I am insane. That was legally true at one point in my life. A court affirmed legality when courts and society actually gave a shit and locked people up in long-term mental hospitals instead of just making them homeless and giving them guns. Thanks to Ronald Reagan, we don’t really have that anymore. (No one needs to tell me about how bad conditions were in some of these—I lived through it.) The point is, I have first-hand experience. I lived through that and then years of out-patient community mental-health treatment (thanks John F Kennedy). I then went onto a varied career as a reporter and editor at a worldwide news organization before making a mid-life career switch to social services where, yes, I have worked with many mentally disturbed people. And it’s not just that I worked with people. Many of my life-long friends were people I met through healthcare institutions. While I was extremely lucky to overcome my issues (mostly) many of my friends were not. But let me be clear—it took me years to re-establish my life, go back to college (though not to the Ivy League) and get a career, get married, etc. (For those wondering, the most accurate diagnosis I ever received was temporary hallucinogin-induced schizophrenic break.) The point of all this long-winded humble-bragging is that I know a crazy person when I see one. Have you met our President? The long-slow normalization of his INSANITY is picking up speed. It is mixing with aggressive mid-stage senility. The Reich-wingers keep doubling down in agreement. They are driving us all off a cliff. Trump brags about ‘passing’ senility tests. Let’s reframe that: His doctors keep insisting he take them. Puts a different light on it, doesn’t it? And let’s be clear, for our purposes senility and insanity are the same thing. Non compos mentis. Incompetent. As we Daily Kos readers know, his behavior would mean he would literally not be able to hold down ANY OTHER job in America. There would be checks and balances to confront and (figuratively) dis-arm him. Unfortunately, we have a COMPLICIT Congress and SCOTUS, which is intent on allowing him to drive us all off the cliff. Their STUPIDITY amazes me. Their IGNORANCE of mental health, social norms, the public’s well-being is ASTOUNDING. Sure, I wish I could do something about it. We all do as we watch this slow-motion train wreck pick up speed. Rest assured though that this WILL end badly. The only question is how badly. As my younger brother who was never diagnosed with a mental condition, has said to me, am I crazy or is it everyone else? It’s everyone else, lil’ bro. Keep the faith. Hold the line. Prepare as best you can. And rage, rage against the dying of the light.
