Depression and slow recovery. They consistently hold the most conservative
political ideology.
But political leanings also change over one’s life span.
Baby boomers, who came of age during the tumultuous cultural revolution of the
1960s, by and large rejected traditional values in their youth. They were known
for their antiwar slogans and social justice demands. However, many have grown
more politically conservative over time.
Born after 1996, members of Gen Z are more ethnically diverse than previous
generations, more progressive and more supportive of government programs to
address societal problems.
Age-based political theories are based on aggregate behaviors. They do not
predict the political persuasions of an individual voter or political leader.
After all, Sen. Bernie Sanders, at 79, is one of America’s most progressive
senators.
Age is especially less likely to determine political allegiance among racial and
ethnic minorities. These groups tend to vote more Democratic regardless of age.
In looking at this issue more carefully, average age and age diversity of
Cabinet nominees are likely to influence policy directions. But other
considerations – such as long-term political party identification, individual
beliefs about the role of government and demographic factors such as race and
ethnicity – also will come into play.
https://theconversation.com/how-age-diversity-in-a-presidential-cabinet-could-affect-policies-and-programs-152940