Sometimes, in journalism, you feel like you've published the perfect story just a little too late. That's how I felt about Joseph J. Fins' excellent First Opinion, published Tuesday, about Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and what to do about senators whose health seems like genuine cause for concern. I thought Fins' argument — that senators should create "legislative advance directives" essentially committing to retirement if their health declines in certain ways — was clever and useful, far different from the often ageist and ableist, unconstructive commentary we've seen elsewhere on this sensitive topic. I was just worried that it was published at an inopportune moment.
And then came Wednesday. Just a day after we published Fins' First Opinion, McConnell was asked about whether he would run for re-election in 2026 — and he blanked. For 30 seconds, again, he stood there, seemingly unable to respond. The attending physician for Congress later chalked the episode up to McConnell's concussion in March and dehydration.
Suddenly, the piece that I wished we had published earlier was relevant again.
It was a reminder to me that so many of the issues we cover at STAT are constantly evolving — and First Opinion's real value is in looking forward, in helping guide the conversation. "I envision a private document shared with close staff and family that would not be legally binding like a medical advance directive, but still have normative and political sway," Fins writes. His idea should have new urgency among members of Congress old and young alike.
Also in First Opinion this week: I can't say enough good things about Sharmila B. Mehta's gorgeous personal essay "How learning the truth about chaos theory has helped me as an inpatient child psychologist." Working with Mehta reminded me about the people doing the difficult, vital work of crisis youth mental health care.
And we have First Opinions on climate change and public housing, breastfeeding and the ACA, Covid treatment beyond antivirals and vaccines, and the inbox burden on psychiatrists.
Got an idea for or about First Opinion? Email me! In particular: As you may have noticed, I'm starting to play around with the First Opinion newsletter. If you have thoughts on what we should be doing, let me know!
For now, I'm going to indulge myself by shouting out books periodically. Today, I'm recommending "The Woman Behind the New Deal," Kirstin Downey's highly readable biography of Frances Perkins. My parents were both labor majors in undergrad and gave me the middle name of Perkins to honor the first woman in the Cabinet and labor secretary under FDR. She helped create Social Security, fought for workers' rights, and was generally just an awe-inspiring figure. (You know who else was named for Frances Perkins? Frances "Baby" Houseman from "Dirty Dancing.") Happy Labor Day!
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