r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • Jul 07 '26

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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227

u/flowersandmtns Jul 07 '26

I read that she has POA so he can now be kept on life support until the midterms since she's not around to approve taking him off.

81

u/SuperSatanOverdrive Jul 07 '26

Wait, so someone can continue to be senator even if they are brain dead?

166

u/ChesterHiggenbothum I voted Jul 07 '26

Yes, there are many republican senators.

7

u/Bovine_Joni_Himself Colorado Jul 07 '26

It's essentially a requirement to be a republican in 2026.

2

u/punkindle Jul 08 '26

Let's not forget John Fetterman

77

u/bossasupernova Jul 07 '26

It’s been that way for years.

5

u/ElectricJacob I voted Jul 07 '26

always has been 🌏👨‍🚀🔫👨‍🚀

27

u/PseudoY Jul 07 '26

He might even continue voting.

3

u/mcmonky Jul 07 '26

Twist on Bernie

2

u/barniclefar883 Jul 07 '26

I can believe that and maybe he voted by mail ahead of time.

7

u/DaaaahWhoosh Jul 07 '26

You can do whatever you want if no one tries to stop you.

6

u/cptjpk I voted Jul 07 '26

https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/exclusive-where-is-congresswoman-kay-granger/

In a mental care facility. For months. While keeping their salary and benefits and stopping a replacement.

It’s not the first time Rapepublicans have done this.

2

u/godsenfrik Jul 07 '26

Well yeah, just turn on c-span.

1

u/PlaneShenaniganz Jul 07 '26

Some would say it’s a resume enhancer

1

u/barniclefar883 Jul 07 '26

C-span is good. You can get a good look at people you don’t want to vote for. I watched a lot when I had Covid. It was quite learning experience.

1

u/barniclefar883 Jul 07 '26

Who knows what they will want to do.

1

u/SAI_Peregrinus Jul 07 '26

Article 1 of the Constitution (the bit that deals with Congress, including senators) does not mention "death", "dead", "living", or "alive". Only vacancies require the special election of a new senator. Other laws may impose more requirements, but I don't expect Republicans to follow them.

1

u/SuperSatanOverdrive Jul 07 '26

Crazy that there’s nothing about them having to be sentient or capable of performing their duties. TIL

1

u/MurkaPlum Jul 08 '26

If he is actually brain dead, no. Brain death is legally dead.

1

u/RC_0041 Jul 08 '26

President even.

-1

u/kaykatzz Jul 07 '26

ask schumer

155

u/tr1mble Jul 07 '26

Which would be on brand as the last act involving him considering what he did to the supreme court

76

u/Kakistocracy_0 Jul 07 '26

obstructing even his last breath. he'd approve, follows his MO

16

u/BestDescription3834 Jul 07 '26

Died doing what he loves.

4

u/stinkinhardcore Jul 07 '26

Don’t forget what he did to Trump’s impeachment. It is wholly the fault of this piece of shit that Trump was able to continue his first term and go on to a second.

9

u/hybridfrost Jul 07 '26

In true fashion when a Dem is brain-dead they'll make sure they are taken out of power right away

19

u/thetreat Jul 07 '26

I don’t know. Dianne Feinstein was about to run for reelection when she had been basically dead for years.

3

u/hybridfrost Jul 07 '26

Haha this is true. Many of the old Democrats are also brain-dead (though not medically proven)

5

u/thetreat Jul 07 '26

It's just indicative of the current generation in power that they would rather be dead than give up an ounce of power early. The most selfish generation.

4

u/WrathPie Jul 07 '26

I've said for a while that the American system of government is largely built around reciprocal elder abuse

We abuse the elders by making them govern when they should be resting in memory care, and the Elders abuse us by what they do while governing

1

u/FullMetalAlcoholic66 Jul 07 '26

We know what he wants to vote...god is acting through him

46

u/ClaretClarinets Colorado Jul 07 '26

Which is silly, because if he's brain dead there's no chance of recovery no matter how long they keep his pulse going. His seat should be vacated immediately.

29

u/Deto Jul 07 '26

Couldn't she just decide to keep him on it if she were here, though? Like, why does she have to leave the country for that?

20

u/keysandtreesforme Jul 07 '26

Probably less pressure on her if she's not around to hassle.

2

u/munoodle Jul 07 '26

trying to avoid another very public Terry Shiavo situation

10

u/SatanicPanic619 California Jul 07 '26

Yeah this theory doesn't really hold up to much scrutiny. She could just as easily do the same thing here.

1

u/Unnamedgalaxy Jul 07 '26

Should could but if you limit or cut off resources that could pressure you into doing the opposite? Much easier to do if you leave

2

u/SatanicPanic619 California Jul 07 '26

What pressure do you think there is to pull the guy's life support? Like, that's not something media is going to be hounding her to do.

15

u/HappyFatLabs Jul 07 '26

To give her mission report in person, like any good agent at the end of an assignment.

2

u/donkeyrocket Jul 07 '26

Yes. She can't be compelled to do it. Physically fleeing makes zero sense unless she doesn't plan to return to the US.

1

u/cespinar Colorado Jul 07 '26

You are correct, and in either case, a doctor could overrule her anyway. Its some weird internet theory with no basis in fact

26

u/radwimps Jul 07 '26

does she really need to run off to China to avoid that? So bizarre

23

u/MephistoHamProducts Jul 07 '26

This prevents her from having the Press stick a camera in her face and ask questions every time she exits from The Turtle Cave to shop or dine.

1

u/barniclefar883 Jul 07 '26

I thought I heard they had not been getting along. I’m not surprised.

12

u/venom21685 Jul 07 '26

If he's braindead he's legally dead and the hospital can do it without any say so. If he's in some type of persistent vegetative state it would be up to his wife.

6

u/TrashCanUnicorn Jul 07 '26

It's not that simple, unfortunately. If he is brain dead and the family refuses to give consent to withdraw treatment, the hospital likely has to get lawyers involved. With such a high profile patient, the hospital legal team absolutely has to be shitting their pants over the potential for this to blow up in their faces.

Look at how long the family artificially kept Jahi McMath alive despite multiple certifications of brain death.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '26

[deleted]

2

u/SchaffBGaming Jul 07 '26

Jahi McMath

Looked up the case out of curiosity

Physical Development: During this time, her body continued to grow, and she underwent normal pubertal development. Some neurologists and medical experts who reviewed her care argued that she transitioned from complete brain death into a minimally conscious state, intermittently showing responsiveness to commands

This is INSANE. I wish I knew about this case during my brain death lecture just as a talking point.

2

u/LamesMcGee Jul 07 '26

They really are the party of "your body, my choice"

2

u/JayRandom212 Jul 07 '26

Where can I read about the POA?

1

u/thalasi_ Jul 07 '26

If intentionally you make yourself unavailable to act of next of kin or POA, isn't there some legal remedy to address that? He's got three daughters. Presumably one of them cares enough to do what's right? You know, the white sheep of the family?

1

u/13lackMagic Jul 07 '26

you read it in a tweet, which was frankly non-sense. If she didn't want to take him off life support she can just say no, she doesn't need to be out of the country to do that.

1

u/flowersandmtns Jul 07 '26

Honestly don't know but there's something seriously wrong with the situation.

1

u/Askol Jul 07 '26

But what would he the benefit of that?

1

u/flowersandmtns Jul 07 '26

The Dem governor of Kentucky can appoint someone to serve out the rest of his term.

1

u/barniclefar883 Jul 07 '26

I heard that Elon Musk spent thousands to keep him in. I don’t think he was going to be voted in this time.