Faulty reasoning signals

• Confirmation Bias - 8.9% (55 hits)
• Anchoring Bias - 0%
• Availability Heuristic - 21.8% (134 hits)
• Representativeness Heuristic - 5.9% (36 hits)
• Hindsight Bias - 0%
• Overconfidence Bias - 6.2% (38 hits)
• Framing Effect - 17.4% (107 hits)
• Loss Aversion - 2.6% (16 hits)
• Status Quo Bias - 6.8% (42 hits)
• Sunk Cost Effect - 0%
• Optimism Bias - 5.7% (35 hits)
• Pessimism Bias - 13% (80 hits)

Article text

What happens when a lawmaker takes an extended absence?

Senate GOP leaders say they've spoken to Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized for more than three weeks, prompting questions about his health.

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thun says Thun spoke with the 84year-old McConnell yesterday by phone about a number of topics, including national security.

Now, McConnell's staff has not provided more information about why he was admitted to the hospital.

His office put out a statement saying he is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.

So joining us now is Susan Paige, the Washington bureau chief for USA Today.

Susan, thanks for joining us.

You know, we know McConnell's been hospitalized since June 14th.

So obviously a a delicate situation when it comes to his health or what's happening.

How does it work when a lawmaker takes an extended absence?

You know, you don't have to punch a clock when you're a member of Congress.

It's entirely up to you.

Uh whether you show up for work or not. Uh and there is really no effective uh oversight of what they do.

We see this over and over again.

Just recently, Tom Kaine, congressman from New Jersey, was missing in action for four months, and only when he returned to the job did he announce that he had been treated for a mental health crisis.

So, uh, this is an issue for, I think, for voters.

And in this case, McConnell's absence is one that's that's being felt in the US

Senate where the margin of that Republican majority is so very narrow.

>> Absolutely. Well, it sounds like he's weighing in on certain things from the information that we were just getting, but how transparent does a lawmaker have to be?

>> A lawmaker does not have to be transparent, nor does a president. uh

and we saw concern about that uh during the final uh times of the Joe Biden presidency.

Concern that his staff was not being transparent, that he was not

being transparent with Americans about the state of his health.

Uh but there's no law that requires elected officials to tell their constituents what's going on with their health.

Uh and there's been the custom in the past that presidents, for instance, uh released details about their health while they're running for the office and and when they're in office.

But there's not a law

or a rule that tells them that they have to do that and some of them don't.

>> Yeah, that's an interesting point and fair. Uh what's been the reaction on Capitol Hill to his continued absence?

>> Well, we've seen Republican leadership kind of circle the wagons and support the idea that he's that he's talking and that he's in involved in in the business of government.

of government. But, you know, we also hear some grumbling. Uh, I noticed that

Mike Lee, the Republican uh, senator from from Utah, said he wasn't telling reporters what was happening with McConnell because he didn't know anything.

I thought there was a little bit of peak there. Uh, because there are issues, including the supplemental appropriation for the war in Iran that Mitch McConnell plays a crucial role in.

He's the chair of a defense appropriation subcommittee that would be in charge of that.

Uh, so I think there is concern among his colleagues about when he's going to get back and take up the job.

>> All right. Well, hopefully he's in good care.

We will stay on top of this.

Susan Paige, appreciate your insight.

Thank you.