My bet has always been a broken hip and a “none of your damn business” attitude about his health,
Seven weeks in the hospital for a broken hip? The only way that would be true would be if he broke it in such a horrific way that would have required traction / major surgery that required a half body cast. From the two pictures that have been released, that is obviously not an issue. Go ahead and plug into google "how many weeks do you typically stay in the hospital for a broken hip" and get back to me. I mean, the guy is older than dirt, so there is a bit of extra time that can be reasonably accounted for here, but seven weeks is pushing it well beyond the level of reasonable belief.
I absolutely agree that the guy should be allowed a certain amount of privacy, but at the same time there is a difference between personal privacy with regards to medical care and a medical condition that prevents you from doing your job. You can't just disappear from your job and when your boss calls you up to ask where you are, say "Bleep you! I've got a medical condition." If you are going to miss significant time from your job, you have to file a short-term disability form explaining your reasons. Otherwise, you get fired (justifiably).
Don’t compare the Senate to a regular workplace - they are nothing alike.
The Senate makes up its own rules. You’ll notice AOC and a state governor are leading the charge here.
Other Senators don’t want create or apply “McConnell Rules” that THEY would have to follow too.
so … what “should” be viewed as “the right thing to do” is a meaningless pipe dream, as are arguments based on what the law “should” be
Clair Engle (D) had strokes and brain tumors, and brain surgery, and missed multiple sessions and votes, was eventually rolled into the Senate on a hospital bed when he could not speak, to vote on breaking the Democrat party filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nobody pulled this “you’re too sick to serve” crap then. And my personal House rep for decades (William Natcher - D) was rolled in to the House on a gurney to vote just to “preserve” his voting streak.
This all stupid political bull that will continue as long as the Pols can stir people up with The Stupid instead of having to do their real jobs.
My bet has always been a broken hip and a “none of your damn business” attitude about his health, as well as an understanding that the Dems would not be able to resist a strategy of “if Biden has to go, Mitch has to go.”
He has made a loooong career out of understanding the Constitution, Senate rules and politics much better than his opponents.
That's extremely unlikely. He's been in rehab for weeks and still not medically cleared to return. You only spend long stints in rehab if you are unable to move independently and safely, or if you are unable to communicate effectively. Considering all his communication has been through carefully worded press releases, and that any physical damage preventing him from walking would have likely improved by now, the odds on favorite is that he hit his head, suffered a brain bleed, and can't talk.
My bet has always been a broken hip and a “none of your damn business” attitude about his health, as well as an understanding that the Dems would not be able to resist a strategy of “if Biden has to go, Mitch has to go.”
He has made a loooong career out of understanding the Constitution, Senate rules and politics much better than his opponents.
That's extremely unlikely. He's been in rehab for weeks and still not medically cleared to return. You only spend long stints in rehab if you are unable to move independently and safely, or if you are unable to communicate effectively. Considering all his communication has been through carefully worded press releases, and that any physical damage preventing him from walking would have likely improved by now, the odds on favorite is that he hit his head, suffered a brain bleed, and can't talk.
You might be right, but I am still unaware of any Constitutional or statutory duty of a member of Congress to “prove” their ability to attend sessions of the House or Senate and participate and vote. To the contrary, in the past they have intentionally missed hearings and sessions, health-related and otherwise. They have filibustered and actually intentionally PREVENTED the Congress from working. They orchestrate walkouts to affect quorums, etc.
As noted above, they have showed up medically unable to speak and barely move, and voted by pointing at an “eye”.
At the end of the day, Beshear has allowed himself to become a puppet of the AOC squad, with zero chance of doing anything. Even if McConnell said “I’m dead,” under Kentucky law the Legislature picks the new Senator and both the Ky House and Senate are overwhelmingly (veto-proof) GOP. It is pure political theatre, with no real impact, no different than the leaks of Fauci e-mails. THey might as well just tell “yo mama” jokes.
My bet has always been a broken hip and a “none of your damn business” attitude about his health, as well as an understanding that the Dems would not be able to resist a strategy of “if Biden has to go, Mitch has to go.”
He has made a loooong career out of understanding the Constitution, Senate rules and politics much better than his opponents.
That's extremely unlikely. He's been in rehab for weeks and still not medically cleared to return. You only spend long stints in rehab if you are unable to move independently and safely, or if you are unable to communicate effectively. Considering all his communication has been through carefully worded press releases, and that any physical damage preventing him from walking would have likely improved by now, the odds on favorite is that he hit his head, suffered a brain bleed, and can't talk.
Late smart-ass thought just hit me:
Helen Keller might make a great Senator.
You might be right, but I am still unaware of any Constitutional or statutory duty of a member of Congress to “prove” their ability to attend sessions of the House or Senate and participate and vote.
I am far from an expert on this, but I have heard that there is technically a rule that McConnel is breaking. Supposedly, if you are going to miss out on time due to an illness / injury, you are required to notify the Senate. Mitch has not done so.
Late smart-ass thought just hit me:
Helen Keller might make a great Senator.
Hell-to-the-no.
Contrary to the narrative that Republicans are trying to establish now, Keller was ACTUALLY a full blown socialist and championed those causes late in her life.
My bet has always been a broken hip and a “none of your damn business” attitude about his health,
Seven weeks in the hospital for a broken hip? The only way that would be true would be if he broke it in such a horrific way that would have required traction / major surgery that required a half body cast. From the two pictures that have been released, that is obviously not an issue. Go ahead and plug into google "how many weeks do you typically stay in the hospital for a broken hip" and get back to me. I mean, the guy is older than dirt, so there is a bit of extra time that can be reasonably accounted for here, but seven weeks is pushing it well beyond the level of reasonable belief.
I absolutely agree that the guy should be allowed a certain amount of privacy, but at the same time there is a difference between personal privacy with regards to medical care and a medical condition that prevents you from doing your job. You can't just disappear from your job and when your boss calls you up to ask where you are, say "Bleep you! I've got a medical condition." If you are going to miss significant time from your job, you have to file a short-term disability form explaining your reasons. Otherwise, you get fired (justifiably).
Don’t compare the Senate to a regular workplace - they are nothing alike.
The Senate makes up its own rules. You’ll notice AOC and a state governor are leading the charge here.
Other Senators don’t want create or apply “McConnell Rules” that THEY would have to follow too.
so … what “should” be viewed as “the right thing to do” is a meaningless pipe dream, as are arguments based on what the law “should” be
Clair Engle (D) had strokes and brain tumors, and brain surgery, and missed multiple sessions and votes, was eventually rolled into the Senate on a hospital bed when he could not speak, to vote on breaking the Democrat party filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nobody pulled this “you’re too sick to serve” crap then. And my personal House rep for decades (William Natcher - D) was rolled in to the House on a gurney to vote just to “preserve” his voting streak.
This all stupid political bull that will continue as long as the Pols can stir people up with The Stupid instead of having to do their real jobs.
Everyone in the senate SHOULD have to disclose if they are capable of continuing to do their job rather they like it or not and voters should be pushing for that. Yea, Senate is different than the workplace. It SHOULD be seen as more important to have people that can actually function.
Biden wasn't even in a hospital at all and people wanted him to step down because of how he appeared in some of his public appearances.. But those hypocrites do not care at all that McConnell has been entirely MIA for almost 2 months and only a picture (without any proof of when it was taken) to say that he is even alive. Shouldn't people in the senate be healthy enough to actually function in their job? Intentionally skipping a senate hearing is completely different than missing it due being unable to function. Maybe some more conservative politicians can make up another 20 minute meeting with McConnell lmao.
MAGA Wingnuts and the lefty Moonbats are really desperate for him to die.
I think it's reasonable to expect, after all this time, to simply ask him to give SOME tangible proof that he is 1) alive, and 2) capable of doing his job. A 30 second video, maybe? A brief visit with SOMEONE, even a MAGA person, on video?
If MAGA dudes are telling the truth, he has carried on 20 minute conversations with them.
There is some leeway for privacy in dealing with medical issues, but we are months into this now.
What jobs on Earth can you suddenly disappear for months on end, not communicate any reasons why, any status, or even any best guess estimate for returning to worK? Would that fly in the Navy?
"You can't make someone listen to reason if they aren't willing to think"-- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
@myteamisonthefloor Oh, I'm not jumping on the "He must resign!" bandwagon. As far as I know, the only authority that has the power to remove him is the Senate itself. I'm just saying I think it is very unlikely that he's playing 3D chess here. I think he probably fell down and hurt himself pretty badly, and it will be a while before he's capable of attending to normal Senate business.
Edit: and if I'm right about that - and it's just a gut feeling, so I might not be - then I doubt he's even capable of resigning. But he'd also be incapable of properly filing to run again, so this would all resolve itself at the next election cycle.
Late smart-ass thought just hit me:
Helen Keller might make a great Senator.
Hell-to-the-no.
Contrary to the narrative that Republicans are trying to establish now, Keller was ACTUALLY a full blown socialist and championed those causes late in her life.
I was referring to sight/hearing/speech issues. Context indicates I was joking.
I was referring to sight/hearing/speech issues. Context indicates I was joking.
I know. I was kinda adding to that jokingly.
Again, someone needs to develop a sarcasm font.
You might be right, but I am still unaware of any Constitutional or statutory duty of a member of Congress to “prove” their ability to attend sessions of the House or Senate and participate and vote.
I am far from an expert on this, but I have heard that there is technically a rule that McConnel is breaking. Supposedly, if you are going to miss out on time due to an illness / injury, you are required to notify the Senate. Mitch has not done so.
I think they know.
I know. I was kinda adding to that jokingly.
Again, someone needs to develop a sarcasm font.
On some forum I vaguely recall (maybe on the peegs OTF forum ??), posters got in the habit of putting sarcastic remarks in green font.
"You can't make someone listen to reason if they aren't willing to think"-- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
@myteamisonthefloor Oh, I'm not jumping on the "He must resign!" bandwagon. As far as I know, the only authority that has the power to remove him is the Senate itself. I'm just saying I think it is very unlikely that he's playing 3D chess here. I think he probably fell down and hurt himself pretty badly, and it will be a while before he's capable of attending to normal Senate business.
Edit: and if I'm right about that - and it's just a gut feeling, so I might not be - then I doubt he's even capable of resigning. But he'd also be incapable of properly filing to run again, so this would all resolve itself at the next election cycle.
He already announced he is quitting. Because of that, there is an 8/5 deadline for moving to replacing him if this counts as a “vacancy” under current Kentucky law, which is new and has not been challenged yet.
In the original version, the governor filled a “vacancy.” It was changed to “the governor must pick a member of the same party as the “vacant” senator.” Then it changed to “the governor calls a special session and the Legislature picks.” The Kentucky legislature is veto-proof GOP.
That is why Beshear started chirping. The Kentucky Democrats want to file a lawsuit and get a court to declare the changes unconstitutional in time for Beshear to get the spot for the short time left in Mitch’s term and get some national points (and just for political fun).
etc.