What is Joe Miller's Mysterious Disability?

[Puppycow]

I don't know or care what his disability may be, or if he has one at all. But that he didn't prepare for the question coming up at some point means he's not up to the game of politics.

If he has a real disability, I don't care either. But given his track record of gaming of the tax and welfare systems I suspect he's actually malingering to pad his income.

 

[TragicMonkey]

If he has a real disability, I don't care either. But given his track record of gaming of the tax and welfare systems I suspect he's actually malingering to pad his income.

The VA isn't very easy to fool. They tend to err on the side of not covering things they ought to, rather than the other way around. I'm willing to leave the matter to their judgment if they've found cause for making payment. It's a) probably not very much, b) way harder to get away with thus not worth the effort, and c) the services decrease your pension by the same amount of your disability payments so you're not actually making any gains.

My theory is that the disability in question is real, but embarrassing to someone running for office, either because it's involving some inherently embarrassing condition, is merely trivial, or is something that would upset some voters like a mental thing, or depression. It wasn't that long ago that merely seeing a psychiatrist once in your life could be used to wreck your political run.

It's an iffy area about candidate's medical histories. On the one hand, we like privacy in such matters. On the other hand, we don't want to elect people with conditions that might render them incapable of governing sanely. I don't need to know about FDR's polio, but I probably wouldn't vote for someone if I knew they were showing signs of Alzheimer's.

 

[WildCat]

Stay classy, Wildcat.

Classy is down the hall to the right.

 

[Puppycow]

The VA isn't very easy to fool.

How do you know?
ETA: For someone like me, probably true. For a smooth operator like Joe Miller OTOH. . .

They tend to err on the side of not covering things they ought to, rather than the other way around. I'm willing to leave the matter to their judgment if they've found cause for making payment. It's a) probably not very much, b) way harder to get away with thus not worth the effort, and c) the services decrease your pension by the same amount of your disability payments so you're not actually making any gains.

A guy with only 3 years in the service would not be eligible for a pension, so it would be money he wouldn't otherwise be entitled to.

 

[leftysergeant]

Easiest scam to work is a mental problem. That could present an interesting conflict for a candidate.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

On the one hand, we like privacy in such matters. On the other hand, we don't want to elect people with conditions that might render them incapable of governing sanely.

We also don't want to elect people who are scamming the taxpayers.

Since he's running for office, I think it's just like tax returns--when there is a question, the most reasonable thing for a candidate who isn't scamming the taxpayers is to make those private records public.

 

[TragicMonkey]

We also don't want to elect people who are scamming the taxpayers.

Why not? It's good practice for when they take office.

Since he's running for office, I think it's just like tax returns--when there is a question, the most reasonable thing for a candidate who isn't scamming the taxpayers is to make those private records public.

I think there has to be a very compelling reason to justify public release of medical records. What if turns out he has something harmless, but embarrassing? What if he had something that resulted in him needing a colostomy bag? Political cartoonists would have a field day. Or how about if it turns out he has XYY, which a lot of people still believe causes criminality? Medical records are, and should be, intensely private. IMO, the risk is a "chilling effect" of keeping people who wish to keep their health information private from running for office--resulting in de facto discrimination against the ill.

 

[casebro]

Discrimination against the ill is totally OK, if the illness will affect job duties.

Colostomy bag, no. Mental illness, yes.

 

[casebro]

From the OP, the questions were about "service connected disability" and "percentage disabled". No monetary question.

He may have a minor disability, low percentage. For which he would get ZERO dollars. So dipping into the trough may not be the point.

Competence is the big question.

 

[Chaos]

Competence is the big question.

I wanted to add "and so is honesty", but then... who am I kidding?

 

[casebro]

I'm suspecting the lack of a fire under the smoke here.

It's been three days now since the meeting, and nobody has come forward to blab about his disability. I'm sure a couple friends or acquaintances know, and one of them has to want him NOT to be senator. A former GI comrade perhaps? Somebody that doesn't like him would want to spread gossip.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

I think there has to be a very compelling reason to justify public release of medical records. What if turns out he has something harmless, but embarrassing?

Then maybe he should have considered that before choosing a public life. Or is he so out of touch that he doesn't realize candidates undergo a great deal of scrutiny?

At any rate, in that case, he would doubtless garner a great deal of sympathy. I doubt that's the case--which explains his emphatic reluctance to talk about this.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

Competence is the big question.

Just curious--were you against the impeachment of Clinton?

 

[Davidlpf]

As far as I know a moose only loses its antlers once a year and he picks up at least four antlers. So unless the moose has four antlers a set or it is replacing its' antlers twice as fast. So is he comparing the senator to regular moose which if it is case she changes her mind once a year, or to some mutant Alaska moose.

 

[Alferd_Packer]

Has this issue been picked up by any one else? I don't get much on a google search.

 

[leftysergeant]

Miller is erratic, and the people have a right to know whether he is erratic because he just thinks outside the box or because he has lost his marbles.

 

[Alferd_Packer]

There might be something to this.

Palin's on the attack

But perhaps the most shocking part of all in this debate was when the incumbent Senator used Joe Miller's distinguished military service as a means to attack him. Joe Miller graduated from West Point, fought in Desert Storm, and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service to our country. I find it astonishing that a sitting U.S. Senator from Alaska would challenge the honor of a decorated combat veteran.

 

[Puppycow]

There might be something to this.

But perhaps the most shocking part of all in this debate was when the incumbent Senator used Joe Miller's distinguished military service as a means to attack him. Joe Miller graduated from West Point, fought in Desert Storm, and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service to our country. I find it astonishing that a sitting U.S. Senator from Alaska would challenge the honor of a decorated combat veteran.

Palin's on the attack

Gee, after the Swiftboating of Kerry and Max Cleland, now it's "astonishing" that anyone would challenge the honor of a decorated combat veteran.

 

[tyr_13]

Wait, how is this 'a sitting U.S. Senator' challenging the honor of a decorated combat veteran? Didn't this start as a simple question at a friendly campaign event?

 

[leftysergeant]

Gee, after the Swiftboating of Kerry and Max Cleland, now it's "astonishing" that anyone would challenge the honor of a decorated combat veteran.

Ask UnsecuredCoins how impressed he is with an officer who gets the Bronze Star.

I find it interesting that he is listed disabled and did not recieve a Purple Heart, and does not want to say what his problem is.

I'm betting mental health issues.