Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is in full swing, particularly at liberal outlets. Efforts to discredit the new president’s executive orders, speeches and various policy initiatives are understandable. We’re not really all that surprised when such criticism ranges far over the line of hyperbole as disillusioned and perhaps delusional sore losers continue to stomp their feet. But what showed up at the new Republic this week ups their game to an entire new level. Dr. Steven Beutler accepts the task of examining the president’s “temperament” and coming up with some sort of explanation for behavior patterns which he clearly sees as being outside the norms for most of mankind. His conclusion? Heck, why don’t we just speculate that the president is suffering from undiagnosed syphilis. (New Republic)

The symptoms of neurosyphilis are protean, varying widely from one individual to another. Commonly recognized symptoms include irritability, loss of ability to concentrate, delusional thinking, and grandiosity. Memory, insight, and judgment can become impaired. Insomnia may occur. Visual problems may develop, including the inability of pupils to react to the light. This, along other ocular pathology, can result in photophobia, dimming of vision, and squinting. All of these things have been observed in Trump. Dementia, headaches, gait disturbances. and patchy hair loss can also be seen in later stages of syphilis.

Does Trump suffer from this condition? I cannot, of course, establish this diagnosis from a distance. There’s a great deal of information I don’t have access to, which could be critical in reaching the correct conclusion. In Trump’s case, there are many diagnostic possibilities, and we have very little background information because the slim medical summary he released was vague, unverifiable, and possibly outdated.

I suppose we could take a moment and attempt to explain to the editorial staff at The New Republic that not every human being behaves in the same way. Perhaps it’s at least somewhat understandable that people coming from the old guard in liberal media would be shocked to see an elected official acting so “unacceptably.” We’ve had so many years of candidates from both parties who were groomed throughout their careers to behave the way everyone (particularly those in the media) expected them to that running across someone who marches to the beat of a decidedly different drummer could clearly deliver a shock to the system. But let’s face it, folks. This is not just ridiculous… It’s offensive.

Is there no accountability in this publication’s editorial offices? Who made the decision to approve something this incredibly reckless? And far more to the point, where did they dig up this doctor who was willing to pen such a patently slanderous article? It’s not just a question of being insulting, but rather a matter of ethics. Embedded right in his article Dr. Beutler brings up the point that “a debate is raging” among mental health professionals over the ethics of publicly offering a diagnosis of someone without having first examined either the patient or medical records provided by other competent physicians. Despite being aware of this debate, clearly ethical questions are of little or no concern to Beutler.

Is this person still licensed to practice medicine? I wonder if we shouldn’t be mentioning this incident to the Medical Board of California. But then again, there is very likely no sense wasting our time. A quick look at the members reveals that all but one of the physicians on the board were appointed by Jerry Brown and the other two members were appointed by leaders in the Democratic controlled state legislature. Knowing how California politics generally works, I’m sure they’d find this just fine since he’s attacking a Republican.