Two recent events have proven that the elderly members of the US Senate are having trouble keeping themselves going, as both Mitch McConnell and Dianne Feinstein showed the world the dangers of America’s gerontocracy. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more.
Transcript:
*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.
Mike Papantonio: Two recent events have proven that elderly members of the US Senate are having trouble keeping themselves going as both Mitch McConnell and Dianne Feinstein showed the world the dangers of this gerontocracy. It is a government by old dying people. That’s what we have, government by old dying people. And you know what? I looked at this. I just wanted to take a look. I wanna see, what motivates them to stay there? Is it because they just love Washington so much? Is it they love this? Look at these guys. I mean, look at the turtle man. He’s absolutely on his last leg. So I took a look. What is it that keeps ’em there? So I started off, I looked at the money. I looked at the Feinstein money that has increased since she’s been there. I looked at Pelosi’s money that’s increased. McConnell’s money. I looked at Biden. Biden has been in government for 50 years, has never held a job. Let’s say his average salary over the years, you know, right now, what is it? A couple hundred thousand dollars?
Farron Cousins: 184, I think.
Mike Papantonio: Okay. Let’s say, round it to $200,000. Let’s say his average salary in those 50 years as a politician has been a $120,000. Do you realize right now he owns a house in this McLean, Virginia. It’s just not a house. It’s a sprawling compound. He owns a beach house in Delaware. It’s a sprawling compound. He owns another house, so that’s the motivation. That’s why they stay. It’s all about money. How does a cat that’s never worked in 50 years, who’s been in government for 50 years, come up with that kind of money, come up with those kind, that kind of wealth? Compared to Bernie Sanders, I did, you know what the comparison is between Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden? Bernie is worth barely a million dollars.
Farron Cousins: And that’s all from his book.
Mike Papantonio: That’s all from his book. And he doesn’t have sprawling houses all over the United States like our president does. Same way with McConnell. Same way with Feinstein. Same way with Pelosi. And we just have to stop this gerontocracy. It’s all about money.
Farron Cousins: It is. And, you know, we actually also found out in addition to Dianne Feinstein’s issue where she wanted to give her speech when they told her, hey, we already did speeches. You just have to vote now. Apparently she has actually given power of attorney to her daughter.
Mike Papantonio: No kidding.
Farron Cousins: So she is not trusted to be able to make decisions about her own life. But she’s trusted to be a lawmaker. That’s insane.
Mike Papantonio: How long has that been, Farron? Since, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.
Farron Cousins: It was just revealed, I think the Intercept. I saw it from one of their reporters.
Mike Papantonio: Wow.
Farron Cousins: A day or so ago. So yeah, this is, they don’t trust her to make her own decisions.
Mike Papantonio: And she’s making decisions about war. She’s making decisions about our health, our economy. All these guys, the turtle, we thought he died right at the podium.
Farron Cousins: I know.
Mike Papantonio: They had to carry him away from the podium. I don’t know what happened. I feel sorry for the guy, but by God, step down, make room for some younger people who have good ideas. The average age should be 50 to 60 years old. That’s what the average age should be up there. These guys put it over the top. And you know what? It’s pure selfishness. If you think that their decisions are looking 20 years down the road, their decisions are looking two years down the road because they might not make it two years. So the things they do are all immediate gratification. Whether it’s Biden, whether it’s McConnell, Feinstein, Pelosi, you name it, Republicans, Democrats, there’s no distinction. They’re all the same. And you know what? When I started taking a look at the money issue, again, how does a guy who averaged $120,000 a year have these sprawling compounds? These aren’t houses, these are mansions in places like Virginia, in places like Delaware Beach, places like that. How does that happen? And so you say, well, you know, maybe there’s, maybe this is a big money maker. Maybe somebody tell, ought to tell Bernie Sanders how he maybe should make more money as a politician. It’s disgusting to me, man.
