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September 14, 2009
Newsweek: Hurray for Death Panels!
The left has gotten a bit schizophrenic in its Government mandated "End of Life Counseling" -- what some have deemed 'Death Panels.' (Although that term refers to a much broader category of Government interference than end of life counseling.) Most versions of the legislation envision some sort of requirement that the sick and elderly be "counseled" about alternatives to life extension. The idea that these would become 'Death Panels' has been ridiculed by the left, who say that it's nuts to suggest that they would want to off Grandma to save the government money.
Well, maybe not so much. Mainstream left publication Newsweek (in an article by Evan "Obama is like God" Thomas) says, Go ahead and whack Grandma, because "curbing excessive end-of-life care is good for America."
American health care has been near miraculous—the envy of the world—in its capacity to develop new lifesaving and life-enhancing treatments. But death can be delayed only so long, and sometimes the wait is grim and degrading. The hospice ideal recognized that for many people, quiet and dignity—and loving care and good painkillers—are really what's called for.
Now, while I agree that patients should have the option of choosing hospice care, I don't want the Government involved in such a personal decision. The same left that gets horrified at the thought of a physician being required to present pregnant women with alternatives to abortion is totally gung-ho for government bureaucrats advising the sick and elderly to die and get out of the way. (Note: Lefties frequently "justify" abortion on the grounds that "unwanted" children are a burden to society. So, do the math and figure out how they feel about the elderly and sick.)
The current left-wing position on death panels would appear to be: "Death Panels are a horrible, wonderful idea and you racist Republicans should be ashamed for claiming they were in the bill, which they should be." Which is actually more coherent than the usual leftist government in favor of government health care, which is "Republicans are racists."
Posted by Gregory of Yardale at September 14, 2009 2:51 PM
Comments
We already have death panels. They're called judges and juries. Leftists continually impede their good work.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at September 14, 2009 3:48 PM
Government, stay away from Terri Schiavo!!!!..Oh wait...never mind. Apparently Evans comedic approach was a bit much for the conservative base of batshit crazy teabaggers. I am sure Jonathan Alter's piece opposing a public option was confusing too? Jay, your idea of judge and jury would kill off liberals, and allow neo-cons to rediscover the wild west. My question would be to many of you, what do we do for poor families in a Schiavo type situation? Do we allow the death panels to intervene or call Congress to invade peoples privacy?
Posted by: Ghost of Wellstone at September 14, 2009 5:44 PM
Well, we could do what conservatives are inclined to do and err on the side of protecting innocent human life. Or we could do what progressives do, scream "Blood Orgy! Kill the b-tch!" And pat ourselves on the back for our wisdom and compassion.
And if we're a left-wing sleazebag husband of a woman in a coma, we can keep her on life support long enough to win a huge settlement from the hospital, then suddenly remember a conversation where she said she wanted to die if she were ever in a coma, then hire a ghoul of a lawyer and demand that the plug be pulled so he can start a new life with some young chippie.
Posted by: V the K at September 14, 2009 6:01 PM
Or we could do what progressives do, scream "Blood Orgy! Kill the b-tch!"
Which is another way of saying, "Have life that would inconvenience our lifestyle terminated."
Posted by: V the K at September 14, 2009 6:09 PM
Just call it a 143d trimester abortion, or whatever. If you can go all the way out past the end of the third, what difference is there?
Posted by: Mr Evilwrench at September 14, 2009 6:21 PM
There it is again, that annoying high-pitched whine. Where's that coming from, anyway?
Posted by: Jay Guevara at September 14, 2009 6:37 PM
And like all dedicated leftists rags NEWSREEK supports gun control,abortion and euthinasia and opposes capital punishment
Posted by: SPURWING PLOVER at September 14, 2009 9:12 PM
Tricky issue...
I do think our culture has a ghoulish fascination with maintaining the semblance of "life" in people whose bodies are falling apart. I, personally, feel sick when someone keeps a comatose, brain-dead, lump of flesh on life support based on their memories of the living person they used to be. (I'm also surprised at the attitudes of many Christians; death means being united with god, remember?) I've told every member of my family that if I ever end up that way, chop me up and give away my organs while they're still good.
Personally, I support "right to die" laws, living wills, and such. The government shouldn't be able to tell anyone they have to stay alive to ease society's guilt. I don't buy the slippery slope argument; if your relatives are keen on seeing you dead, well, laws aren't really going to stop them.
Posted by: hey you guys at September 14, 2009 11:09 PM
I'm more worried about the hospital personnel and insurance companies wanting to see me dead than my family. I think the choice as to how much medical treatment a person should receive should be left to the families. The Schiavo case had nothing to do with extraordinary care, but with providing food and hydration to a brain-damaged, but physically healthy person. Acting like her case was a case of the medical community pumping life into a corpse is pure BS.
Posted by: Judith M. at September 15, 2009 3:26 AM
Posted by: TED at September 15, 2009 7:20 AM
