December 18, 2023

"I'll just say it: Biden's too old.... We need... mental competency tests for politicians...."


Who would you trust to devise and administer the "mental competency test"? 

The mental competency test for politicians is the one we, the People, impose through our demand that politicians speak publicly and submit to serious questioning. We individually judge whether the candidate has failed the test when we vote. 

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be.

99 comments:

Jupiter said...

"We individually judge whether the candidate has failed the test when we vote."

That certainly was not true at the time the Constitution was written.

rehajm said...

Thanks John McCain’s soul…

Roger Sweeny said...

The 25th Amendment calls for removal of the president when he "is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." The amendment gives no criteria, just requiring a 2/3 majority vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Sebastian said...

"The mental competency test for politicians is the one we, the People, impose through our demand that politicians speak publicly and submit to serious questioning."

Trolling? Basement Joe did fine without such a test, and the MSM aided and abetted his strategy.

"We individually judge whether the candidate has failed the test when we vote."

The test is irrelevant to many voters. As John Basketcase Fetterman showed at the time of his election. People vote for a vote, in their own interest. Tests have nothing to do with it.

tim maguire said...

There should be some standardization of presidential physicals, including mental acuity tests. The results should be public--not just a fawning letter from the doctor, but the actual test results.

Then people can make up their own minds.

MadisonMan said...

I'll just say that if a mental competency test were required, the Democrats would stack the board and find Trump mentally incompetent, while also saying Joe is a-okay!

mccullough said...

That’s what the 25th Amendment is for. If Biden is mentally unable to handle the job then it’s up to his VP and cabinet to inform Congress.

Haley is a moron.

Kate said...

Nikki Haley: Younger Than Those Other Guys

If she's really clever she can work in something about her high heels, too.

AMDG said...

If there were mental competency tests for politicians then the leading candidates for the nomination from both parties would fail. One because his brain is tapioca and the other because his narcissism has rendered him insane.

Stead of a mental competency test just have a Constitutional amendment that states that no one whose 70th birthday falls on or before an Election Day may stand for federal office.

rehajm said...

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be

…a competency test would hurt your side, whatever it is…

AMDG said...

If there were mental competency tests for politicians then the leading candidates for the nomination from both parties would fail. One because his brain is tapioca and the other because his narcissism has rendered him insane.

Stead of a mental competency test just have a Constitutional amendment that states that no one whose 70th birthday falls on or before an Election Day may stand for federal office.

AlbertAnonymous said...

Another garbage take. Another swing and a miss. She’s just grasping at straws trying desperately to connect. Sad.

We don’t need competency tests (which is just one more thing to be politicized and weaponized). If voters vote for a mentally incompetent grifter, we deserve the president we get.

We need voters to be smarter, and we need to be sure the voting system is secure.

Hassayamper said...

I'd cautiously agree, except for the fact that the leftist filth would corrupt any such system for partisan political advantage, just like every other instrument of power they can get their claws on.

Steve said...

I think a big part of Biden's troubles in polling is that the American people don't need an outside expert to do a mental competency check on him. We've been watching for 4 years and Biden is cr=learly failing that test. Even Democrats I know see it and are starting to talk openly, and panic privately.

Todd said...

That is another one of those ideas that sounds good on paper but in practice, as Ann pointed out who will administer and score the test? As we have been seeing, when the "professionals" are all corrupted why would you trust them and what is your recourse? The general population is [rightfully so I would say] losings all trust in our "institutions" to be honest, fair, and impartial as well as those that represent them.

We have see that the DOJ, FBI, CIA, IRS, MSM, health, higher-ed, courts, etc. have all been hollowed out from the inside and are now simply corrupted, rotting corpses of what they were once and only seem to care for enriching themselves, grabbing what they can before the entire thing comes crumbling down.

On the flip side, leaving the choice up to the citizens also sounds good on paper but we have also seen how even voting has been corrupted, possibly past the point of saving. Between the weeks long voting windows, mail in voting, corrupt harvesters, corrupt counters, corrupt systems, corrupt reviewers, corrupt voting lists, courts that refuse to look at the ample evidence, reporters that lost all interest in the truth, etc. many will likely also say why bother?

So yet another case of "damned if you do and damned if you don't".

BG said...

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be.
I've never believed everyone should vote no matter what.
There is a reason the acronym LIV (low information voters) was created.

Patrick said...

"I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be."
Thank you Ann!!!! Jim Crow was a smear campagin.

Readering said...

She should at least apply her statement to both frontrunners or what's the point for her campaign? It's my view of both but if they're the contestants....

Chuck said...

It's almost unreal, what stupid ideas these Republican Presidential candidates are rolling out in the name of messaging to what they must think is an incomprehensibly dumb primary electorate.

Althouse has done a very tidy job of pointing out the stupidity of Haley's "mental competency test" idea.

Over the weekend Ron DeSantis advanced an idea so dumb it's hard to even understand it. DeSantis suggests that Trump, while he was still president in the two weeks between January 6, 2021, and the Biden inauguration on January 20, 2021, should have pardoned all of the innocent peaceful J6 protesters. Not the bad ones; the violent ones. DeSantis seems to know better than to go that far (although Trump might). Yet in trying to appeal to the Trump base, DeSantis says that the people who are being "railroaded" deserved pardons and that Trump should have given out those pardons while he was still president. This is so wonderfully stupid; I am going to be a little sorry when DeSantis suspends his campaign for Presidsent and goes back to inflicting himself on Florida alone.

Vivek Ramaswamy is trying to thread the same TrumpWing needle. He promised earlier than DeSantis did, to pardon "the peaceful" J6 rioters. He supported the Tommy Tuberville military promotion blockade. He supports a "Peace" negotiation in Ukraine that starts by cedeing all Ukrainian territory controlled by Russia to Putin.

It's too bad, in a way, that none of these craven imbeciles will beat Trump in the primary. I was looking forward to a GOP scenario in which Trump was beaten for the nomination, resulting in Trump's declaring the primaries to have been "stolen," and then launching his own third-party candidacy.

Quaestor said...

Althouse writes, "Who would you trust to devise and administer the 'mental competency test'"?

The "test" is just another power to be wielded justly and unjustly, cleanly and corruptly by politicians who already wield far too much power.

Enigma said...

This reveals the general collapse of principled civics.

For a very long time parties made backroom deals to install a preferred candidate, and it always combined big money with aggressive ideological factions. What's different today is that the average voter is so so closely tied to issue voting that they don't care about mental competency or even which puppet-candidate is put in place. Is a rainbow flag person in San Francisco ever going to vote for a Christian evangelical? Is a truck-driving and hunting woodsman ever going to vote for Gavin Newsom?

Parties have so clearly defined themselves by issues that the exact candidate is often not relevant. If this happened to a business there would be mass layoffs for all those redundant workers, but it's politics.

mongo said...

One of Heinlein’s novels suggested doing away with the age restriction for voting and replacing it with a requirement to solve a quadratic equation when you step into the voting booth. If you got the right answer a bell would ring and you would receive a ballot to fill out; miss the question and a buzzer would sound announcing your incompetence for all the world to see. Sounds reasonable to me.

It wouldn’t have to be a math problem. They could give you a question or two from the citizenship test.

The Vault Dweller said...

I'm all for whatever tests and limitations people want on politicians and voters, as long as I'm the one who gets to decide who passes and who fails. This ad seems like she is trying to lump Biden in with Trump as far as the old group, though Biden is the competency one and Trump is the drama one. While I would prefer little or no drama, sometimes drama is necessary when enough big things need to change. Mental incompetency is never needed, nor welcome.

Joe Smith said...

"I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be."

Yes.

The drug-addicted, psychotic, lunatic sleeping on the sidewalk in his own shit and puke has exactly the same vote as you.

And those votes are harvested by democrats.

Don't pay net-positive taxes? You can't vote.

BUMBLE BEE said...

You can't fix stupid.

Gusty Winds said...

If that's the case, no woman would ever be elected again.

Gusty Winds said...

You might be intelligent. And you might have a memory. You might not be crazy.

But...you're probably bat-shit crazy.

Like Nurse Rached. She would have been a NeoCon war monger too.

rrsafety said...

I like her and will probably voter for her in the problem but sometimes she (and her staff) are REALLY bad at this game. Just say Biden appears feeble and we need new leadership ... what is with all this other government testing bull5hit?

rrsafety said...

I like her and will probably voter for her in the problem but sometimes she (and her staff) are REALLY bad at this game. Just say Biden appears feeble and we need new leadership ... what is with all this other government testing bull5hit?

n.n said...

Experts, elites, psychos, community organizers, celebrities, JournoLists, AIs, of course.

Deplorables are incompetent. Bitter clingers are incompetent, too. Blacks are incompetent also. These demographics are nullified under the table, in darkness, with immigration reform, in wicked solutions, through Democratic gerrymandering.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

She isn't horrible and I would prefer her to Biden... but she is establishment, not sure how trustworthy - and some of these ideas are not well thought out.

not the worst crime for a politician - as this is what they do all day long. promise-making all for show. but yeah - it's right up there with banning people from using fake names on the interwebz.
She is right that Crook Biden is too old.

and TOO MUCH OF A CROOK.

Gusty Winds said...

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters...

Statistics clearly show that the highest percentage of voters on anti-depressants are liberal women. Probably the highest vaxxed too...

Wo unto man....

What's the mental capacity of a male ditch digger from farmland Central Illinois vs...one of those crazy, elite, female university presidents who couldn't denounce genocide?

Martin said...

"I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be."

We can't even get politicians to agree to identify who is voting and attempt to make the ballots vaguely secure.

Charlie Currie said...

Our demand that politicians speak publicly and answer questions are ignored. They make public statements from script and obfuscate or brush off questions. And, then only from the controlled media. With one big exception - Donald Trump.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

What's going on with Haley could be summed up with #WhatTrumpDidToTheGOP

Only Trump can out-Trump Trump.

Mark said...

Does she apply this to Trump as well?

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

As a civil servant I once helped develop a competency test for drivers--generally only applied to those aged 80 and above. Trump will still "only" be 78 in June; Biden just turned 81).


The test is in two parts: draw an analog clock, with the hands in position to tell a specified time; and find all the "h's" in rows of letters. We sought expert advice, and learned that these two tests together were both reliable in identifying somewhat extreme cases of dementia (not borderline cases), and relevant to driving. My manager at the time was very interested in adopting a "cognitive road test," for drivers who had been identified as a problem, but wanted a chance to demonstrate their actual competence at way-finding behind the wheel.

Nikki calls for term limits. The Pres is term limited, I guess she means Senators and so on. Or should the Pres be limited to one term depending on age?

Gusty Winds said...

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters...

I'm more concerned about Americans that think 2020 voter fraud is the "Big Lie", still wear masks, and get booster mRNA shots.

But that's a bold statement professor. Should we revert voting back to only white male land owners? Jim Crow reading comprehension? 7th Grade Constitution tests?

Democrats want 16-year-olds to be able to vote. They'd probably send them to fight in Ukraine too.

A Constitutional Republic can survive. A Democracy of the stupid and crazy cannot. 2023 America is the latter.

Original Mike said...

"We need... mental competency tests for politicians...."

This, verified IDs for publishing/posting on the internet; she's just full of impractical, dangerous ideas. Haley needs to be kept away from power.

Hubert the Infant said...

It sure seems like a strange time to be imposing an age limit on politicians when so many young people seem to be not mentally well, not versed in history, and, well, not intelligent.

The ideas Nikki Haley spouts here are about are clever as her idea to ban anonymous internet postings. She should read the Constitution before she calls herself "Conservative."

Dave Begley said...

Nikki has no real ideas of substance.

Vivek is the idea man with a bold action plan.

I asked Vivek why he asked Nikki that question about naming the 3 provinces when he couldn't be sure she didn't know. The old axiom for lawyers on cross: Don't ask question you don't know the answer to.

Vivek said, "I knew Nikki was an intellectual fraud."

Big risk. But it worked. Vivek had correctly sized Nikki up.

Mason G said...

If a politician's policies would be harmful to the country, wouldn't you prefer less competency rather than more?

Amexpat said...

Who would you trust to devise and administer the "mental competency test"?

It's not a serious policy that she believes she can implement. Rather it's smart political theatre. Makes me more inclined to support her.

B. said...

Biden was too old at 21. He’s dim and age has made him worse.

Kellerreiss said...

Haley still channels memory of Julia Dreyfuss' VP, despite her hyper-serious lockjaw demeanor. She's a warmonger money-grubber, and yes, Cheney in heels.

RideSpaceMountain said...

Yeah sorry Nikki, I'm more interested in critical thinking, specifically the thinking necessary to justify destroying online anonymity from someone who chose to obfuscate the ethnic origins by changing their last name. Goring sacred cows - something you should know all about - is most definitely cultural appropriation by the way in a new rule I just made up.

How easy was that!

Zev said...

Good points.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

How does someone so dumb become so successful in society? The first one I'd test is Haley, just so she could be put away before she agitates for more stupid communist party policies.

Breezy said...

I agree. We don’t need an expert to tell us what we all can see.

gilbar said...

IF we had "mental competency tests".. Wouldn't that preclude MOST politicians? Including Nikki?

gspencer said...

In the colonial era and in the period from 1776 to the early 20th century voting eligibility was limited to those with property, meaning those who had a stake in assuring stable government.

Today, with wild-assed eligibility among the Taker Class, we have less stability. And the Ds want more instability. "Lets let 16 year olds vote."

Of course the Taker Class will always vote themselves a pay raise by putting in Democrats.

MadTownGuy said...

Wisconsin has a provision in its statutes, 6.03(1)a and 6.03(3):
"  Disqualification of electors.
(1)  The following persons shall not be allowed to vote in any election and any attempt to vote shall be rejected:
(a) Any person who is incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process or who is under guardianship, unless the court has determined that the person is competent to exercise the right to vote.
(b) Any person convicted of treason, felony or bribery, unless the person's right to vote is restored through a pardon or under s. 304.078 (3).
(2) No person shall be allowed to vote in any election in which the person has made or become interested, directly or indirectly, in any bet or wager depending upon the result of the election.
(3) No person may be denied the right to register to vote or the right to vote by reason that the person is alleged to be incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process unless the person has been adjudicated incompetent in this state. If a determination of incompetency of the person has already been made, or if a determination of limited incompetency has been made that does not include a specific finding that the subject is competent to exercise the right to vote, and a guardian has been appointed as a result of any such determination, then no determination of incapacity of understanding the objective of the elective process is required unless the guardianship is terminated or modified under s. 54.64.
"

We've discovered that there is no comparable provision in the PA Statutes.

Aggie said...

I think Nikki is a golden example of the Establishment Republican. Her job is to parrot the words that satisfy them, and the satisfaction criteria of the voters is the voter's problem.

Out of touch and determined to stay that way.

RMc said...

The mental competency test for politicians is the one we, the People, impose through our demand that politicians speak publicly and submit to serious questioning.

Unfortunately, they, the Media, give the People an up-raised middle finger by protecting politicians they like. (By a bizarre coincidence, they are all Democrats.)

The Bergall said...

"I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters"

Touche!

The Godfather said...

OK, mental competency test is out. EVERYTHING ELSE Nikki says is right on. I'd vote for her, or ANY OTHER REPUBLICAN who plausibly said the same thing. What about Trump? Sure the economy did well while Trump was President, but what did he do about Covid? He did what Fauci told him to do. What did he do about the "permanent government"? He whined about it. Trump's an entertainer, like Obama, but with a sense of humor.

Larry J said...

“ The mental competency test for politicians is the one we, the People, impose through our demand that politicians speak publicly and submit to serious questioning.”

Except for Joe Biden, who spent much of the 2020 campaign cycle hiding in his basement. Even today, he only puts in a few hours before they call a “lid”, and he has taken an inordinate amount of “vacation time”. All of this begs the question of who is actually running the executive branch. It certainly isn’t Joe Biden.

pacwest said...

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be.

That's a very, very slippery slope. I'd love to leave the elections in the hands of citizens who have proven the have some historical, financial, and geographical knowledge. We would have a better set of people running the country. We might even have 9 Supreme Court members who know what a woman is.

But that would collapse into totalitarianism in quick order. Whoever writes the rules that determines who gets to vote wins.

Great concept, terrible idea in practice.

Ampersand said...

Loyal partisans act like loyal partisans and support the party candidate, whether it's named Fetterman, Feinstein, or Biden. If I hated Trump (I don't - I just wish he were much better), I'd vote for somebody who had a chance and whom I didn't hate.

Maynard said...

Biden would have flunked most mental competency tests 30 years ago.

rhhardin said...

Strong and proud but no penis. How does she pull that off? Maybe erect nipples.

Dude1394 said...

She can not help herself. She is for more government a more control. Competency tests give by the government and the unmasking of social media accounts so she can prosecute them.

She is supporting the democrat corrupt lawfare, never get my vote.

Yancey Ward said...

If you asked Joe Biden to add 10 and 25 together in his head, he couldn't do it.

Drago said...

The Godfather: "EVERYTHING ELSE Nikki says is right on. I'd vote for her, or ANY OTHER REPUBLICAN who plausibly said the same thing."

Nikki Haley has explicitly called for doxxing every single person who posts anything online.

Next.

Joe Smith said...

'In the colonial era and in the period from 1776 to the early 20th century voting eligibility was limited to those with property, meaning those who had a stake in assuring stable government.'

People were much smarter then...

BUMBLE BEE said...

I suggest a reviewing of the movie Airplane. Seems to reflect our current circumstance.
Trump demonstrated what could be done to right the ship, and he's still paying the price.
He thinks highly of himself.
He has every right.

Clyde said...

Maynard said...
Biden would have flunked most mental competency tests 30 years ago.


True. On the bright side, though, he would be at the far right side of the bell curve among cabbages.

Kirk Parker said...

pacwest,

"terrible idea in practice"

It certainly is, which makes me puzzle d as to why you think it is a "great concept".

Mason G said...

Who would you trust to devise and administer the "mental competency test"?

Preferably, not the same people who insisted that the Covid shot was "safe and effective".

RNB said...

Women tend not to want to directly, personally confront anyone (President or barista) who has provided them with poor service. (And getting the unsatisfactory situation corrected is strictly secondary.)

They prefer that there be A System in place that they can appeal to. Do not confront the barista who left the topping off her latte. Instead, demand to see his manager. Or the regional manager. Or the CEO of the chain. Or sue. Take 'em to court. To the Supreme Court!

At heart: Daddy fix!

DINKY DAU 45 said...

Person woman man camera TV. My God a freaking genius!

Skeptical Voter said...

Well there are tens of millions of older Americans who undergo the Montreal Cognitive Test every year at their annual physical. It's administered by a nurse in my doctor's office. So far at age 80 I'm still passing it. OTOH my Dad was passing Montreal Cognitive Test at age 94--when his business judgement had departed around age 88 or so.

But still it would be nice to know if Slow Joe could pass the Montreal Test that so many of us take each year. Somehow I doubt he could pass.

Wince said...

Just a font of new ideas, isn’t she?

Odi said...

Nikki Haley has all the wrong solutions for all the wrong problems

Moondawggie said...

Hmmm: we have mandatory retirement for airline pilots at 65 no matter how competent they are.

For air traffic controllers, the age is 56, no matter how competent they are. Seems reasonable considering how many lives could be lost in a human-caused screwup.

In my state (CA), almost all big medical groups require annual competency testing for all "senior physicians" (70 years and older). Presumably they can't hurt nearly as many people with a screwup as pilots or ATCs can, but they still represent a potential public danger in a way unlike a 45 year old doc.

But with a US President, with potentially hundreds of millions of lives at stake, we don't have cognitive testing? Seems idiotic with septuagenarian and octogenarian candidates.

Just make the testing mandatory and the results public. Just a simple mini-mental status exam (which I give at every consult and followup visit to my brain tumor patients to track their functional progress) would be as fair and impartial as you can get.

What the electorate wants to do with that data is up to them, but at least they could be better informed. And we wouldn't be arguing about whether someone is cognitively impaired or not, the way do right now.

Jupiter said...

Is she saying he's past his prime?

Paul said...

To old, to corrupt, to senile, to compromised, to traitorous, to ... well you know, just to Biden for the USA to stomach anymore.

walter said...

She thinks, rightly, age is her Trump card. But that's all she has.
Anyone remember when she was (literally) crying over woke statue bashing?

Dude1394 said...

Moondawggie, so what happens when they fail the test by 1 point? Who gave it? Can they be trusted? Is it subjective at all or does a computer ( NOT the ones counting votes ) grade it.

If the president is incompetent, then the congress should remove him. But if half of the congress do not think ( corrupt as they are ) that he should be removed, how do you do it.

What is the constitutional amendment that describes and administers this test.

It is a non-started, way to rife with corruption.

effinayright said...

Nikki surely must know that it would take a Constitutional amendment to add a "competency test" (whatever the fuck that means) as a condition for running for President or staying in office. Anyone really think that's gonna happen?

But it's more than obvious that the 25th amendment didn't foresee the President's partisan allies in the Exeutive and Legislative branches would (wink wink) conspire to allow a doddering old fool to remain in office, simply to keep their hands on the reins of power.

For those folks, Biden could we soiling Depends, have a droolcup fitted to his chin, and eat his dinners pre-chewed by Dr. Jill. It wouldn't matter a bit.

AMDG said...

Blogger Drago said...
The Godfather: "EVERYTHING ELSE Nikki says is right on. I'd vote for her, or ANY OTHER REPUBLICAN who plausibly said the same thing."

Nikki Haley has explicitly called for doxxing every single person who posts anything online.

Next.

12/18/23, 6:33 PM

—————————-

Your Lord & Savior, Donald “The Fat Tub of Goo” Trump, called,for the suspension of the Constitution in order to salve his wounded ego anout a year ago. I am surprised that you are offended by someone who suggests something of dubious constitutionality.

It is going to funny to watch the tRump Swabs scramble when Trump names her his VP nominee. Opinions on Haley will do a 180 since nobody in the cult will want to cross their Dear Leader.

James K said...

Who would you trust to devise and administer the "mental competency test"?

Wait, surely you're not suggesting that our mental health professionals--you know, the ones who say that children should be allowed decide to mutilate themselves with gender replacement surgery--are anything less than completely objective and reliable?

The Crack Emcee said...

Every time she opens her mouth a bad idea pops out.

Gospace said...

I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters, but there's no mental competency test for voting and no politician daring to suggest that there should be.

Used to be a lot of such tests- but they weren't called tests or regarded as such. And- they also limited voter fraud! A twofer! I'll list a few.

1. Must be registered to vote, having appeared in person at the county election office, a set number of days before the election.

Wait, this is a test? Why, yes, yes it is. Are you capable of following simple directions? No same day registration. No registration when you apply for a driver's license. Or welfare- or anything else. In person. At the county election office. Also, once registered- had to vote every now and again to keep registration active. Don't vote for four straight years? And show up scrubbed and ready? Whoops, sorry, your registration has lapsed. See the county clerk tomorrow and you can vote in the next election. Again, a test. Are you intelligent enough to see that all elections matter? Skipping one or two may be for some good reasons, but miss all of them for 4 years- or some other fixed time limit- sorry.

2. Had to show up, in person, on election day, except for some very limited exceptions. No general mail in ballots. Another competency test? Why yes. Are you mentally able to figure out how to get to the polls and cast your vote. In a nursing home and confined to a wheelchair? Well, figure out to arrange for a ride. Mentally disabled and don't know where you are or what date the election is? Why is anyone at all assisting you in getting a ballot? Unless, of course, they're going to cast it for you. And once you're at the polling station- YOU had to cast the ballot by yourself. If blind or unable to fill out a ballot- a poll observer FROM EACH PARTY was required to assist- not some social worker who came along.

Had to speak or read or understand English. One of the great mistakes courts have made is requiring ballots in other languages when English is the Lingua Franca of the USA.... See what I did there? Lingua Franca is a perfectly good English word that isn't English... Someone who cannot read and interpret English doesn't have any real knowledge of the USA.

Had to be an actual resident of the election district/town/county/state, whatever. Any temporary housing, such as, for example, college dormitories or frat houses, and similar accommodations should automatically be rejected as residences for voting purposes. If I rent an apartment at Smithtown Towers, or a house at 1 Smith St., and sleep there, go to work or play from there, and am there most days, change my DL address to there, I'm a "permanent" resident until I decide to move. Dorm room? Mine for the academic year, usually assigned to me, not picked out by me, and- I have to leave when I'm told. At the end of semester or should I drop out. It's not my "permanent" residence. Most college students have no intention of staying in that college town post-graduation. In a similar vein, AFAIK- military members cannot register to vote locally by using their barracks address. Even if they decide, "Hwy, I like it here in Sandy Eggo or Nof--k and I'm going to stay!", in order to establish residence there and register to vote, they have to reside off base, not in military housing of any kind. Exact corollary. Heaven forbid they try to register using their ship's address.

Will going back to some of these old rules weed out all the incompetent voters? Of course not- there'll still be people who think Biden is a good POTUS and completely honest and aboveboard. Who'll bring dignity and honor back to the White House.

Inevitability said...

Cognitive testing, blood testing for drugs and chronic diseases. All administered by AI before and
during Presidential service.

Truthavenger said...

Here's how you solve the stupid voter problem. Allow everyone to vote. At the end of the ballot is a simple 5 question test on American government. However many questions you get correct, that's the percent your vote counts. Get three of them right, your vote counts 60%. Get them all right, your vote counts 100%.

Tacitus said...

The medical and in particular the psychiatric establishment has destroyed their credibility in the last few years. There is no believable route for administration of a competency test for presidents and would be presidents.

I've been a fan for some time of the UK's tradition of the Prime Minister appearing in front of the House of Commons to answer questions. Sure, it is a bit choreographed but if you are looking for a real time test of mental agility its hard to see a better one.

Can you imagine Biden in front of our House? Even if the questions alternated between R and D he'd screw up. His crib cards would not be big enough. He'd probably need a full deck....in more ways than one.

T

Yancey Ward said...

What Tacitus at 6:21 AM said!

Tina Trent said...

Gee Chuck, let's talk about all those leftist terrorists and cop assassins Clinton and Obama pardoned.

Haley's little girl voice is beginning to irritate me. Little windup Koch toy isn't a good look for an adult woman -- or anyone else, ie. Marco!, the almost real boy.

She promised them open borders. So watch her lie and avoid the subject. Just like Marco. Being a shill for Club for Growth is hardly young and new leadership.

Tina Trent said...
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Howard (not that Howard) said...

Althouse - "I'm more concerned about the mental competency of voters"

From your lips to God's ear.

Rich said...

"Biden leads by six points among voters who participated in the 2020 election, while Mr. Trump holds an overwhelming 22-point lead among those who did not vote in 2020.
In our estimation, needless to say, 2020 nonvoters are less likely to vote in 2024, and that’s why we show Mr. Biden ahead among likely voters."
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/upshot/poll-biden-trump-israel-youth.html

rcocean said...

"EVERYTHING ELSE Nikki says is right on. I'd vote for her, or ANY OTHER REPUBLICAN who plausibly said the same thing."

Then you might as well just vote for Joe Biden. Because her and Genocide Joe agree on almost everything. The economy, Gay rights, Affirmative action, abortion, Foreign Policy, Open borders, Censorship, etc.

Oh wait, Nikki wants to cut Medicare and Social Security and Biden doesn't.

So there's one thing.

Josephbleau said...

Seems like every time Halley speaks, she is talking about restricting freedom.

Moondawggie said...

Dude1394 said... Moondawggie, so what happens when they fail the test by 1 point? Who gave it? Can they be trusted? Is it subjective at all or does a computer ( NOT the ones counting votes ) grade it.

Dude, the MMSE consists of 11 simple objective tasks with a potential maximum score of 30. Scoring below 24 suggests possible dementia. It is very simple to administer; even Medical Assistants and LVNs can administer it accurately, reliably, and reproducibly.

If you are worried about test supervisor bias, then have 4 or 5 licensed (and hopefully honest) MDs observe the test while it is being given to make sure everything is on the up and up. Also video the test so a voter can make their own assessment.

Here's a link to a pdf of the test:

https://www.bmc.org/sites/default/files/For_Medical_Professionals/Pediatric_Resources/Pediatrics__MA_Center_for_Sudden_Infant_Death_Syndrome__SIDS_/Modified-Mini-Mental-Exam-MMSE.pdf

As I recall, Trump took a variant of the test in 2020 and scored 30 out of 30. Not hard for any normal adult to do.

Mason G said...

"In our estimation, needless to say, 2020 nonvoters are less likely to vote in 2024..."

Ya think?

In 2020, we were coming off four years of a strong economy and relative peace worldwide with a reasonable expectation of continuing this with Trump's re-election. Enough to make some complacent, one might suppose. Didn't go that way, and we've just experienced Biden's (and the Democrats) going-on-four-year dumpster fire. I would hope it's not necessary to point out that, just maybe, some of those 2020 nonvoters might be rethinking their lack of participation and plan on making adjustments in 2024. But who knows- we're talking about the NYT.

Mason G said...

"If you are worried about test supervisor bias, then have 4 or 5 licensed (and hopefully honest) MDs observe the test while it is being given to make sure everything is on the up and up."

After pushing masks and the covid "vaccine" along with current "gender affirmation" treatments, how easy do you suppose it would be to find honest observers?

"Also video the test so a voter can make their own assessment."

There's been plenty of video (although not all) made available from the "J6 Insurrection" and people have made their own assessments. How has that worked out?

Rit said...

If you asked Joe Biden to add 10 and 25 together in his head, he couldn't do it.

Of course if you told him he could use his fingers as an aid he would immediately answer: Ten!

pacwest said...

@Kirk
It certainly is, which makes me puzzle d as to why you think it is a "great concept"

Sorry I'm so late to this. What could be better for the Republic than having voters who did factual research and we're capable of long term thinking? We know that it's never going to happen, and the reasons for that. Or should something like that were to be tried how badly it would be corrupted. So, that's why as a concept or ideal I like it. It's a pos after that.