Welcome everyone to the beat I'm Ari Melber and we have a very special show for you this

Friday night our top story right now is a special report on a big issue in US government

and politics some consider it the elephant or donkey in the room this year. The gap

between most of the powerful people who rule over and run the governments of our nation, the government branches,

you're looking at judicial and I'm going to get into a couple.

They rule over the rest of the population and this is a gap I'm going to get into right now with you

that separates the lifetime members of the Supreme Court

and all the people their decisions impact, like you.

It separates many of the polls who spend decades rising to the top of Congress and the citizenry.

It applies to both presumptive nominees for president this year.

It's an issue that may ultimately politically be canceled out between the both of them,

but has many, many Americans asking, why are U.S. government leaders so old?

Why are they so much older than the leaders of other U.S. institutions.

Why are they so much older than the citizens they rule democratically?

And if the reasons for this are arbitrary or reflect other deeper systemic problems,

then should our society try to look at reforms or democratize these institutions and not out of simplistic ageism. If you ever watch the beat

you know we don't do any isms around here but we also keep an open mind to real

issues around America and there are some real questions about how to

address some antiquated systems and norms.

Now this is obviously back under scrutiny because of these two senior citizen presidential nominees.

But the reason this is our top story tonight in a special report is the facts and history show something

much broader.

...