The root of political decay isn't a lack of capable leaders, but a systemic failure to hold them accountable. The current system incentivizes corruption, demonization, and the violation of norms because there are no meaningful repercussions. This reframes the problem from a search for better individuals to a need for systemic reform that enforces consequences for bad behavior.

The successful lobbying effort by organizations like the AARP to end mandatory retirement has had a significant side effect: pipeline blockages in numerous fields. With older workers staying in jobs longer, career progression for younger generations is stalled in professions from university professors to CEOs.

Despite prior successes, Bob Iger's second tenure at Disney, marked by a flat stock price and succession chaos, serves as a cautionary tale. It demonstrates the importance of a graceful exit, as staying too long can diminish a leader's accomplishments and tarnish their overall legacy.

True leadership requires making decisions for the long-term benefit of a nation, even if they are unpopular today. The goal should be a positive legacy in history books, not favorable newspaper articles tomorrow.

Tim Cook, at the height of his success, is planning his exit. This stands in stark contrast to aging political and corporate leaders who cling to power, creating instability. The biggest problems often trace back to a powerful man who "won't fuck and leave."

The US political system is cursed by elderly leaders who refuse to leave. The problem isn't age itself, but an incentive structure that rewards incumbency, celebrity, and fundraising over the energy and new perspectives of younger generations, creating a gerontocracy.

The notion that politics is a "young person's game" is obsolete. With more older than younger people in America, the most consequential political debates will now revolve around aging policy. Older citizens are becoming more, not less, politically relevant as they age.

Contrary to the cultural narrative that aging diminishes relevance, experience brings profound advantages. Older leaders are often smarter, more in tune with their integrity, and less afraid to take risks or disappoint others, making them more effective and resilient.

Many societal problems, from political gridlock to demographic collapse, are exacerbated by entrenched older leaders who won't leave power. Implementing structural reforms like age gates and term limits for critical roles like the Supreme Court would inject new perspectives and prevent the calcification of power.