Apparently, Sen. Mitch McConnell Can’t Vote On His Own. Can We Retire This Man Already? [Op-Ed]

Look, I can’t believe I have to ask this question, but we can all agree that if a congressman isn’t of sound enough mind to cast a vote without being told when and how by another congressman or three, that congressman probably shouldn’t be in Congress, right? I swear, a decade ago, this would’ve been a no-brainer. Now, we just have a GOP with no brains. I mean that almost literally in the case of one party member in particular.

Will somebody please throw Mitch McConnell a retirement party he won’t know is happening and then send him home?

Y’all really believe this guy is present in any practical sense?

On Tuesday, we reported that McConnell had finally shown the world he is still alive after months of scarcely explained absence, and was wheeled into the Senate chamber for the first time since early June. Well, on Wednesday, he was back to cast his first vote — I mean, kind of.

During a hearing in the Senate Agriculture Committee, McConnell’s name was called by the clerk, which was his cue to vote on a Farm Bill, but he didn’t immediately respond or appear to know what his vote was going to be without being told first.

In video footage of the session, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), who was seated next to McConnell, appeared to lean in and urge the 84-year-old to vote “no.” McConnell, however, quietly voted, “Aye,” but the clerk didn’t appear to hear him.

The confusion continued as someone else leaned forward to say something the audio didn’t pick up. At the same time, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) looked over at McConnell and appeared to reassure him that “Aye” was the right vote, which prompted McConnell to vote “Aye” again.

After the vote, a spokesperson for Hoeven told the New York Post that “Sen. Hoeven initially thought the vote was to overrule the chair, then realized the vote was on final passage,” which I guess the spokesperson thought explained the confusion anyone watching that video had.

Nah — we want to know if the octogenarian lawmaker who needs three separate people to help him figure out his vote should still be serving in the U.S. Senate.

As Newsweek reported, the bill narrowly passed 12-11. LEX 18 News described the bill as “a major package of legislation that sets national food, agriculture, conservation, and nutrition policy in the United States.” It’s also a bill that has faced opposition from Democrats who say it doesn’t properly address issues created by changes to funding in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The most important thing to note here is that it would not have passed without McConnell’s vote, as Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the Senate that may no longer exist after the midterm elections.

And that’s the issue. Republicans have McConnell on the Senate floor looking like King Theoden from The Lord of the Rings when he was still under Saruman’s curse, while his fellow Republicans are basically Grima, playing puppet master in his ear.

For those who aren’t Tolkien nerds, here’s what I’m referencing:

I just thought the Weekend at Bernie’s references were starting to get played out, but fine, here:

The point is, McConnell should be home on bed rest or in hospice or online reserving a spot in Turtle Hell or something — but instead he’s spending what is probably the last leg of his life going through the motions of being a legislator, just so the GOP agenda doesn’t continue to be hindered by his inconvenient absence.

Please send that man home and let him rest. This elder abuse is getting hard to watch.

SEE ALSO:

Mitch McConnell Proves He’s Still Alive, For The Most Part [Op-Ed]

GOP Rep Moves To Impeach Pete Hegseth, And We All Know Why [Op-Ed]