Over the weekend, President Donald Trump lauded himself for “being, like, really smart,” and a “stable genius.” Now, a Democratic Congressman wishes Trump had to prove it. Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania introduced new legislation that, if passed, would require future presidential candidates to provide medical evidence of their physical and mental stability, in the cheekliy named Standardizing Testing and Accountability Before Large Elections Giving Electors Necessary Information for Unobstructed Selection, or STABLE GENIUS, Act.
“The President believes he is a ‘stable genius.’ I do not,” Boyle said in a statement. “President Trump’s reckless, erratic behavior has exposed a critical flaw in our existing election process. Before voting for the highest office in the land, Americans have a right to know whether an individual has the physical and mental fitness to serve as President of the United States.”
The STABLE GENIUS Act would require any candidate who secures their party’s nomination to have an examination by a medical office under the Secretary of the Navy’s jurisdiction, and then file proof of the exam with the results with the FEC. That filing would then be available for public viewing.
Now, on its face, having a presidential nominee go through some sort of physical and mental evaluation might sound like a good idea. After all, professional athletes typically undergo physicals before joining a new team with the results going to the prospective employer, and the American people are a candidate’s prospective employers. Nevertheless, in the political realm it’s not exactly practical.
Boyle’s plan would involve a government doctor providing a medical analysis meant to show whether a person is meant to lead that same government. Basically, if the law passed, a doctor who works for an incumbent candidate would then be able to write a report on his or her next opponent. I’m not saying there would be any foul play, but if the report revealed anything negative, it would immediately spark a political back and forth that would do more harm than good.
Perhaps determining a candidate’s genius would be more effective in a political environment that was a little more stable.
[Image via CNN screengrab]
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
