Aging and Politics

As the number of older adults has increased substantially in the U.S. population, their potential to influence politics and policy has also increased. Recognizing older adults as an important voting block is called the senior power model of impact on politics. Statistics show that there are more than 30 million Americans aged 65 or older, and that number is expected to grow to over 50 million by 2020. Much of the projected growth can be attributed to the aging baby boomer generation cohort (those born between 1946 and 1964). There are more than 70 million baby boomers in the United States, and those born in 1946 reached aged 60 in 2006.

Along with large numbers, older adults also vote at higher rates than other age groups. They tend to be politically active. The life experience and life cycle hypotheses suggest that older adults' high democratic participation can be attributed to lifelong learning experiences and community involvement that leads them to view participatory politics as an important endeavor. Another explanation of high voter rates among older adults is that they have additional free time in retirement to pursue democratic involvements. A previous theory, disengagement theory, argued that due to physical limitations and social withdrawal, elderly adults were [Page 20]less likely to participate in political action. Due to increases in life expectancy and advancements in health care, today's senior citizens are leading active lives that contradict disengagement theory.

The senior power model presents older adults as significant in being able to shape public policy on group-specific interests such as Medicare, social security, and health care. As an established group represented by large organizations with strong lobbying power, politicians increasingly need to win support of older adults by focusing attention on issues important to them. Budget reductions and other threats to age-related programs such as social security may serve to further mobilize older adults and enhance their group unity as a political force.

A challenge to the senior power model is the lack of homogeneity among older adults. Indeed, socioeconomic status varies greatly within the older adult population, as do partisan preferences. These and other points of difference tend to fragment the older adult group, thereby lessening their political solidarity and unified power. For example, efforts to reform or improve social security are more important to older adults in lower economic brackets than those with higher incomes. Despite heterogeneity within the older adult population, however, shared interests in age-related issues combined with significant population numbers, high political participation, and group representation by associations such as AARP guarantees this group attention and a voice in shaping public policy in American democracy.

As a result of their numbers and voter turnout, older citizens are often targeted for special communication messages by candidates running for office, as well as by officeholders once elected. In campaigns from the presidency to elections for state house and senate, candidates often address specialized campaign advertising and news messages directly to issues of concern to the aging population.