New Rules: Full Cognition Tests For All Federal Elected Officials

As America heads into its Presidential elections, the country finds itself facing a serious crisis of faith in the cognitive and mental acuity of the two leading candidates for that office without any constructive means for extricating and replacing candidate without causing serious chaos or disruption to our democratic and constitutional processes.

The Presidency is a grueling and taxing office, as is being a member of Congress and there should be medical and mental standards for those who run and serve, just like there are such standards for many professions were lives and public safety and fitness for service must be taken into account.

As a retired doctoral level mental health counselor and psychology professor, I could make a clinical case for both Donald Trump and Joe Biden requiring comprehensive mental and cognitive proficiency testing based on just public reports and observations alone. I would not speculate as to what the outcomes might be, but I am reminded of the story of the 82 years old candidate for President getting wind of his younger challenger’s strategy to attack him for being old, slow and having cognitive and mental alertness issues after finding out that the older candidate, the incumbent had a thorough cognitive and mental exam, but had not released the results. The younger candidate though he would spring the challenge at their first debate, which much to everyone’s shock and amazement he did right out of the box. The older candidate responded, “I am so glad you asked that question sir. I did go and have a comprehensive mental and cognitive test and I have in my pocket a report saying I have no deficiencies and of sound mind and fit for the job” as he pulls out the report for all to see…He continued, “Sir, where is your proof of good cognition and mental health!!!”

This is all political gamesmanship and theater and yet the very real issue of candidates with such power not being able to prove mental and cognitive fitness to serve is becoming increasingly more possible unless there are real medical, psychiatric and psychological minimum requirements to serve in the first place.

I am not sure the Congress has the collective cognitive or mental ability to establish such standards for holding office right now, given the real crazy we are seeing on both sides of the aisle, but it sure would be nice for the issue to be brought up and acted upon to give the public more confidence in its elected officials. Think about this, those who service in the military are routinely subject to such testing and scrutiny and yet their civilian commander in chief and congressional oversight members are not required to produce fitness for duty standards. Why not?!? Billions of dollars and millions of lives are dependent on the actions of such people in power.

Do we have to wait for a Dr. Strangelove scenario to find out what happens when a pathological or sociopathic leader is elected? By then it will be too late.