Airline pilots face mandatory retirement at age 67 (increased last month from 65 due to an ongoing pilot shortage) even though they must pass a thorough medical exam every six months and routinely undergo mandatory simulator training to confirm they can safely perform their duties. At most, an airline pilot has a few hundred lives in his or her hands. Politicians make decisions that affect tens or hundreds of millions of people. In extreme cases, some issues even affect billions. And there's absolutely no requirement that an elected official pass any kind of medical or cognitive competency test to ensure they are fit for duty.
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