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.

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

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