As you'd probably expect, the Senate Finance Committee is moving toward dropping coverage of end-of-life counseling from its bill entirely. Luckily, the committee's ranking member, Chuck Grassley, has some advice for those who are confused about such things as "living wills" and "advance directives" and "full and aggressive treatment."I think the best thing to do is if you want people to think about the end of life, number one, Jesus Christ is the place to start, and after that, in the physical life, as opposed to your eternal life, it ought to be done within the family and considered a religious and ethical issue and not something that politicians deal with.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Ezra Klein suggests ultimate Lex Dexter meltdown upon us
Gah! Oof! (from le Washington Post):
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Certainly not something "doctors" should be involved with, that's for sure.
Jesus. All I can say.
from First Read, a not-bad description of the same sorta cross-section we had in Cottage Grove, OR, yesterday.
First thoughts: What we saw yesterday
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** What we saw yesterday: While the focus of all these town-hall meetings across the country has been on health care, what has become clear is that the anger and frustration in the debate is about much more than that. Yesterday, one of us attended Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D) town hall in Hagerstown, MD, which is in a county McCain won but a state Obama overwhelmingly carried. The town hall had it all -- shouting, shoving, at least one threat of pressing charges, two confrontations on race outside the town hall and people walking around with Obama-as-Hitler signs. At least the three-quarters of the crowd didn't vote for Obama and said they would never vote for him. They were irritated with the direction of the country after the 2008 election, with a man as president they didn't vote for, and with a Congress ruled by Democrats. They were angry with being out of power and having -- because of being in the minority -- what they felt was no say.
*** LaRouchies, Glenn Beck disciples, and Democrats -- oh my: But there was no indication that these folks were so-called “Astroturf” grassroots supporters. There were many who were affiliated with the tea parties and even LaRouchies likening Obama to Hitler. One LaRouche organizer said he was there to "cause some trouble." There also were some Obama supporters, who came, they said, because of being frustrated at what they'd seen on TV and were encouraged to come out by either MoveOn or Organizing for America. For many of the frustrated, there was real desperation in their voices -- the belief, almost to the brink of tears, that the country is going to the pits. They are the true believers. They were also big-time Fox News viewers and Glenn Beck disciples, hammering home the perception that this is where these people get their news, er, information.
"Although Schiavo's husband had engaged in litigation for nearly a decade in Florida to reject life-sustaining medical treatment on her behalf, Congress nevertheless decided to pass a law to extend the case even longer. The hospice had already removed the feeding and hydration apparatus from Schiavo, but Congress still intervened.
Although the Senate voted by unanimous consent, Grassley expressed his views at the time: "I support the effort to protect Terri Schiavo. It’s the first case of its kind, a chance to choose life over death. I gave the option to life. . . ."
This end of life counseling/advance directive stuff they've taken out doesn't look much like a death panel. Thus, I conclude that they've left the death panels in.
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