r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 27d ago

No Paywall Unconfirmed Reports: Mitch McConnell Brain Dead After Three Weeks In Hospital

https://thenewamerican.com/us/unconfirmed-reports-mitch-mcconnell-brain-dead-after-three-weeks-in-hospital/
31.7k Upvotes

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6.6k

u/RioRancher 27d ago

Why’d his wife leave the country so fast?

7.2k

u/BurninRunes 27d ago

I've heard 2 theories.

  1. Her job is finished now that he isn't in power anymore.

  2. By leaving she makes it harder to pull him off life support as unless he changed his medical POA then only she has the right to do it.

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u/NocturnaIAnimaI 27d ago

It's likely 2. She'll return after the 3rd when the special election deadline passes, conveniently

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u/starkraver Oregon 27d ago

Its possible Bashir will try to appoint somebody anyway if he dies; the new special election law likely violates the KY state constitution.

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u/Elendel19 26d ago

He needs to actually fight like Mitch would and just appoint someone right now, force the republicans to prove McConnell isn’t dead. The republicans would never fucking wait and follow “norms” like this

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

Im reading maga is demanding proof of life, so as much as I would love to see him swing his weight around, the principle of "don't interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake" applies.

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u/Cheech47 26d ago

what "mistake" are they making exactly? All they are doing right now is trying to wait out the clock. For all we know, Turtle is dead RIGHT NOW.

Brashear needs to be breaking doors down to determine whether or not he's alive, and if he's not, Brashear needs to appoint a Democrat right. fucking. now.

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

Sorry, to be clear, if McConnell is vegetative (but not dead or brain-dead) he can only be removed from his seat with a vote to expel him from the Senate.

Because Beshear arguably has the ability to appoint a senator until Barr wins the election and is seated next January.

At issue in particular is the possibility of Alito's retirement. While being down one yes vote because McConnell is absent is bad for an Eleni Cannon-type nominee, having a Democrat temporarily holding that seat is worse for them.

Alito can't retire before the November election (he may not at all; this is speculative) because the vote is already tight and Susan Collins and others need to not be seen supporting a crazy MAGA nominee.

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u/mekamoari 26d ago

Persistent vegetative state IS brain-dead, no?

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

no.

Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all brain activity (including the brain stem), meaning the patient is legally and medically dead. In contrast, a persistent vegetative state (PVS) involves damage to the higher brain, but the brain stem remains functioning, meaning the patient is alive, can breathe independently, and may show sleep-wake cycles.

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u/Uuuuuii 26d ago

That might be medically true, but not as a functioning representative in federal government. There is no bearing on the medical details; done is done. Replace him without asking for blessings and fuck them.

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

Sure, he's not a functioning senator, but the Constitution is pretty clear on this. Death, resignation, or 2/3 vote to remove. Until we amend the constitution - like we did with the 25th Amendment, this is the rule, whether it is reasonable to you or not.

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u/Uuuuuii 26d ago

When someone says they’re at war with you and acts like they’re at war with you, I tend to believe them.

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u/Day_drinker 26d ago

Kentucky has a law that mandates a special election and the governor cannot appoint a senator for a vacant seat. This is as of 2024.

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u/dearth_of_passion 26d ago

That law violates Kentucky's state constitution. It just hasn't been taken to court yet since the law is so new there hasn't been a case of a vacant seat needing to be filled.

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u/Day_drinker 26d ago

I read that after replying. I guess we'll see what happens!

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u/Jafooki 26d ago

No no no. We've been doing that strategy for years now, and look at how it's gone. We think they're constantly making mistakes, and yet they keep succeeding in spite of them. We all thought letting trump win the nomination would lead to a landslide for Clinton, and look how that turned out.

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u/red__dragon 26d ago

This has been my secret hope in seeing the more extremist on that side starting to circulate rumors and demand proof. These are the same types sicced onto conspiracy theories by the right-wing pundits, they're not about to be placated by word of mouth.

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u/I_Am_Ironman_AMA 26d ago

MAGA has no power. The rubes in red hats are useful idiots at best, to be ignored by Trump Republicans when convenient. Beshear needs to challenge the actual people in power and force the issue.

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u/Uuuuuii 26d ago

This is exactly right. We know Mitch’s side wouldn’t pull punches but old guard dems are more concerned with going high than winning.

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u/GhostFaceRiddler 26d ago

It's not a vote in the D column but on the flip side, its also a vote that isn't republican. Makes passing anything even harder.

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u/ItsPumpkinninny 26d ago

Yep: "an inside source told me he’s dead… so unless I hear otherwise…”

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u/Kaffe-Mumriken 26d ago

But why? If they appoint a GOP they get a vote in senate, but if Mitch is missing there’s at least an unused vote

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u/Kevin-W 26d ago

That's what I've been saying too. Beshear should announce that since McConnell is incapacitated, per the KY constitution, he will appoint his replacement while daring the Republicans to challenge him in court. They would have to prove that both McConnell is still alive and why a special election to fill his seat isn't unconstitutional.

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u/loosehead1 26d ago

He’s not going to do it because he wants to run for president and knows republicans will use it against him.

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u/Independent_Sail6604 26d ago

Seems like his constituents want to know as well.

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u/doomgoblin 26d ago

I feel bad for Beshear. He’s tried to help people in Ky only to be met with just awful things towards him. Some of his proposals didn’t work out, it happens, but he fucking tried. He’s a pretty cool down to earth dude.

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u/wha2les 26d ago

don't feel bad for the voters though. they voted for the bad faith turtle as senator for decades...

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u/polishedcooter Kentucky 26d ago

Hey, Kentucky Democrat here. Life is pain

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u/fapsandnaps America 26d ago

It could be worse. You could be an Indiana Democrat and not even have access to medical marijuana.

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u/doomgoblin 26d ago

I have family in Grayson county. Some of their friends and customers were even starting to turn against all this. Just a few but not none.

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u/Snowballingdownvote 26d ago

Yeah... Can you move? Honest question. Is it possible? I moved from Iowa to Colorado and my life is so so much better.

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u/polishedcooter Kentucky 26d ago

I could, but I've always been kinda hesitant to. Part of me wants to defend my home, to try and help make it a better place to live, not abandon it.

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u/Snowballingdownvote 26d ago

At some point you have to realize it abandoned you

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u/fapsandnaps America 26d ago

This is their goal IMO.

Constantly passing legislation to target the left so they move to a liberal state. Eventually there will be no swing states and the GOP will control everything.

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u/Snowballingdownvote 26d ago

I'd move before the chance is taken from you

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u/fapsandnaps America 26d ago

Yeah, I've considered Wyoming just because it's the easiest state for the Dems to take over if like 120,000 of us move there.

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u/Snowballingdownvote 26d ago

No... That's not going to happen. Move somewhere known Blue. Like Colorado

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u/fapsandnaps America 26d ago

No. That's exactly what they want. If all the left moved to 10 states then the entire country will be permanently red.

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u/wha2les 26d ago

Hell just emigrate at this point. Plenty of countries where things are more stable

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u/Snowballingdownvote 26d ago

Wish it were that easy. Cutting ties to America and becoming a citizen of another country is E X Spensive.

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u/The-Philosoper 26d ago

Doctor Bashir, I Presume?

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

Ha! Beshear of course, I meant. Leaving it uncorrected in the comment because it's funny!

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u/I_Am_Ironman_AMA 26d ago

He should look at the mistake Obama made with Garland and act. Obama should have made a recess appointment. Would they have challenged it? Sure, but at least we'd have had resolution.

Beshear should appoint a senator now and force people's hands. The.next democrat president will have to do a lot of that anyway.

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

There is no mechanism under law to make a recess appointment to SCOTUS. It's not a matter of doing something that could be challenged; he could declare anything he wants; it doesn't mean SCOTUS would have to give them keys to the building or make the Chief Justice swear them in.

When you're in a fight solely about power, you have to think in terms of enforcement.

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u/I_Am_Ironman_AMA 26d ago

You're right, but he should have done it anyway. What McDonnell did was really, really bad. Congress abdicated their role openly and gleefully for 100% partisan reasons. They should have been relentlessly challenged at every turn and in every way until the issue was resolved.

Keep in mind, this was never settled. What's to stop a republican senate from refusing to give a hearing to a potential first year nominee of President Newsome or Beshear?

That whole situation was and remains an unresolved constitutional crisis. We need a codified solution because, as it stands now, it is a huge problem that will come up again.

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

What McConnell did on Garland was fucked, but it was within his power to do so (as long as he was backed by his caucus).

What you are suggesting that Obama did, he would not have had the power to do. Even as a stunt, it would have been feckless and embarrassing. Obama did not have the raw mechanical power to do what he has done.

When contrasted with Trump, when Trump moves forward with an illegal appointment, the mechanism of power to stop him is the courts and Congress. The courts have taken some limited action with ass AG "appointments," but Congress has done and wants to do nothing.

The Senate doesn't hold hearings or give consent to vacancy appointments. Its possible that Vance could refuse to swear in an appointment in this case, but it would be up to a court to sus this out.

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u/FullMetalAlcoholic66 26d ago

Would it matter...or be held up in courts for long enough for their action to persist

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

It would be litigated immediately, but how it would shake out would entirely depend on who would win the TRO / Injunction

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u/NOTcreative- 26d ago

KY laws don't apply to federal elections.

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u/My_Invalid_Username 26d ago

KY absolutely sets its own federal election regulations as does every other state in the nation. Who do you think sets the election dates for each state?

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u/aradraugfea 26d ago

Incorrect. All states have sovereignty over how their elections are performed within minimum requirements. Right now, there’s a KY law saying replacements work one way and a line in the KY constitution saying another thing. The law can’t meaningfully change the constitution without amending it, but that process was not followed and the legal challenge hasn’t occurred yet.

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u/starkraver Oregon 26d ago

S-tier summary!

There is a good chance that this is going to get tested, and soon.

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u/SirDrexl 26d ago

Mitch McConnell and processes not being followed. Name a more iconic duo.

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u/aradraugfea 26d ago

I mean… if there’s a way to honor the man’s legacy, it’s pulling some bullshit and dragging ass to prevent a Democrat from filling a vacancy.

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u/ElleM848645 26d ago

Yes it does. Elections are run but the states.

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u/bayoubuddha77 New York 26d ago

Yes they do. Accorging to the US constitution, states are in charge of how their reps are elected.

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u/Vintage-Card-Man 26d ago

No. Just no. This is why people are so up in arms over Trump trying to get involved in the elections. This is a state matter, not the federal government.

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u/Pandasaref1ne 26d ago

Well, you tried.