Is age or experience more important in politics?

by a NewSeniors contributor, August 9. 2010

A recent Los Angeles Times article stated 54% of those responding to a field poll were less likely to vote for a candidate who had not voted for several years. Another 37% indicated they were less likely to vote for someone over 70. So what will voters do when faced with opposing candidates where one has the former problem and one the latter?

The Times reporter, Steve Lopez, surveyed several seniors before writing his article. He found these Californians were less concerned about age and more interested in the kinds of experience the candidates would bring to the governor’s office. This attitude was echoed by younger potential voters as well. But what do New Seniors think?

A lack of hard data regarding this segment of California’s voting public makes it necessary to call on conventional wisdom to reach a conclusion. New Seniors represent less than 13% of potential voters but may account for as much as 30% of the ballots cast come November. So this inspired group may well elect the state’s next governor, as well as determine the outcome of many races across the country.

New Seniors are not only interested in the experience of the candidates they tend to examine the quality of the individual’s background. This makes the California situation more interesting. One of the candidates is a successful businesswoman who lacks political experience. Not voting, it could be argued, was a result of her spending every waking minute overseeing the operation of eBay in order to generate jobs for many people, profits for stockholders and tax income for various governments. The other candidate, at 70, is a former governor, mayor and attorney general; so he has a long resume. This means there’s also a long record of his accomplishments and failures.

This particular race should draw careful examination by New Seniors living in the Golden State. Those born between 1930 and 1945 are concerned about the cost of retiring in this state is on the rise. Federal, state and municipal governments are trying to extract every cent they can from California citizens to pay for old and new programs, bloated government payrolls and benefits, plus there is no end in sight for the out-of-control spending. So living on a fixed income in California is becoming increasingly difficult to do. On top of this, research shows people 65+ feel most politicians don’t understand or care about their unique problems.

Based on the problems stated above, there is little reason to believe those now holding public office listened to the cries of the people. That’s why many incumbents are likely to be voted out of office this fall. As for those running for a vacated position such as in California, it may well come down to what it always should be: trust. If you don’t trust someone, why vote for them? It’s a plain and simple notion that may apply more now than at any other time in the lives of New Seniors. This year candidates will have to prove they have a plan for solving problems rather than being part of the problem. So, it’s not the age that matters, or even the political experience, it’s what the person has become over the years and what they are likely to do in the future.

New Seniors