Political Frailty

[Joey Russ 7,283]

Us Representative from Virginia Gerry Connolly has been announced with esophagus cancer. 
In recent days Nancy Pelosi has been pushing to have him lead the oversight committee over AOC, which I think shows Pelosi’s pettiness…

[Ulitzer95 12,942]

48 minutes ago, Gisooo said:

 

And now Francis Bellotti (Wiki) dead at 101

 

Oldest living former Attorney General is now Evan Hultman (b. 1925) of Iowa (1961–1965).

Unsure of who the oldest living Lieutenant General now is.

[edm88 79]

1 hour ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Oldest living former Attorney General is now Evan Hultman (b. 1925) of Iowa (1961–1965).

Unsure of who the oldest living Lieutenant General now is.

George Ariyoshi (98) of Hawaii is the oldest former US Lieutenant Governor now, followed by George Nigh (97) of Oklahoma and Nick Theodore (96) of South Carolina.

[dimreaper 782]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/19/opinion/david-gergen-dementia/

 

David Gergen, who served in the Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton administrations has Lewy body dementia.

 

Below link from September shows he has lost a significant amount of weight. 

https://www.elon.edu/u/news/2024/09/17/a-joyous-celebration-of-david-gergens-service-and-leadership/

[drol 12,227]

On 10/12/2024 at 16:40, drol said:

Fuad Noman hospitalised again.

Fuad Noman hospitalised again .

[polar duck 892]

On 17/12/2024 at 13:10, edm88 said:

George Ariyoshi (98) of Hawaii is the oldest former US Lieutenant Governor now, followed by George Nigh (97) of Oklahoma and Nick Theodore (96) of South Carolina.

 

Speaking of ancient Lieutenant Governors, Thomas DiLuglio of Rhode Island dead at 93.

[The Old Crem 3,660]

On 28/05/2024 at 13:00, Thatcher said:

Lyn Brown standing down citing health challenges and ‘serious conditions that have increasing impact on work’. Labour MP for West Ham since 2005.

Lyn Brown made a Baroness as part of the Political honours list.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/political-peerages-december-2024

[tracy 2,478]

Outgoing Texas congresswoman Kay Granger, who hasn't cast a vote in six months, has been living in a memory care home with dementia for some time:  https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/exclusive-where-is-congresswoman-kay-granger/

[polar duck 892]

Congresswoman Martha Keys dead at 94. The second woman to ever represent Kansas in the House of Representatives, she was also the sister-in-law of Gary Hart.

[Ulitzer95 12,942]

2 peers resigned from the House of Lords on 19th:
Baroness Cohen of Pimlico (wiki), 84, Labour – former BBC governor, lawyer and crime fiction author
Baroness Quinn (wiki), 80, Labour – former MP and minister under Blair

2 peers resigned on 20th:
Baroness Cumberlege (wiki), 81, Conservative – minister under Major
Lord Haselhurst (wiki), 87, Conservative – former MP for Saffron Walden (Kemi's current constituency) from 1977 to 2017 (early an MP from 1970 to 1974 in Middleton), didn't join the HoL until 2018 so he's had a short stint! Also a Deputy Commons Speaker under Betty Boothroyd, Michael Martin and John "Ordeeeer" the Poison Dwarf Bercow.

I have no knowledge of any of them being ill but worth keeping an eye on as all are 80+

[drol 12,227]

Brazilian relic Alceu Collares hospitalised in ICU with pneumonia. 97 and frail for years.

[Sinbabad 1,158]

On 13/09/2021 at 22:21, arghton said:

leaders who first came to power 1971-1980

 

1979 -

Don Martina (b. 1935) Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles 1979-1984 and 1986-1988

Don Martina has died aged 89.

[Ulitzer95 12,942]

Can one of our American users please tell me if this is true? It’s too funny.
 

 

Edit: Kay Granger, for the sake of the search engine.

2nd edit: Sorry, missed tracy’s post – already covered! 

[tracy 2,478]

The dementia stuff is true, but it's a bit of an exaggeration to say she was "missing" for 6 months. She's been photographed at congressional events and the like. She just hasn't cast any votes.

 

That said, with Granger, Connolly, and Wexton, there are definitely several members of the current Congress who will make good pool picks sooner rather than later.

[Undead In Ohio 161]

1 hour ago, tracy said:

The dementia stuff is true, but it's a bit of an exaggeration to say she was "missing" for 6 months. She's been photographed at congressional events and the like. She just hasn't cast any votes.

 

That said, with Granger, Connolly, and Wexton, there are definitely several members of the current Congress who will make good pool picks sooner rather than later.

 

Chaya Raichik spreading misinformation? Inconceivable.

[drol 12,227]

On 21/12/2024 at 08:34, drol said:

Brazilian relic Alceu Collares hospitalised in ICU with pneumonia. 97 and frail for years.

Deathrace gold Alceu Collares dead at 97.

[dimreaper 782]

On 22/12/2024 at 13:30, Ulitzer95 said:

Can one of our American users please tell me if this is true? It’s too funny.
 

 

Edit: Kay Granger, for the sake of the search engine.

2nd edit: Sorry, missed tracy’s post – already covered! 

 

Yes, in fact, this is a photo of the care facility she's in.

[Grimgrass 520]

Arnold Rüütel, former president of Estonia, hospitalised in serious condition: https://www.hs.fi/maailma/art-2000010926943.html

[edm88 79]

On 22/12/2024 at 11:47, tracy said:

The dementia stuff is true, but it's a bit of an exaggeration to say she was "missing" for 6 months. She's been photographed at congressional events and the like. She just hasn't cast any votes.

 

That said, with Granger, Connolly, and Wexton, there are definitely several members of the current Congress who will make good pool picks sooner rather than later.

To add to the running list of Congresspeople with cancer, Glenn Thompson, John Garamendi and Raul Grijalva also have cancer. Greg Murphy also had a tumour in his skull removed.

 

Scalise, Raskin, Joaquin Castro, Russ Fulcher and Dan Kildee (retiring) also were diagnosed within the last 3 years but seem to be in remission now.

[Zsa Zsa's leg 893]

On 22/12/2024 at 12:30, Ulitzer95 said:

Can one of our American users please tell me if this is true? It’s too funny.
 

 

Edit: Kay Granger, for the sake of the search engine.

2nd edit: Sorry, missed tracy’s post – already covered! 

She does have dementia, but the screeching over term limits seems to be misplaced. She already announced her retirement and gave up her leadership of the Appropriations Committee. 

She was hardly absent for 6 full months. Her last vote was apparently in July, which was followed by the long recess in August. Very little happens in Congress during the fall campaign season anyway.

 

I personally think there are more serious problems in Congress than old people racking up seniority for their district: the numerous insider trading scandals, gerrymandering, polarization, gridlock, and the constant government shutdown/debt default crises we seem to have every couple months. 

[Sean 6,393]

13 hours ago, Zsa Zsa's leg said:

She does have dementia, but the screeching over term limits seems to be misplaced. She already announced her retirement and gave up her leadership of the Appropriations Committee. 

She was hardly absent for 6 full months. Her last vote was apparently in July, which was followed by the long recess in August. Very little happens in Congress during the fall campaign season anyway.

 

I personally think there are more serious problems in Congress than old people racking up seniority for their district: the numerous insider trading scandals, gerrymandering, polarization, gridlock, and the constant government shutdown/debt default crises we seem to have every couple months. 

I do agree  it isn't the most important issue but you shouldn't be in office or should at least declare it.In this case though it appears the decline has been rapid.If she had stepped down and triggered a special election timing wise it wouldn't have made much difference.

 

I was watching Dave Pakman the other day and he was showing a clip of her on the House Floor stumbling over her words as proof she was unfit to lead which is a fair point but ironic considering not long ago Pakman and many other Democrats were saying Biden was fine to carry on until he dropped out of the race.

 

It is clear though that  the US has a systemic problem with Politicians that are too frail to be serving.

 

[Zsa Zsa's leg 893]

6 hours ago, Sean said:

I do agree  it isn't the most important issue but you shouldn't be in office or should at least declare it.In this case though it appears the decline has been rapid.If she had stepped down and triggered a special election timing wise it wouldn't have made much difference.

 

I was watching Dave Pakman the other day and he was showing a clip of her on the House Floor stumbling over her words as proof she was unfit to lead which is a fair point but ironic considering not long ago Pakman and many other Democrats were saying Biden was fine to carry on until he dropped out of the race.

 

It is clear though that  the US has a systemic problem with Politicians that are too frail to be serving.

 

It seems as though most Americans hate every old member of Congress *except* for their own 85 year old local congressman. That seniority helps them bring home pork to their constituents. Otherwise, they would be primaried out or lose re-election.

 

Some caucuses like the CBC even discourage their members from retiring because they want their members to earn better committee positions and seniority, which is why you see members like Danny Davis (whose campaign had to use AI pictures of him for his last campaign because he was too frail to do a photoshoot) and David Scott (suffering from dementia and being wheeled around the capitol) stay in office until they die.