what happens when a senator is mentally incompetent?

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

We have a lot of very old senators, and I wonder what happens when they are no longer mentally competent? I know Thurmond at the end of his tenure was basically a puppet. Currently, Pat Roberts of Kansas is said to be in the early stages of Altzheimers, and Senator Byrd is clearly in shakey physical health, although still sound mentally.

Is there a process to deal with this type of stuff?

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. Jim Bunning is clearly suffering from dementia

But Kentucky gave him another term anyway :eyes:

[demosincebirth]

17. I agree, but what do you do if idiots keep on electing him?

[ClassWarrior]

2. He inherits an HMO and becomes Majority Leader?

NGU.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Nothing much you can do

except at the next election. I think if it gets so bad that it is obvious that a Senator is not fulfilling his/her duties, pressure could be brought upon them to resign, but the Senator doesn't have to take the hint.

[Mass]

4. Not to my knowledge - In Akaka's case, somebody decided to challenge

him in a primary, but Byrd is such an icon that nobody has dared do that, even if it is more than time for him to let somebody younger take his place.

I did not know about Roberts, but if this is the case, it is even more worrisome given his position as head of the Intelligence Committee.

[tsuki]

11. Is Akaka on shaky mental ground?

[ComerPerro]

5. Well, considering that we have a mentally incompetent President

I'd say we have bigger fish to fry

[Hubert Flottz]

6. He runs on the republican ticket and is a great freeper hero!

[Webster Green]

7. Jeff Sessions is seriously ill....

He should have been removed from office long ago. His incoherent babbling must be embarrassing to his constituents. OTOH, perhaps not. They keep re-electing the fool.

[Warpy]

8. The Senate has been called the world's most expensive

nursing home. Not only are these old codgers physically propped up in their seats by aides (Thurmond comes to mind) and told how to vote, they have full private duty staff devoted to their nursing care.

Although I would not like to see a one size fits all age to retire, clearly something needs to be done about those who are slipping mentally. The problem is that too many powerful positions are given out according to seniority, as well as dominant party.

Perhaps a physical and cognitive exam should be required of Senators seeking re election. A Senator who is physically incapable of serving a 6 year term would be retired, as would one with obvious cognitive deficits.

It's a thought, anyway.

[napi21]

9. I don't think age is the deciding factor.

Yes, Byrd is shaky, but it sure seems to me his mind is just fine! Almost every time I listen to him, he's still on of the very few rational Senators we have.

You're certainly right about Thurman. Back in 1987, when I moved to SC, I asked several locals "why in the world they keep electing this guy?" He was obviously incompetent THEN! All of them responded that he had done a lot of good things for SC, and if he wants to remain in the Senate, they were going to keep him there as a think you to him. I never said people in SC were intelligent!

There are a lot of Senators who I disagree with, but I can't say that I've actually heard any that I believe are mentally incompetent.

[EST]

10. They're elected for lifetime tenure.

[BringEmOn]

12. They're invited to join the Gang of 14

[spanone]

13. They become republicans regardless of their previous affiliation.

[TahitiNut]

14. Same as any ... they represent their electorate.

:shrug:

[Lexingtonian]

15. In Zell Miller's case

the solution was to become a Republican. Seems to be the same idea for Joe Lieberman.

No, there's no competence hearing or anything like that. It's a very old story in the Senate, which is by tradition and definition the chamber of the older men/women (Latin senex = 'old man'). Their Constitutional job boils down to saying 'no' to bad people and bad plans. It's a job that is politically relatively passive. Younger men/women and all their (largely foolish) initiatives belong in the relatively irresponsible, but rapidly acting/overreacting, House of Representatives, that's the natural order of things.

The sort of absurd answer to your question: Senators get replaced by younger men/women. It's never that easy a call if the Senator wants to stay in office, whatever his mental condition. Voters at times do prefer a vegetable that just acts and votes a certain way over some person who makes a fuss and involves them and purports to accountability. There are times when electorates want stuff done that they are ashamed of and want to pretend they have no responsibility for. (That's basically the explanation for the wingnut Republican politicians of the Deep South, btw- why they do stuff that is 'outrageous' and yet keep on getting reelected.)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. He runs for president.