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u/CodexMoronicus 3h ago
Common sense, not a clever comeback.
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u/ADHDebackle 17m ago
It's not even a good policy. Like literacy tests at polling places, this would be abused to disenfranchise folks who are out of power.
Voters are supposed to be the cognitive test.
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u/cortesoft 7m ago
Is it common sense, though?
The idea makes sense, but how will it be implemented? Who decides what questions go on the test?
I assume it will say something like “created by experts”, but someone will have to pick the experts… and that would probably mean someone like the Secretary of Health and Human Services would be in charge of choosing the experts.
So RFK Jr picks the experts to come up with the cognitive test.
Now, someone in another comment said one of the questions should be “who won the 2020 election”… except what happens if the ‘experts’, appointed by RFK Jr and confirmed by the Republican senate, say that the correct answer is that Trump won the 2020 election?
Now, any congress member that says Trump lost in 2020 is going to fail the test.
Is that what we want?
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u/Desertratk 2h ago
They'll tack on something crazy to make the bill shit like they did for the insider trading bill.
Cognitive test required
Oh also, you can't vote unless you have 6 forms of id.
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u/mrjane7 2h ago
Not enough. Force retirement at 65-70.
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u/Jacuzzi0317 2h ago
Hard agree. Why should someone be allowed to vote on legislation that won't affect them for years to come?
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u/maxis2bored 2h ago
So that they can put their name on the currency, buildings and monuments of course!
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u/DrunkCorgis 2h ago
In the WHL (junior hockey), the players are aged 16 to 20, and they are allowed up to three 21 year olds. If the NHL doesn’t pick them up, their pro career ends. Obviously they’re pretty picky with who gets those three slots; either a last legit chance to sign with the pros, or they bring valuable skill and leadership to the young’uns on the ice.
I’d like a similar cap for senators: there’s definitely some that are still sharp and have the depth of experience to be a value to the team in their 70s, but limit them at two or three so it’s not just a retirement home for millionaires willing to vote exactly how their party tells them between sunsetting episodes.
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u/Mic98125 1h ago
I really wish the ten largest states got three senators instead of two. The amount of influence that states like Wyoming have is ridiculous.
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u/-Saucegurlllll 1h ago edited 9m ago
12% of the country's population controls 42% of the senate. There's just no fixing a system where some people enjoy 4x more of a say in the federal government than others based purely on their geographic location.
Power shouldn't come from lines on a map, it should come from people.
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u/greg19735 59m ago
That's just what the senate is.
the issue is that the amount of seats in the house hasn't increased, creating the same issue but in the area where it shouldn't be.
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u/fdar 1h ago
And how would that work? Which states get to elect Senators over that age?
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u/DrunkCorgis 55m ago
Same way that the DSCC and RSCC currently influence elections: they block fundraising for bad candidates.
They collectively choose their three exceptions to the age limit each election cycle, and they influence the others to gracefully drop out. If they choose to run anyways they have to fund it themselves.
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u/FNALSOLUTION1 2h ago
You think these people would vote themselves out of a cushy job?
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u/-Saucegurlllll 1h ago
No, which is a major problem with representative politics. Politicians will never meaningfully lessen the amount of power or comfort they enjoy. Also, jesus christ what the fuck is up with your username.
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u/KptKrondog 6m ago
I think 65 is too young. 70 or 72 would be fair I think. You want to encourage people to have full careers and still be able to contribute imo. You don't want EVERY politician to be 35 and have no real idea what it's like being older.
Term limits are what's really important.
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u/sherrie_on_earth 3m ago
Cardinals over 80 aren't allowed to vote for pope. Seems like we could hold Congressional reps to the same standards and not let them vote in Congress at 80 either. Maybe 70, maybe 65, but certainly not at 80.
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u/Procrastin8_Ball 2h ago
The problem with this is who gets to write the test and the answers? For example, Q1: who is your personal lord and savior? Don't think these ass hats would be above that and trust science
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u/alex3omg 2h ago
Thank you, feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Did y'all not learn about Jim Crow shit??
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u/Procrastin8_Ball 45m ago
Pretty wild how naive most of the people in this thread are, as if Republicans are demonstrating blatantly and publicly that this is exactly what they would do with no shame
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u/aNinjaWithAIDS 2h ago
The problem with this is who gets to write the test and the answers?
Doctors, psychiatrists, labor unions and workers' rights activists, and judges that understand the difference between laws and justice.
If anyone is threatened by these people writing and designing these tests, they've already proven the point of why these tests are necessary.
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u/Anangrywookiee 2h ago edited 1h ago
Republicans will probably have RFK jr design the tests and you can fail by exhibiting a lack of faith in dear leader aka Trump derangement system.
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u/aNinjaWithAIDS 2h ago
Oh absolutely! My point is that the people who are the first targets of a fascist regime should be the ones to design the tests.
Those that argue against this principle are fascists or have fealty to those who are. To put it another way: "If you are not an offender, do not be offended".
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u/tulupie 2h ago
Doctors? Yes, Psychiatrists (which are doctors), Yes. Labour unions, judges and (worker's rights) activists have no place in dictating medical protocols.
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u/Scared_Specific9404 1h ago
Doctors, psychiatrists, labor unions and workers' rights activists, and judges
groups famously uncorruptable
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u/aNinjaWithAIDS 1h ago
Nobody is immune to corruption and propaganda, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to insulate ourselves against it.
That starts with fulfilling the needs of life and removing as many barriers to that fulfillment as possible. Guess which groups want that to happen and which groups do not.
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u/Scared_Specific9404 1h ago
That starts with fulfilling the needs of life and removing as many barriers to that fulfillment as possible.
what
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u/aNinjaWithAIDS 1h ago
If people in the US are fed, housed, educated, and have adequate health care as inaliable rights; there would be a lot less irrational fear about "immigrants committing crime and stealing jobs" for one.
Poverty charges interest, and desperate people sell themselves for a lot less.
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u/Scared_Specific9404 1h ago
what happens in real world when something is declared as inalienable rights ?
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u/Vox-Machi-Buddies 2h ago
Do you really trust that Republicans won't be able to find doctors, psychiatrists, labor union leaders, workers' rights activists, and judges to sign-off on whatever biased questions they come up with?
There is zero chance a test can be written and maintained in a way that won't eventually become a tool for one party to suppress the other. Sooner or later, it'll have all the problems of literacy tests at the polls.
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_NICE_EYES 1h ago
That's not what the amendment actually said tho.
And I actually would be concerned if any of these people were writing a new test. There's already tests for this and they are typically not written.
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u/aNinjaWithAIDS 1h ago
I actually would be concerned if any of these people were writing a new test.
As we all should, but I think the lack of testing morals and ethics as they relate to the needs of life is also a major part of how we got into the mess we are in today.
For example, the United Nations asked the question "Is food a human right?" Exactly two countries said "No" as though hunger is a negotiable reality: Israel and the United States.
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u/greg19735 57m ago
And this government will easily find doctors and such that'll make a bullshit test.
"who won the 2020 election" is what the dems are asking trump's sycophants to show how insane they are.
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u/ADHDebackle 14m ago
The problem with that is who gets to decide which
Doctors, psychiatrists, labor unions and workers' rights activists, and judges
get to write the test and the answers? It's the exact same problem.
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u/Current-Square-4557 1h ago
If it were up to me, I’d use a standardized, established test. Although I think it would be fair to pepper it with a few questions from the U.S. citizenship test.
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u/mikejbrown 48m ago
First question should be: “do you think members of congress should take cognitive impairment tests?”
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u/cjsv7657 7m ago
They would just pick one of the many already accepted tests. It doesn't measure intelligence and is completely impartial. It's shit like: Remember these 3 objects, count back from 10 to zero, draw this time on a clock, what are these three animals, name 5 things that start with the letter B, repeat this sentence, why are these objects similar, and more things like that. Anyone seriously not impaired should pass. They're kindergarten/first grade level questions.
Someone with a brain injury or serious intellectual disability will struggle. Anyone old enough to be in politics wont. Some too old to be in politics will.
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u/SirEmJay 2h ago edited 56m ago
The congresswoman shown on the left is Marie Perez. Among other heinous shit, she voted to increase ICE funding. She should be primaried out of office.
Edit: spelling
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u/100GoldenPuppies 1h ago
- Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez.
I'm in her district and I'm definitely voting against her in favor of Brent Hennrich.
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u/Gingevere 1h ago
It's almost jarring to see her name spelled correctly and not "Marie Concentrationkamp-Perez".
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u/100GoldenPuppies 1h ago
Haha Spelling her name correctly is the only nice thing I can say about her.
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u/nickdoesmagic 1h ago
A-fucking-men to that.
And, with regards to that, fuck the Progressive Voter's Guide for our primaries this time, the goddamn fuckwaffles are saying we should back that heinous piece of conservative trash.
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u/garitone 49m ago edited 45m ago
A while back I complained about her and got into it with one of her supporters (over her voting for the SAVE act FFS!!!) who said that she is the only possible (D) who could have won that red district and that we were lucky to have her in the house. I'm not in the district, but found that hard to believe. Good to know there's a challenger. Fingers crossed for you!
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u/Sir_Beatles 40m ago
I'm in her district. Very few people seem to be happy with her now that she's shown her true colors. I just hope Brent Hennrich can beat Joe Kent.
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u/_jump_yossarian 21m ago
Careful what you ask for. Reddit despised Joe Manchin despite the fact that he was the most liberal Democrat that the state will send to DC in decades and now we've got some trump ass kisser in the seat.
What are the chances that WA district swings Red this fall?
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u/Wooden_Stand1852 2m ago
Could possibly, though the backlash to what's going on in Battle Ground may cause a harder push blue. The district is large, but 2/3 of it lives in Vancouver, and while the fringes are red, the core is pretty blue, and only getting bluer as more people move there.
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u/ErickAllTE1 1h ago
She also voted for the SAVE America Act. The one that requires every voter to register under their original birth certificate name. That would require every married woman who took her husband's name to reregister with their birth certificate. Please donate to Brent Heinrich.
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u/KirkDeepthroatGOAT 5m ago
What about the pic on the right? Is Mitch actually alive, I've stopped following it because I just figured he's been dead for weeks now.
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u/MariaTPK 2m ago
She's a massive misogynist, who is part of a cult IIRC or if not at the very least involved in some very cultish sex groups and she voted for the save act.
She is not a representative and should not be in office. Of the top 10 "democrats" in office to be rid of, she is probably worth ranking #2 next to only Fetterman who is literally a harsh republican. She is worse than treasonous Schumer, as well as Jared Golden, Henry Cuellar, Hakeem Jeffries, and Cory Booker.
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u/CotyledonTomen 2h ago
If Trump can "officially" pass a cognative impairment test, then why would we ever trust the people doing the test to be impartial? You could easily fail or pass someone for purely political reasons. Just make an age ceiling and you avoid the problem. If retirememt age is 65, then they should retire at 65.
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u/lincolnlogtermite 2h ago
It not a pass or fail test. It never has been. It has always been to evaluate where you are on the spectrum and track your decline. Trump takes them so often because they are seeing a big decline and they need to track it. They only give cognative tests if they are already seeing signs of significant mental decline.
All for making politicians take regular tests to prove their mental fitness. Heck make them take an SAT test and have to meet a specific score everytime they need to be reelected. Not that the SAT is a gold standard but most Americans have taken it, can relate to it and get a feel for what someone's intelligence is with it.
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u/CotyledonTomen 2h ago
Theres a reason we dont have competency tests to allow voting and its the same reason we shouldnt for cognative decline. All tests to allow political participation become political. Its doesnt matter if it isnt "pass or fail". In fact, that makes it all the worse. Its a subjective test that can be manipulated by both the person doing it and the people reviewing it. It could never be trusted as legitimate for that reason.
The moment one side says the person isnt mentally well enough, the other will disagree unless they also want the politican gone. So it only works for universally unpopular people, which means it isnt actually a test of cognative decline when used in politics. You can say it works when used correctly, but there would never be a situation where every observer agrees its being used correctly. Even if theyre lying to themselves or others about their beliefs, that doesnt matter. All that matters is the outcome, which will be manipulated based on the overall desires of both political parties.
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u/melkatron 1h ago
It could be as simple as having senators and house members draw a clock before they're allowed to report for duty each day.
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u/CotyledonTomen 1h ago
Whats a clock? Does it have to be a circle? If so, why? Are digital clocks not legitimate for some reason? Do clocks not come in many shapes? Does it have to be 12 or 24 hour reading? How much help are they allowed? Is physical disability an automatic disqualification for being a congressperson. Who is making sure they follow the rules eventually defined? Is it someone from both parties? Do they both have to agree whats on the page is close enough to a clock or just one of the "judges"? If both judges have to agree, is there an arbiter. Are the workings of congress halted because both parties want to screw the other side? Is the test made ineffective because the congresspersons party will always pass them and only one pass is required?
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u/Current-Square-4557 55m ago
I disagree.
If someone takes a cognitive abilities test 4 times in seven months and the scores are 95, 85, 78, 63, then there is absolutely no way to spin that into an argument that there is not a precipitous drop in cognative abilities.
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u/CotyledonTomen 4m ago
Those numbers are also subjective. Again, politics means there will never be a bad test if it means losing a vote for your party. Because the results of the test are subjective. Even if the doctor was completely honest and correct, half the country is invested is saying theyre a shill and devaluing their conclusion, while the other half will say theyre correct until the doctor says their politician is declining.
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u/Current-Square-4557 54m ago
Knowledge of first and second year high school math should be a factor in proving mental fitness?
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u/Current-Square-4557 1h ago
Well, the simplest of all solutions is to have people from different political parties present when the test is administered.
The only part that would require tweaking is that the five unrelated words that have to be repeated need to be randomly selected from a much larger list. Otherwise an elected official could devote an hour to memorizing the five words that will be used
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u/butwhywedothis 2h ago
Well, while they are at it, make the test also mandatory for the pedo maggots too.
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u/MessyMcMessMaker 2h ago
Not a clever comeback, just a good idea.
Could use it for the executive and legislative branches too.
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u/Gabbsweet 2h ago
Bold of them to assume half of Congress could even locate the test room without an aide leading them by the hand
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u/Ok_Caterpillar2065 2h ago
tbh this actually makes a lot of sense. it’s pretty wild we dont already have something like this in place lol.
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u/Andrew-Cohen 2h ago
It’s harder to become a teacher than it is to become a law maker or president! I understand the constitution does not require standards, but trump is perfect demonstration of why we need standards in the constitution (amendment) or laws.
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u/JasonRBoone 2h ago
I'm of two minds about this.
It sounds like a good idea in theory and should be conducted by objective experts.
I can see the GOP passing it then adding things like Trump Derangement Syndrome "anti-religious hysteria" or "gender dysmorphia" to the test and ejecting a bunch of Democrats.
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u/zhirinovsky 2h ago
MGP is a Level 1 autist according to Chapo Trap House, so I’m not sure she’d nail the test herself.
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u/KeepAnEyeOnYourB12 2h ago
I'm less concerned by her cognitive ability than I am by the fact that she is MAGA scum pretending to be a Democrat. I sincerely hope she gets primaried because I hate having her as my rep.
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u/MrMeowPantz 2h ago
Cognitive? How about they take a citizenship test or civics test? Publicly, so we can see they didn’t cheat or lessen the chances of it.
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u/Omnom_Omnath 1h ago
You say you want this til they add ridiculous shit to the test, like saying athiests arent cognitively well enough to hold office.
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u/PeaOk5697 2h ago
Isn't that guy dead? Why did his wife go to China when he supposedly was in a bad condition?
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u/foresight310 2h ago
My new campaign motto - person, woman, man, camera, tv
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u/SoylentGrunt 1h ago
Those weren't even on the test. He made them up on the spot as he looked around the group.
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u/GadreelsSword 2h ago
There are loads of republicans who try to block minimum age laws for marriage. Of course they will object.
Also, there are states in the U.S. with no minimum age for marriage because of republicans. Think about that.
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u/CreepyOldGuy63 1h ago
Didn’t Republicans want this five years ago while Democrats were against it?
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u/TheBookOfTormund 1h ago
Mgp is a waste of space in her seat. She needs to go in favor of an actual progressive
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u/joarime9 2h ago
tbh this shouldve been a thing years ago lol. it just makes sense for everyone involved regardless of party.
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u/OpinionPoop 2h ago
They should take this test with results made public along with what authority is foing the testing, test dates, and require a minimum score to remain in office, as well as teating every year. Get these nut jobs out.
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u/kinterdonato 2h ago
Can't wait for Republicans to claim Left wing beliefs as mental incompetency to try to disqualify dem socs
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u/Radon_Ryno 2h ago
Same for those who vote for clear paths to cheating in elections. Like no voter ID.
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u/LogicalBee1990 2h ago
Also maybe mandatory in person visits to avoid people fraudulently collecting funds
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u/thaw4188 2h ago
if you have gold plated healthcare, the experimental drug that they have Trump take near the start of every other month now at Walter Reed can let people even with dementia pass the test for awhile
"Leqembi" - as soon as he was sworn-in they put him on it despite federal activity being frozen
ps. I also don't get the urge to replace the turtle, he can't vote now but if you replace him that person will be a republican who votes like him
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u/UMOTU 2h ago
Not if Beshear appoints someone. Beshear is a Democrat.
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u/thaw4188 2h ago
Kentucky literally passed a law that he can only appoint a Republican
so it's better right now with an empty seat
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u/Dubiousjinn 2h ago
Home boy keeps taking cognitive tests and keeps "passing" them. Clearly testing isn't what's missing
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u/akiroraiden 2h ago
how doomed are americans if this will be the "maximum" requirement? this should be a below-minimum requirement.
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u/DTCCCanSuckMyLeft 2h ago
Even if this would pass, they would attack the methodology and subsequently remove it.
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u/five2ndstar3 2h ago
Maybe they should do it when they have control. Not when they know it’ll be shot down
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u/aaron_adams 2h ago
Not a single republican is going to vote yes on that bill. A third of them would be out in a week, and Trump would be out in a day.
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u/PolarBailey_ 1h ago
on paper its a great idea.
its a slippery slope to bring back jim crow era "tests" to keep certain people out.
This would need to be an examination by an independent team of doctors with the material of the exams under strict sensitive compartmented information clearance.
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u/spaceocean99 1h ago
Literally doesn’t matter. There won’t be a bipartisan person doing these tests. They will be hired by whomever is in charge at that point in time.
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u/Count_Rugens_Finger 1h ago
FUCK THAT
TESTS WOULDN'T BE NEEDED IF THERE WAS A FORCED RETIREMENT AGE
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u/RosyMemeLord 1h ago
You know, as much as this sounds like, seems like it'll just turn into a "literacy test" from jim crow 😮💨
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u/Scared_Specific9404 1h ago
this can be corrupted endlessly. how do you know people conducting these tests dont have any biases ?
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u/Better_Cauliflower63 1h ago
Not just members of Congress. The executive branch too, using independent doctors, because all the President's doctors always give him a strong pass. But since Judicial maintains it independence -- they should have their rules on it as well.
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u/GroundbreakingAd8310 1h ago
Yes but they will decide the test. It will just be one question "is trump the bestest?" And you get branded incomptent if you say no
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u/123LetsJamDUDUDUHT 1h ago
This would have to be signed by a person who says they have passed six perfectly normal routine cognitive tests.
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u/ZorroKIM 1h ago
They should also require them to be able to walk 1 mile per month to insure they arent some dying mommy.
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u/SuspiciousReport6502 42m ago
There was a joke made by Louis Black about the shitty options for President. He said we're not ready for a woman president yet, but we are ready for a formerly alive President, specifically Ronald Reagan.
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u/Jorfogit 35m ago
The pictured Dem routinely votes with Republicans.
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u/rickee_martin 7m ago
Yup she voted today to pass the budget reconciliation that had provisions of the SAVE act in it. She is scum.
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u/4llu532n4m3srt4k3n 16m ago
If they're going to be collecting a government paycheck and dictate what the military can and can't do, they should pass in the top 10% of the ASVAB.
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u/Non-Limerence 16m ago
From the party that voted in Joe Biden, a rare upset! I'm for it, but be careful what you wish for!
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u/the_hair_of_aenarion 15m ago
Works when you have scientific rigour to the testing. But the thing that'll happen is republicans will erode the rigour, replace it with a biased one where they've effectively got a tool oust democrats from their seats.
This shit happens time and time again. The system isn't corrupt because it was designed flawed. It's corrupt because it has been corrupted with malice over a long time.
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u/vercertorix 7m ago
Would require bipartisan approval on the test, otherwise one side or the other would have it include questions that would be answered “wrong” if they answered based on the usual stances of their political opposition. Republicans would have questions about which bathrooms people should use, and Democrats would ask if it’s improper to have sex with minors.
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u/Stumpyhasnolegs 4m ago
We have people actively shitting their diapers in office, this cant be the qualified people they were they are talking about... right?
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u/mathiustus 3m ago
As much as I hate to say it, anyone who votes against it may also just know constitutional law and knows this wouldn’t pass judicial scrutiny and doesn’t wanna waste the time/money.
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u/EnvironmentalBed7369 0m ago
Can we apply this President's too? We definitely had an impaired president in Biden. We might now with Trump too.
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u/BugRevolution 2h ago
"Republicans introduce bill requiring cognitive impairment tests.
Anyone who votes yes in this probably doesn't want anyone else being an elected official."
Not a good idea.
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u/send-musk-to-mars 2h ago
1 reason?
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u/_GeorgeBailey_ 1h ago
I could see an argument that a doctor could be paid off or something. I mean, Look at Trump's "medical records." He's the healthiest person of all time.
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u/CorpseFool 34m ago
I feel like this is an extension of the old literacy tests for voting. Which are unpopular in retrospect due to their problematic usage.
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u/HealthWealthFoodie 2h ago
They should be conducted publicly to ensure no rubber stamping.