After watching the recent debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it was obvious we need to have our presidential candidates complete a cognitive test.
Cognitive tests are short, quick tests to check how well your brain is functioning. These test results should be made public to the voters so they can be informed and make the decision as to whether they think a candidate is capable of holding an office.
No matter who you support or what political party you are affiliated with, you should feel the same way. If a candidate cannot complete thoughts or sentences and struggles to stay focused, it is obvious his age is affecting his thinking.
We just cannot have the president of the United States and the leader of the free world who is senile or in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
You have to be at least 35 years of age to run for president. Maybe we should also have a maximum age of 70 or 75 for someone to run and hold that office.
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I think we definitely need term limits for the U.S. Senate seats and our congressional offices.
Senators should only be able to serve two terms. This is similar to the presidential office.
Congressmen are elected for only a two-year term. This should be changed to four years, but a term limit of two should also be put on that office.
In both Kentucky and West Virginia, we have two good examples of the need for term limits in the U.S. Senate.
Mitch McConnell has served as a senator since 1985. However, McConnell, a Republican, is getting older and his health has not been the best. The minority leader is 82 years old. He has served the Bluegrass State long enough and it is time for him to retire.
West Virginia was served by the late Robert C. Byrd for over 51 years, from 1959 until his death in 2010. A Democrat, Byrd also served as a U.S. representative for six years, from 1953 until 1959. He remains the longest-serving U.S. Senator in history.
Byrd did some great things for the Mountain State, especially for Southern West Virginia. Byrd was the Majority Leader and the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee during his tenure.
However, his last few years were tough on him because of his age and health. He was 93 when he passed away and was still serving in the Senate.
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There should be a ban on male transgender athletes playing against females in sports.
There is an obvious biological difference for the male athlete who decides to “identify” as a woman or girl.
It is not fair for these transgender people to compete against smaller female athletes. This ban should be from middle and high school to college, the Olympics or, if it happens in the future – professional sports.
The point of the women’s category is to exclude male advantage, which comes as a result of natural testosterone that men have.
Many examples have occurred over the last couple of years.
It is just not right for this to be allowed, regardless of lawsuits or what some believe. It is ludicrous. Transgender biological males definitely have an unfair advantage over females.
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The NIL (Name Image Likeness) that is now allowed in college sports is okay, but there needs to be a cap or minimum amount an athlete can be paid.
I long thought that college athletes, who bring in millions of dollars to their schools with tickets and jersey sales, should get a stipend each month for playing sports for a college or university.
However, it seems to be getting out of hand.
It is fine for an athlete to do a commercial and make money on their own abilities and popularity.
However, schools are now allowed to pay the athletes too. But is it fair for larger schools that have much more funding to be able to hand out more money than mid-major colleges?
An example of a larger school would be like the University of Kentucky or Ohio State, compared to Marshall University or Morehead State. But the Genie is now out of the bottle.
Now that college athletes do not have to sit out a year after transferring, you are seeing athletes at smaller schools move to larger schools that are offering much more money. Then there is the chance for them to make even more in endorsements.
What a particular athlete makes in commercial deals is okay and that is because of their talent and public awareness.
However, the NCAA should put a cap on the amount the schools can offer student-athletes. It is just not fair to the smaller colleges that have limited funds.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)