UNCOVERING WHAT AILS THEM.

• Author: Vliet, Elizabeth Lee
• Position: POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

AS DEMOCRATS parade the opinions of various psychiatric and psychological TV "experts" claiming that Pres. Donald Trump is "mentally ill" and unfit for office, I recently was asked: "Should Congress and political candidates release medical records to run for or hold political office?" and "Is it even ethical for psychiatrists and psychologists to be on TV claiming the President is mentally ill, or has a personality disorder, if they have not examined the patient?"

These questions became even more relevant with the revelation that Grubbs Pharmacy on Capitol Hill delivers prescriptions almost daily to members of Congress and their staff, some of which are medicines for serious illnesses like Alzheimer's dementia. In fact, the pharmacist who handles these prescriptions for Congress and the elite on Capitol Hill was quoted as saying he finds it "troubling" that the public does not know who is suffering from such diseases that affect brain function, memory, judgment, and ability to think and analyze complex information.

In several media interviews, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) has demonstrated facial tics and long pauses as she searches for words. She stumbles over simple pronunciations, and has difficulty remembering basic information, dates, names, and even who is president.

Meanwhile, Democrat presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton displayed facial tics and speech pauses, and had difficulty standing and recalling words during the 2016 campaign. Yet, the public merely was told she had "pneumonia." These observations are not typical of pneumonia and suggest a more serious neurological problem.

Sen. John McCain disclosed he has brain cancer, but has remained in office casting critical votes that affect all Americans, although this type of cancer can impair thinking and judgment and cause behavior changes.

Pres. Trump has not exhibited any of the behaviors described above to suggest a medical or mental problem affecting performance. His speech is fluid, articulate, and does not show the pauses and loss of common words that easily are observable with Pelosi, Clinton, or McCain.

While the Left remains unrelenting in its "Resistance" of all things Trump, especially his supposed mental deficiencies, what really deserves a rigorous public debate is the issue of politicians' failure to disclose to voters any physical or mental impairment that may affect their ability to perform the job they are paid to do...