Obama Administration to Severely Wounded Vets: Suicide is Painless!

[Michie]

As the Wall Street Journal reports here, the Veteran’s Administration is providing seriously wounded veterans with a pamphlet entitled “Your Life, Your Choices“, which encourages veterans to refuse treatment and die.


“Who is the primary author of this workbook? Dr. Robert Pearlman, chief of ethics evaluation for the center, a man who in 1996 advocated for physician-assisted suicide in Vacco v. Quill before the U.S. Supreme Court and is known for his support of health-care rationing.

“Your Life, Your Choices” presents end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions, much like a political “push poll.” For example, a worksheet on page 21 lists various scenarios and asks users to then decide whether their own life would be “not worth living.”

The circumstances listed include ones common among the elderly and disabled: living in a nursing home, being in a wheelchair and not being able to “shake the blues.” There is a section which provocatively asks, “Have you ever heard anyone say, ‘If I’m a vegetable, pull the plug’?” There also are guilt-inducing scenarios such as “I can no longer contribute to my family’s well being,” “I am a severe financial burden on my family” and that the vet’s situation “causes severe emotional burden for my family.”

When the government can steer vulnerable individuals to conclude for themselves that life is not worth living, who needs a death panel?”

This pamphlet was devised in the Clinton Administration. The Bush administration stopped it from being used. The Obama administration reinstated its use last month. Vets interested in advanced directives are given one resource to contact in the pamphlet: Compassion and Choices, better known under their prior, and more accurate, name The Hemlock Society. I trust that there is a very warm place indeed in the next life for those who would attempt to convince someone who is severely injured protecting me and mine that their life is not worth living and that they are merely a burden on society.

Yeah, I really want these caring compassionate people in charge of my health care.

A very worthy cause I contribute to each year is Paralyzed Veterans of America . Those who gave their all for us deserve the best that we can give them.

http://the-american-catholic.com/2009/08/21/obama-administration-to-severely-wounded-vets-suicide-is-painless/

 

[Dark_Lite]

The question is: What does the pamphlet actually say in its pages?

 

[LogosRhema]

Well back in the day there was no treatment so you just died, is it suicide to decide to refuse treatment due to idealism in your head? There are even more faulty idealism in carelessness and for every McD meal they have or cigarette brings them closer to death. Where do you draw the line? We are all slowly dying regardless... Should a vet decide to refuse treatment and die of his wounds (honorably) then I don't see why not.

 

[Fantine]

That's what I was going to say, too.

With all the healthcare document witchhunting going on, I don't have any desire to read 1/2 of 1% of the content of anything.

 

[AMDG]

If they can do this to our Veterans, they can do this to our seniors. (Oh wait...they actually are trying--courtesy of the very same Hemlock Society, who are doing massive lobbying.)

 

[JimR-OCDS]

The contents of the actual book is here;

http://www.rihlp.org/pubs/Your_life_your_choices.pdf


Scanning through it, I saw nothing that makes it the evil document the WSJ author makes it out to be.

Also, its not only for vets who were wounded in war, but vets who receive medical treatement from the VA, who become terminally ill. They need to know their options. It has nothing to do with telling wounded vets, its better to give up and die.

The neighbor down the street from me, operates a hospice house, for Vets who have terminal illnesses, and have no one to care for them.

A book like this would be beneficial to them.


Jim

 

[bliz]

Thanks for the link, Jim. I agree. This is not quite the "Let's talk about what fun suicide willl be!" document the OP and the writer seem to think it is. I've just skimmed, but have found a list of attitudes about end of life matters including:

a list of attitudes about end of life matters including:​

I'd want my religious advisors to be consulted about all
medical decisions made on my behalf to make sure​

they are in keeping with my religious teachings.

My life should be prolonged as long as it can, no matter
what its quality, and using any means possible.​

Further on, there's a whole section on helping people figure out how their religious beliefs interact with end of life issues.

I find the writing a bit ham fisted, but this is not a call for people to off themselves. ​

These are real and serious issues, but I fear the distorters will have cried "Wolf!" way too many times that no one will pay attention when the real wolf comes along.

 

[elliott95]

..

 

[elliott95]

...

 

[JoabAnias]

My Dr. at the VA is incompetent anyway.

Its the Klingon way to die honorably because one isn't whole.

Since when was it human to do so?

Amazing stuff going on.

 

[benedictaoo]

Jim,

Why do we need to know about the options...? what are those options..? that you can die and we will assist you do that if that's what you want?

It seems as a way of slipping assisted suicide in through a back door.

 

[SolomonVII]

Jim,

Why do we need to know about the options...? what are those options..? that you can die and we will assist you do that if that's what you want?

It seems as a way of slipping assisted suicide in through a back door.

Why is the government now so eager to give everybody a list of options?


Sometimes, when people are at the edge of a steep cliff, all it takes is a little, just a teensie weensie, itsy bitsy ....

nudge...


So why does a government want to do this?
Gee, I can't think of any reasons why they want too......
There could be billions or trillions of reason for all I know, but nary a one comes to mind

 

[JoabAnias]

A practical example of socialized medicine;

Since last April and loosing BCBS I have gone on the VA as I am a retired vet and have that option though its a last resort for medical coverage.

Since then, my cholesterol has gone up over 250 and triglycerides up over 577 and I can't get the VA doctor to prescribe anything yet. I will be contacting the patient advocate this week to complain.

5 months ago, with the meds my private Dr. had me on, my numbers were normal and I requested the same meds when I went over to the VA.

I was shuffled out the door without them pending lipid tests despite the history I showed. The first test came back high after a month without the meds but according to my Indian Dr., not high enough for treatment and scheduled me for another check three months later which I just took a couple weeks ago.

In the past 4 months, with two lipid tests since first going off the meds, my levels are through the roof again.

Ive been on Cholesterol meds for 4 years. But everything I said to this VA Dr. went in one ear and out the other without her own tests and trials. Meanwhile exactly what I showed her from past tests is happening and its as if I have no input.

Well after this last test that shows 577 for triglycerides (which should be 150) she sends me Niacin through the mail which takes a week to arrive and I am allergic to and can't take anyway, without even talking to me. They send Niacin because they ration meds and are mandated to try the cheapest or generics first. I found this out while on active duty years ago.

I hope your all ready for socialized medicine where your at the mercy of an incompetent Dr. as a prime care provider you have no choice of who decides what you do or do not need. All who voted for this admin will deserve it!

Not to mention, there is no waiting line less than 50 people long.

I would never have gotten laid off in the first place without this radical! How many millions of jobs have been lost under this radical already. Wake up America! Can you tell it ticks me off?

If I had something more serious to be treated I would likely choose an ER or to die before letting the incompetent VA get near me or set through their inefficient bureaucracy for days to just hope I got what I needed when real doctors have already done the work for them but who I can't afford to pay out of pocket.

I demand the same exact medical insurance as the politicians have or they can take thier stealth foca and euthanasia and shove it!

 

[AMDG]

JoabAnias, I really feel for you. My husband also goes to the VA. He finally got an appointment for the test he was to have expedited after an illness last year (or maybe it was his regularly scheduled test since there was a question about whether he still wants it--but of course, if it was the regular one, it isn't exactly timely, since his regular one would have been in July instead of the October it is now in. ) Oh well...we have to make due, but I can't imagine anyone who has a choice settling...

You are correct, the ER care (that is available to anyone) is better than the rationed (and sometimes non-existent) care that the government has been giving our vets. Somehow I think we should expect better treatment for the ones who defended our freedom. To not provide that just seems wrong.

 

[SolomonVII]

Ah, more lying for Jesus.

You are a liar for Jesus??!!

Now that is an interesting theology, one must admit!!

Kind of reminds me of an Old Testament harlot, who lied for the Hebrew spies.

Carry on then, monseigneur.

Tel us some of your Jesus lies.

 

[kiwimac]

Many Christians and Christian groups seem to find it acceptable to lie for God. "This healthcare bill promotes" >Pick thing you most dislike< when in fact it does nothing at all like what is claimed for it.

 

[fated]

This is why you always want to build someone up at this point with a good psychologist, that wants patients to live. Psychologist, who deal with a lot of negative emotions, see a desire for suicide as an illness. And I believe that this is the case. Show them hope, and they'll come out of the woods.

This was my problem with the health bill to, it wasn't the objective itself, but the time and nature of it being introduced that causes the ambiguity.

 

[SolomonVII]

Many Christians and Christian groups seem to find it acceptable to lie for God. "This healthcare bill promotes" >Pick thing you most dislike< when in fact it does nothing at all like what is claimed for it.

Oh you are calling other Christians liars.

Gotcha.

That is so sweet of you to do so, Father.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

How Conservatives Got The Facts Wrong On Their Latest Obsession: The "Death Book" For Veterans

 

[fated]

If they were handing it to everyone when they were preparing to be deployed or something that would be a lot different then giving it to critically wounded persons, when it would be better for them to meet with someone positive, who considers suicide to be avoided, and sees value in life.

The context can be all wrong for a objective analysis.