Back when she was Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin didn’t seem to have a problem the government promoting the concept of end-of-life counseling:
WHEREAS, Healthcare Decisions Day is designed to raise public awareness of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions, related to end of life care and medical decision-making whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves and to encourage the specific use of advance directives to communicate these important healthcare decisions. WHEREAS, in Alaska, Alaska Statute 13.52 provides the specifics of the advance directives law and offers a model form for patient use.
WHEREAS, it is estimated that only about 20 percent of people in Alaska have executed an advance directive. Moreover, it is estimated that less than 50 percent of severely or terminally ill patients have an advance directive.
WHEREAS, it is likely that a significant reason for these low percentages is that there is both a lack of knowledge and considerable confusion in the public about Advance Directives.
WHEREAS, one of the principal goals of Healthcare Decisions Day is to encourage hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, and hospices to participate in a statewide effort to provide clear and consistent information to the public about advance directives, as well as to encourage medical professionals and lawyers to volunteer their time and efforts to improve public knowledge and increase the number of Alaska’s citizens with advance directives.
WHEREAS, the Foundation for End of Life Care in Juneau, Alaska, and other organizations throughout the United States have endorsed this event and are committed to educating the public about the importance of discussing healthcare choices and executing advance directives.
WHEREAS, as a result of April 16, 2008, being recognized as Healthcare Decisions Day in Alaska, more citizens will have conversations about their healthcare decisions; more citizens will execute advance directives to make their wishes known; and fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim April 16, 2008, as:
Healthcare Decisions Day in Alaska, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.
Alaskan “Death Panels.”
Sort of like the Bridge to Nowhere, huh ?
H/T: Donklephant
August 13th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Oh c’mon. I’m libertarian and not a Republican, but this is nonsense. The end of life issues that Gov. Palin was speaking of here was to encourage patience to make those decisions now – where I live it’s called “The Five Wishes.” It’s a good decision to make – that way some judge isn’t ruling on pulling your plug, you do – ahead of time.
National Health Insurance is about the government making those end of life decisions; like they did for my aunt in Canada who was denied a new hip because of her age, and my uncle who had to drive over 300 miles for his cancer treatments.
There is a difference. Just because you can’t see any good in Palin, don’t make stuff up. It’s unbecoming a libertarian. Even Lew Rockwell treats her better than that.
August 14th, 2009 at 6:19 am
What was nonsense was Palin’s fear-mongering.
August 14th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Mr Burley, YOU are the only one that seems to be making up stuff. I have raed the section of ther legislation and there is no “death panel” or “death counselor”. As Doug has correctly pointed out, this is simply faux outrage over and issue that Palin and other spoke of differently in the past.
If not, please cite the section in the bill where ” National Health Insurance is about the government making those end of life decisions”
August 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I’m not a Palin fan, but this is a pretty weak example of her being for “death panels”. I see no evidence of her writing this stuff into law. There’s nothing about this “Healthcare Decisions Day” that could threaten an individual with care rationing for the sake of cost containment.
You guys keep referring to the bill as if this guarantees us that the government will never abuse it’s power any more than it already does. You remind me of the neocons who defended the Patriot Act.
Listen, these people can’t even follow the Constitution… the law of the land… Do you honestly think they will restrain themselves in the future when they feel the need to bend what is already an unconstitutional program?
This program will lead to “efficiency” bureaucrats rationing care. The government will not only be discussing your options… they will be defining your options. Some of you guys are way too trusting of the government. “Well they said they won’t do it”. Yeah, they also swore on the Bible to uphold the Constitution too.
Get real people. This bill may not include provisions for firing squads, but I think there is a legitimate reason for some of these fears – even if it’s not expressly written in there. Remember your dealing with Leviathan here.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Considering how weak her whole “Death Panel” rant was, it’s entirely appropriate.