I worry about my own mental health after age 50. I worry about other people’s mental health after age 50 as well.
More specifically I worry about the mental health of our presidential candidates no matter what their age.
I swore I would not make political commentary when I started writing this blog. I really did. I am neither well informed enough nor educated enough to do it wisely. (Although that doesn’t stop most people.) Plus I don’t like to lose arguments.
However I can’t stop myself from saying something that just seems so obvious to me. Let’s just say that I’m talking about the mental health of people who are past 50 years of age instead of saying anything that might rile up anyone who disagrees with me politically .
After age 50 I, like most people my age, have an opinion on …well…everything. And I, like most people after age 50, express my opinion on…well…everything.
And since the candidates in the 2012 presidential campaign have ideas on policies that will affect all of us post 50 folks, I feel I have to speak up because I have opinions about that too.
I’m not so concerned about the policies these candidates espouse. Those will change as the campaigning moves forward. The candidates seem rather flexible on policies. They’re pretty good at figuring out what we want to hear and then saying it, swearing by it even. They will say almost anything to get our attention.
I’m more concerned about their mental health. Some of the candidates have said things that made me wonder about it. My primary diagnosis is that they might possibly be delusional with a little dash of narcissistic behavior disorder as their secondary diagnosis.
See, I used to work for the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.
When we had a “consumer” who persistently insisted that God wanted him/her to be the Leader of the Free World, we were suspicious about that person’s mental status. In fact, after a quick mental assessment, the “consumer” usually had the opportunity to spend some quality time (approximately 28 days ) at one of the fine state-operated all-inclusive facilities so conveniently scattered across Texas.
Three candidates entered the 2012 Presidential race because they said (nay…insisted) that God told them to run. I won’t mention their political party, but it rhymes with See Publican. Bachmann, Cain, and that other guy from Texas who can’t seem to remember anything all said that God, (yes, THAT God) told each of them they should be President of the United States.
Naturally, given my background, I was a little reluctant to follow any one of them blindly.
Pat Robertson even said that God has already revealed to him who the next President will be. I wish Mr. Robertson would just go ahead and tell us so I could quit watching the news and go back to watching “That ‘70s Show” re-runs.
Anyway, after just a very few primaries, these same three God-directed candidates quit the race.
Hmmm…..that makes me wonder about them. In fact, I have some questions about their actions.
Now as I understand it, these folks believe that in 2011 God spoke directly to each one of them and gave them the go-ahead to be our said Leader.
Here’s what I don’t understand:
- Did they misunderstand God and what he wanted them to do?
- Did God change His mind and tell them to quit?
- If so, why didn’t they tell us about God’s change of mind?
- Did they disobey a direct commandment from God?
- Was God just messing with them?
- Are these candidates just messing with us?
- Or, are they crazy?
All are possible political points to ponder.
In my humble opinion (see opinions of people over age 50…of course they have one), a mental status assessment may be in order for people who are in the Presidential race.
I’m not saying that one has to be crazy to run for POTUS…I’m just sayin’ that some might be.
And that’s all I have to say about any of it. For now.
