"Selective" Right-to-life. Republican style morality.

[The Backlash Cometh]

How does everyone here feel about a right-winger who feels that Teri Shiavio should have been handed over to her parents for them to take care of? It seems that his position is that as long as a family member is willing to take care of the person and that it won't cost the public a penny<\b>, then the family member should be given the opportunity to care for the individual.

Though on the surface this appears like a logical solution, the only part that bothered me is that anyone proposing this position isn't really an overzealous right-to-lifer. I got him to reveal his position when I asked him if he believed that all patients in Teri Shiavio's case should become wards of the state to help the family members escape financial ruin. And I asked him if he would be willing to raise his taxes to help the state keep 1000 black patients on life support. Apparently, the answer was in the negative. It just doesn't seem like a very committed position.

[sui generis]

1. you can't generalize from that

I believe that regardless of whether someone wanted you to keep them alive in a persistent vegetative state or in alpha coma, if you couldn't afford to do so it's not the state's duty to do it either.

Some hard decisions are driven by economics; it's a fact of life. To help us with that decision we have to be willing to determine what ongoing care could be classified as futile care, and what care has any hope of an outcome with anything resembling a useful, independent human life.

And the reverse of that is, if there had been a question established and upheld by the courts as to Schiavo's wishes to be kept on life support, if Scott wished to exercise his right as next of kin to end his wife's futile care but his parents had the financial resources to care for her, I would agree that they should have been awarded custody.

None of those ifs were the case though. The BIGGEST if, is that almost zero percent of anyone you know, including yourself, will end up in a persistent vegetative state or alpha coma.

[Coastie for Truth]

2. That's Republican "Right To Life"

We need to tweak lots of stuff for a real "Terri's Law"

1. Publicly funded "catastrophic illness" coverage - when the cost of an illness or accident exceeds some number - say $50K -- the family's savings and the insurance company's obligation ends --- and the government picks it up. (This was Kerry's proposal in 2004).

2. Publicly funded "end of life" care.

3. Make all medical bills dischargeable in bankruptcy - just like under the old law - without "peonage plans" or garnishments.

I am actually for Single Payer, Universal, Public Health Insurance -- but the Repugs will block that. They and their Insurance Mafioso Buddies, and For Profit Hospital Mega Chain Mafioso Buddies (Like Capo d' Capo Bill Frist) and Consigliere Karen Ignagni (of "Harry and Louise" Infomercial fame) will stop it with a "Harry and Louise" - "Swift Boat Veterans" campaign.

[KharmaTrain]

3. The List Of Hypocrisies Start To The Left

I'll stick with the two major hypocrisies..."states rights" and "sanctity of marriage".

The game the Repugnicans want is to kill the judiciary to remake it in their own model...just like they've done to the House and are trying to do in the Senate. Demonize it and the members, then create a manufactured story (Schaivo) to achive their goal of a federal judiciary controlled by life-long appointed right wing zealots who will protect their religious and corporate interests and benefactors.

Very few pointed out that when Mrs. Schaivo said "I do", she entered into a contract, just like millions of heterosexual couples do each year, that gives the ulitmate power to the spouce. Isn't this what scares these wingnut goons about gays marrying? They affirm that marriage means a man and a woman...yet that is somehow trumped when they side with a family (that has dubious legal rights even if Terri was single) over a person clearly specified in law (and upheld in courts) and the keystone to the concept of marriage.

I'm still waiting for these goons to ride to the Houston case of that woman who was forced to take her child off life support due to the decisions of an insurance company. Do I hear crickets chirping??

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Thank you everyone, who responded. Very intelligent responses

which have fortified my own, since we all seem to be on the same page.

[Inland]

4. They always start from premise that Schiavo's life wouldn't cost them

So the Culture of Life is really The Culture of As Much Life As Someone Else Will Pay For.