July 29, 2025
⏰ Tick Tock
Days to Utah's 2025 municipal primary elections (8/12/2025) - 14
Days until Election Day (11/4/2025) - 98
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 464
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,197
The age problem in U.S. politics
America's halls of power have become a gerontocracy, with lawmakers who are dramatically older than the citizens they represent—a disconnect that may explain why younger voters feel alienated from their government.
Adam Bonica writes at his On Data and Democracy Substack that the US stands out with the largest age gap between lawmaker age and population age among developed democracies. The average age of lawmakers in the US is nearly 60 years old, while the median age of the population is under 40.
“This 20-year gap means those making decision about climate change, technology regulation, and student debt often have limited personal stake in long-term consequences,” Bonica writes.
That age gap is particularly large in the U.S. Senate. The age gap for Republicans is just 10 years - half of the GOP senators are over the age of 67, while half of registered Republicans are under 57. Among Democrats, the disparity is even more dramatic: their senators mirror their Republican colleagues in age, but their voters skew significantly younger, with half under 50.
Adam Bonica (Data and Democracy on Substack)
In a startling parallel, Bonica points out that the age makeup of the US Senate matches that of The Villages in Florida, the nation’s largest retirement community. Most members of the Senate are in the 65-80 age range.
“This comparison illustrates how unrepresentative the Senate is—a body making decisions for all Americans has the age profile of a community specifically designed for retirees.”
The concentration of political power in the hands of older Americans has real policy implications, as lawmakers’ priorities are often significantly different from their younger constituents.
One telling example: support for Medicaid work requirements spikes dramatically among voters over 65—precisely the age when such requirements no longer affect them. This pattern holds true across party lines.
“This pattern illustrates how age-based political power can lead to policies that impose costs on younger generations while protecting older Americans' benefits.”
Tuesday morning's headlines
Utah and the West
Mike Lee urges Senate to cancel August recess. Here's why. [Deseret News]
Utah vote-by-mail tightens deadline this municipal election. [KSL]
Federal funding is back for after-school programs, but change may be coming. [Utah News Dispatch]
A Utah lawmaker wants more action to help get water into the Great Salt Lake. [Fox 13]
Utah Sheriffs Association leaders defend increasing cooperation with immigration officials. [KSL]
Utah nonprofits serving immigrants see funding cuts, more demand in Trump's second term. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Poll: Majority of Utah Democrats have zero trust in these major institutions. [Deseret News]
Facing a budget hole, this fast-growing southern Utah city mulling first property tax hike in 15 years. [Salt Lake Tribune]
New pipeline restores clean water to small southern Utah town. [KSL]
Nation
Republican leaders in Congress want members to sell President Trump's massive tax cuts and spending bill during the August recess. [Politico]
Democrats are suddenly feeling confident about their chances of retaking the House during next year's midterm elections. [Axios]
President Donald Trump again wouldn't rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted for operating a child sex-trafficking ring. [Axios]
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the General Services Administration demanding information on how the agency is using Elon Musk's Grok AI. [Fedscoop]
The Trump administration is investigating Duke University and the Duke Law Journal over allegations of civil rights violations. [Bloomberg]
World
The "worst-case scenario of famine" is unfolding in the Gaza Strip." [NBC News]
President Trump said on Monday he will work with European allies to "set up food centers" in Gaza. [Politico]
The Trump administration denied permission for Taiwan's president to have a stopover in New York during an upcoming trip. [Financial Times]
China launches $500 annual baby subsidy in effort to boost births. [Financial Times]
Economy
Trump's tariffs are here to stay. [NBC News]
The Trump administration is considering plans to charge patent holders 1% to 5% of their overall patent value, a change that could raise tens of billions of dollars. [Wall Street Journal]
Younger workers with degrees are increasingly having trouble landing starter jobs out of college as companies are using AI to perform the "grunt work" tasks they normally do. [Wall Street Journal]