Gabrielle Giffords

If you haven’t been living under a rock the last week or so, you probably are well aware that the much-feared default of the nation’s debt ceiling was narrowly averted thanks to the hard work and dedication of our elected officials who always put the nation’s needs first.

(Yes, that was glaring sarcasm. How does that work in print?)

What many of you also no-doubt saw was the appearance Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman from Arizona who suffered a gunshot injury to the head courtesy of a total complete wackjob whose name will not be posted in this blog. Giffords, who nearly died as a result of the shooting, has shown amazing recuperative spirit and was

able to walk into the House of Representatives to cast what could have been a deciding vote to raise – or not to raise – the debt ceiling. And while her appearance is both a testament to the strength that Representative Giffords has and the power of the human spirit, I can’t help but think that Representative Giffords shouldn’t have been anywhere near the vote.

Don’t get me wrong – I am actually a pretty big fan of Giffords, and actually hope that she can fully recover from her injuries and run again. The fact is, anyone who works to serve the people, regardless of their political leanings, deserves the opportunity to do so. Her constituents voted her in office to do something, and because of the un-named whack-job, she has not been able to do what she set out this term to do. I hope she receives another chance to do it when she is fully recovered.

That all being said, here is what we do know about Representative Giffords recovery:

She has not addressed her constituents since the shooting. Outside of the pre-screened, well written statements released by her office, nothing; No speeches; No public appearances; Nothing to allow those who voted her into office to see that she is indeed competent, aware or able to make important decisions that affect the nation. As far as the rest of us are aware, she could be seriously mentally impacted by her brain injuries. Is there anything that has been shown to the residents of her district – and the rest of the nation – that indicate that she is competent to make decisions of national importance?

If you saw her entrance on Capitol Hill, she clearly needed assistance from those around her. She did not seem as though she was mentally cognizant. The only thing she said that any microphones around her picked up was the phrase ‘Let’s get it done.’ Her office later released a statement that said that Representative Giffords was compelled to vote in the matter.

I had to be here for this vote. I could not take the chance that my absence could crash our economy,’ she said in a prepared statement.

It would have been nice, however, to know that she was mentally competent to vote for such an important bill.

I am in no way saying that she isn’t competent. I am, however, saying that we have no way of knowing if she is. She certainly does not seem to me, in what little public appearances she has made, that she is back to 100%, and it appeared to me from the video of her on Capitol Hill that she was physically still impacted from her injuries. Is it far off to question her mental capacities as well?

In fact, at this point, we don’t even know if she read – or even understands – what she voted for.

It could be easily overcome, by the way. Speak to the voters. Speak to the American Public. Have a press conference. Show you are aware and cognizant and fully able to make decisions.

The fact that she hasn’t done that yet tells me that maybe, she isn’t able to.

So while the media runs this story to the American public, they play it out to be the feel good story of the summer, a woman overcoming a horrible tragedy from a lunatic who attempted to take her life while she battles to make an impact on her country. It will make a great Lifetime Original Movie.

Unfortunately, we expect more from our elected officials than just the ability to show up and vote. We expect them to be fully able to understand what they are voting on and why.

I’m just not sure that Representative Giffords is there yet. And while I pray for her speedy recovery and return to her day-to-day duties as a U.S. Representative, she has done nothing thus far to show she has recovered enough to take on the important duties entrusted to her.