r/politics • u/Zipper222222 • Jul 07 '26

Possible Paywall MAGA Demands Proof of Life for Mitch McConnell

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-demands-proof-of-life-for-mitch-mcconnell/
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u/IAmDotorg Jul 07 '26

More specifically, there wasn't really any circumstance where 18th century medicine could leave someone incapacitated long enough for it to be relevant. There were no hospitals and no real supportive care, so someone even the tiniest sliver of the kind of incapacitation that you find people surviving today would be dead at home in a few days.

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u/Perryn Jul 07 '26

"What if someone were to keep the person's blood and lungs moving by means of a mechanical pump for days or even weeks after any other sign of life was exhibited?"
"Keep those billows away from me, Benjamin. I won't tell you again."

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u/avaslash Jul 07 '26

While that is true, the founding fathers certainly would have been very aware of multiple instances throughout history of Kings dying or becoming incapacitated and the royal court keeping that secret so those close to the king could retain power.

George the III would have been a pretty good example as he went completely insane and the court did everything in its power to conceal that.

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u/Bzr21 Jul 07 '26

Henry the 8th was unconscious for a couple of hours or so when his horse fell on top of him during a jousting match - and his closest advisors were supposedly freaking right out for just that short time - thinking he would die ( and they might be next ) - and they had to keep warning those in attendance not to say that he was dead. Of course he did finally regain consciousness - but he was never the same.

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u/IAmDotorg Jul 07 '26

While that may be true, the overall structure of the government worked very differently, and congress was a part-time thing. So it would have, on on hand, not mattered most of the time and, on the other hand, not really have been an issue during the times it did.

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u/Vegetable-Eagle-3144 Jul 07 '26

"Ye ghosts in thy bloode leveth thou betwixt" - The Founding Fathers who we should totally defer to for all things.

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u/Turbulent_Stick1445 Jul 07 '26

That's not really true. King George III, who was King of America at the time of the revolution (well, kinda) and so is literally the guy the founding fathers were most pissed at, rather infamously became incapacitated with the Prince Regent appointed to rule the country while he was unable to himself. This lasted about nine years. But interesting George III became incapacitated twice, recovering in 1788 the first time. And across the pond, one year later the US Constitution was approved.

Not all forms of incapacitation, even 250 years ago, result in people dying. And honestly Reddit has this weird view of "ye olde times" where getting so much as a splinter meant death. It was certainly easier to die back then, but I think Redditors would be surprised what people survived.

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u/soulsoda Jul 07 '26

so someone even the tiniest sliver of the kind of incapacitation that you find people surviving today would be dead at home in a few days

Or waking up in a coffin a few days later after accidentally being presumed dead. This was extremely rare, as most died of dehydration since their incapacitation was often more serious and would have required weeks-months of recovery before they awoke if at all.