January 07, 2006
Bottle Of Wine, Fruit Of The Vine, When You Gonna Let Me Get Sober?
There is a serious consequence of long term alcoholism, it's called Alcoholic Dementia. Symptoms of Alcoholic Dementia (as well as other forms of dementia) include, inability to make connections, inability to make decisions frustration, anger, and irritability, emotional lability, and unstable moods. Both short and long term memory can be affected, though most frequently it is the short term memory affected most. However, long term memory can be affected when the patient confuses incidents and combines them into a single mistaken memory. Alcohol has a direct affect on brain cells, resulting in poor judgment, difficulty making decisions and lack of insight, alcohol is often called the great disinhibitor. In addition nutrition problems can accompany long-time alcohol abuse can be another contributing factor, since parts of the brain may be damaged by vitamin deficiencies.
Not having ever examined Teddy Kennedy, and the last time I spoke to him (we chit chatted for all of 4 or 5 minutes in the halls of congress when my brothers and I were prowling the corridors of power) was in the mid 60's when I was in High School in the Washington D.C. area, I cannot say if Senator Kennedy is suffering from anything other than old age and being over weight. His drinking excesses are, however, legendary and it is rumored that he definately has an alcohol problem.
Dana Milbank, writing in the Washinton Post noted Kennedy appeared at a rountable discussion with a number of reporters and Milbank wrote:
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), hosting a morning roundtable with reporters, had nothing nice to say about Alito. "We here in the United States are not going to stand for monarchial tyranny," he said, protesting Alito's support for "unfettered, unlimited power of the executive." He faulted Alito for belonging to a group that was "anti-black and also anti-women." Kennedy wondered if "the average person is going to be able to get a fair shake" under Alito.The Goldwater Presidency? Must have been something I missed since I distinctly remember being highly disappointed when Goldwater gave his concession speech in November, 1964.Briefly, Kennedy rewrote the outcome of the 1964 election. "This nominee was influenced by the Goldwater presidency," he said. "The Goldwater battles of those times were the battles against the civil rights laws." Only then did Kennedy acknowledge that "Judge Alito at that time was 14 years old."
Maybe it's time for the Good Senator to retire. No maybe about it... it's well past time.
Linked at TMH's Baconbits
Posted by GM Roper at January 7, 2006 06:09 PM | TrackBackGM, Do you believe that there are ANY qualifications to be a voter in MASS? I rather doubt it. With Kennedy and Kerry as the senators from that locale, what are we to think? Ah, Mass. home of the Big Dig, lousy government, and more corruption than most other states. Whoops, did I offend? Uh, did I lie?
Posted by tad at January 7, 2006 07:57 PM
Is Kennedy's bad judgement a result of his drinking or a result of being a liberal...or, are all liberals also alcoholics? Whatever the case, that side is incapable of logical, honest thought.
Posted by Woody at January 7, 2006 08:31 PM
Woody, how long do you think it will take meat brain to start the spam again? LOL
Posted by GM Roper at January 7, 2006 10:08 PM
As soon as he takes his next fifth...of Old Grandad.
Posted by Woody at January 8, 2006 12:25 AM
When Senator Kennedy makes statements lacking in lucidity, you do well to bring them to public attention.The voters of Massachusetts have the duty to pass electoral judgment whether to continue his tenancy in the Senate or to send him into retirement. His senate colleagues have the responsibility as to what weight they give his pronouncements.
I fear that this upcoming debate over Alito's Supreme Court nomination will exhibit the worse traits of our current body politic. Then, after all the "dirty bombs" have been detonated, our pundits will express great wonderment over why hornorable citizens hesitate to enter public service. Senator Kennedy looks to be one of those lobbing the artillary.
I'm glad that you find long-distance diagnoses distasteful (regardless of ideology) as do I: diagnosing Sen. Kennedy as suffering from alcholic dementia is just as inappropriate as those on the left who diagnose President Bush as a relapsed alcoholic. Sufficient are the words and actions.
Posted by civil truth at January 8, 2006 04:55 PM
civil truth, I partly agree. There is something risky about diagnosis at a distance. But the problem is not that is should never be considered, but in how precisely one identifies symptoms. The symptoms of the so-called "dry drunk" are nebulous and poorly studied, and I would not ever venture that. But Senator Kennedy is known to be a consumer of considerable alcohol. If he votes for something I don't like or seems to be bloviating, I don't use those and indications of anything. There are simply too many possible causes. Occasional mistakes of the Osama/Obama or Goldwater presidency variety happen to everyone -- but Kennedy makes them frequently, and worse, his attempts to correct them are incoherent. Something causes this.
I don't think we need go as far as alcoholic dementia as an explanation. I think just being drunk is more likely.
Posted by Assistant Village Idiot at January 8, 2006 09:38 PM
