Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) says he thinks it’s time we consider administering senility tests for aging leaders in the United States, and said he would apply such a test to both political figures and members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Speaking with Mike Allen of Axios, Cassidy noted that when most people reach their 80s, they begin a “rapid decline.”
“It’s usually noticeable. So, anyone who is in a position of responsibility, who may potentially be on that slope, that is a concern, and I’m saying this as a doctor.
“I’m told thatthere have been senators in the past who, at the end of their Senate terms were senile. I’m told that was true of senators of both parties.”
The solution, according to the senator, is to annually test members of the Supreme Court, Congress, and the executive branch to determine if they have the necessary cognitive skills to be in a position of power:
“We each have a sacred responsibility to the people of the United States. It is not about me. It is about my ability to serve the people.”
During his presidency, there were suggestions that former President Donald Trump might be mentally unfit to serve as leader of the free world. Some of his actions and remarks even led medical experts to hypothesize that Trump was indeed suffering from some form of dementia or might have had a series of small strokes that had left him unfit for office. Trump’s father, Fred, had Alzheimer’s and died as a result of the illness, which can begin in the 60s.
More recently, a few Republicans have questioned the mental fitness of President Joe Biden, who will turn 79 next month.
Considering the life or death decisions made by leaders in Congress, the White House, and the federal judiciary, it might be wise to consider annual mental fitness checks for those who serve the public. The problem, of course, is that the process might become purely political and used to remove able leaders for partisan purposes.
Here’s a portion of Cassidy’s interview with Mike Allen:
Featured Image Via Screenshot
