Impairment?
Re “Rouse sues the NFL, says he’s ‘totally impaired’ from injuries” (A2, March 15): The article discussed how state Sen. Aaron Rouse is “suing the NFL in pursuit of disability payments linked to injuries sustained during his three-year career as a safety” and I was flabbergasted. While I do think a person who has sustained injuries due to his profession should be compensated, it wasn’t until I read that he is claiming that his injuries, “resulted from multiple concussions and cognitive impairment affecting his mental functioning” that I thought to myself, if he is cognitively impaired, what is he doing being a state senator?
If Rouse’s impairments are bad enough that he requires disability payments, then he should step down as a state senator. We need our government officials to be fully cognizant. Either Rouse is perfectly capable of doing his job as state senator or he is cognitively impaired and deserves disability payments. He should not have both.
Ann Maliniak, Virginia Beach
Liberal mindset
Re “Rouse sues the NFL, says he’s ‘totally impaired’ from injuries” (A2, March 15): So, do I understand this correctly? According to the recent article, Virginia Democrats elected an individual to the state senate who, by his own admission and supported by several specialists, is “totally impaired” and suffers from neurological and “cognitive impairments” as well as “psychological conditions that further limit his functional capacity.”
To me it is inconceivable that he is in public office, much less on committees that handle areas such as election laws, voting procedures and redistricting. I do, however, understand why he would be on the committee to review appointments by the governor.
Warren Harding, Virginia Beach
Temporary change
Very ironic to hear U.S. Reps. Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman grouse about the temporary redistricting change that was brought about by their dear leader when he stated he was owed five seats in Texas and Texas Republicans complied. What are other states supposed to do while other red states do the same? Sit back and watch?
Kiggans (never held a town meeting) won her seat after redistricting gave her much of Southeast Virginia or she wouldn’t have beaten former Rep. Elaine Luria. Wittman’s district includes everything from the Potomac to Poquoson. Gerrymandering, abused by both parties, and the Electoral College should both be eliminated. Citizens United was in the top five worst decisions ever decided by the “Subprime” Court and should be coded out of existence.
Jeff Allen, Hampton
U.S. in crisis
The U.S. is going through a rough patch. The “golden age” promised by President Donald Trump has yet to materialize; we have joined Israel in a war with Iran; prices for goods including fuel are up; home construction is stagnant; and the jobs market is not good. Our armed forces have been accused of war crimes, ICE agents have caused problems wherever they go, and billions of dollars collected in illegal tariffs may have to be repaid.
Trump claims to have aced several cognitive tests. I doubt that he has never been examined by a psychiatrist and, in casual observation, he checks all the boxes for narcissistic personality disorder. These include delusions of grandeur, a constant need for praise, a sense of entitlement, paranoia, lack of empathy, obsession with power and the belittling of others. NPD also includes immature behavior (i.e., name calling and the wearing of a baseball cap at a dignified funeral ceremony).
Psychiatric treatment is unlikely. Why would you accept treatment when you are perfect?
So, we have a problem that we must solve. Congress has been derelict in its duty to control the president’s poor decisions and that has to change. The midterm elections provide an opportunity to do this and we must make them count.
Arthur H. Jennette, M.D., Williamsburg
