Joe Biden is living in the wrong culture. Maybe we who are his supporters are also. Western cultures, especially America, are fevered youth and death-denying cultures with little or no respect for the wisdom that many elders gain over time. Unlike some Eastern and traditional societies.

Thus, America’s distance from the aging process is challenged by successful aging archetypes in business, finance, sports, entertainment and … politics. Some of my favorites are Dr. Anthony Fauci, Noam Chomsky, Grandma Moses, Bob Hope and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. On both sides of the aisle in the nether world of politics we have Bernie Sanders, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Harold Rogers, Steny Hoyer … and Joe Biden.

This prevalence of older politicians has led to discussions about the concept of “gerontocracy” in American politics and debates about potential age limits for elected officials. That said, these elder politicians continue to be influential in their roles, shaping policies and decisions that affect the entire nation.

Arguments in favor of age limits include mental and physical fitness: Proponents argue that advanced age can lead to cognitive decline, potentially affecting a politician’s ability to perform their duties effectively.

Arguments against age limits include the loss of experience and wisdom. Older politicians can bring valuable experience and accumulated knowledge to their roles, which could be lost with strict age limits. Chronological age doesn’t always reflect an individual’s capabilities, as people age differently and maintain varying levels of functionality.

A potential slippery slope are concerns that age limits for politicians could also lead to calls for limiting voting rights based on age as well.

Now, about the July 27 presidential debate performances. I remember when President Ronald Reagan’s momentary lapse during a 1984 presidential debate reignited concerns about his age and advancing Alzheimer’s disease, But in that debate he quickly recovered with a witty response about not exploiting Walter Mondale’s “youth and inexperience.”

While speculation about cognitive decline during his presidency emerged after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 1994, Reagan’s overall performance in office was generally viewed positively. Reagan’s presidency challenged age stereotypes and set a positive example for healthy aging. He demonstrated that older individuals could effectively handle demanding leadership roles.

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In her June 28 Guardian column, Rebecca Solnit wrote that much has been said about the age of the candidates. “But maybe it’s the corporate media whose senility is most dangerous to us,” she wrote.

“Their insistence on proceeding as though things are pretty much what they’ve always been, on normalizing the appalling and outrageous, on using false equivalencies and both-siderism to make themselves look fair and reasonable, on turning politics into horse races and personality contests, is aiding the destruction of the United States.”

I totally agree. True, Biden does have occasional difficulty keeping his train of thought, as we witnessed during the debate. But Biden has gotten major bills passed. He’s been negotiating with world leaders. In terms of running the government, Biden has been functioning as well if not better than most presidents.

Now consider reports that Donald Trump is showing growing signs of dementia, but isn’t facing nearly the same scrutiny as is Biden. It’s Trump who’s becoming increasingly unhinged.

The most telling evidence is found in his paranoid thirst for revenge, on which he is centering his entire presidential campaign. On Nov. 11, 2023 he pledged to a crowd of supporters in Claremont, New Hampshire, that: “We will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country, that lie and steal and cheat on elections and will do anything possible — they’ll do anything, whether legally or illegally, to destroy America and to destroy the American dream.”

Are these the words of a sane person? Or of an aging paranoid megalomaniac? Even if it’s unclear to which category Trump belongs, shouldn’t this question be central to the coverage of his campaign for reelection?

Members of Trump’s own Cabinet, horrified by the Jan. 6, 2021 violence at the Capitol and Trump’s lack of urgency in stopping it, discussed whether to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from office due to mental incompetence.

Biden may appear frail, but he’s rational. The growing evidence of Trump’s dementia and paranoia, on the other hand, poses a clear potential danger to the future of America, if he’s reelected.

If Biden’s difficulties are fair game, why isn’t Trump’s obvious mental decline front and center in the major media? And in your choice of who to vote for?

It’s becoming ever more difficult to hope that there are enough voters to preserve America’s 237-year effort to improve democracy. But that is what John Bos will continue to write about in “Connecting the Dots” in this newspaper every other Saturday. Anyone with comments or questions may send them to john01370@gmail.com.