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Wesley Smith: Save Money by Killing the Sick - Euthanasia as Health Care Cost Containment
First Things/Seconhand Smoke ^ | 6/20/09 | Wesley J. Smith

Posted on 06/20/2009 11:27:55 AM PDT by wagglebee

Given its source, a publication of Claremont McKenna College, not exactly a hotbed of radicalism, this article urging health care cost containment as a reason to legalize  euthanasia captures a  justification for assisted suicide that is ever lurking in the background of the debate. From “The Economic Argument for Euthanasia,” by Charlie Sprague:

America has serious health care problems, and as Paul Krugman makes clear in a recent column, serious cost control in the health care industry needs to be a top priority in reform. President Obama and Congressional Democrats seem poised to push for major health care reform in the upcoming months. One idea that politicians on neither the left nor the right will touch due to political sensibilities, however, could be the easiest way to save billions of dollars without affecting health care quality at all: legalizing euthanasia.

As every good CMCer with an understanding of economics should know, those with terminal illnesses are resource sinks for society. End of life care is incredibly expensive due to the frequency of hospitalizations, the increased need for specialists’ attention, etc. Those with terminal illnesses have even more expensive health care needs. Obviously, those in the final stages of a terminal illness are no longer in any position to contribute economically to society. Their continued existence may be personally meaningful to the those who love them, but from a economic perspective they are all cost and no benefit.

If this is a parody, it just proves the Smith Maxim on Satire and the Culture of Death: They always catch up to you. Look how Oregon Medicaid has already denied chemotherapy to cancer patients but offered to pay for their assisted suicides.  Moreover, some real euthanasia supporters have already made the argument. Thus, Derek Humphry and Mary Clement adopted the save-money-by-killing-the-sick argument, on page 333 of their book,  Freedom to Die:

A rational argument can be made for allowing PAS [physician-assisted suicide] in order to offset the amount society and family spend on the ill, as long as it is the voluntary wish of the mentally competent terminally and incurably [note: not the same thing as terminal] ill adult. There will likely come a time when PAS becomes a commonplace occurrence for individuals who want to die and feel it is the right thing to do by their loved ones. There is no contradicting the fact that since the largest medical expenses are incurred in the final days and weeks of life, the hastened demise of people with only a short time left would free resources for others. Hundreds of billions of dollars could benefit those patients who not only can be cured but also want to live.

And don’t forget the radical environmentalists are looking toward instituting increased abortion and euthanasia as a way of reducing human population and “saving the planet.”  Alas: This article may be a parody, but it is already behind the times.



TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Politics
KEYWORDS: euthanasia; moralabsolutes; prolife
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A rational argument can be made for allowing PAS [physician-assisted suicide] in order to offset the amount society and family spend on the ill,

These people are dangerously deranged!

1 posted on 06/20/2009 11:27:55 AM PDT by wagglebee
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To: cgk; Coleus; cpforlife.org; narses; Salvation; 8mmMauser

Pro-Life Ping


2 posted on 06/20/2009 11:28:27 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: 185JHP; 230FMJ; 50mm; 69ConvertibleFirebird; Aleighanne; Alexander Rubin; ...
Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee or DirtyHarryY2K to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]


3 posted on 06/20/2009 11:28:50 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: wagglebee

Logan’s Run

You should not live beyond age 30.


4 posted on 06/20/2009 11:30:35 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (The plan... 0 in power for life. At least that's what they told him.)
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To: wagglebee

Everyday, America is looking more and more like a cheap “B” movie from back in the 60s.


5 posted on 06/20/2009 11:32:21 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Hey America! How's that "hope and change" thing working out? Are you scared yet?)
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To: wagglebee

6 posted on 06/20/2009 11:33:53 AM PDT by Vaquero ("an armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: wagglebee

“To be honest with you, you are too costly, we have to kill you...”


7 posted on 06/20/2009 11:35:52 AM PDT by allmost
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To: wagglebee
Once this administration's bean counters are in control mandatory euthanasia will soon follow.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!
8 posted on 06/20/2009 11:36:13 AM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!)
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To: wagglebee

Mr. Wagglebee;

Visit Europe and stay there for awhile and see that this policy is already put into practice. Many older people do not want to be admitted to hospital for fear that they may wake up dead one morning.


9 posted on 06/20/2009 11:36:42 AM PDT by 353FMG
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To: wagglebee

We have already started the long descent down the slopes to hell.


10 posted on 06/20/2009 11:37:33 AM PDT by eleni121 (The New Byzantium - resurrect it!)
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To: wagglebee

Hey Wes...you first you sick bastard.


11 posted on 06/20/2009 11:38:39 AM PDT by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: wagglebee

Bump for later reference


12 posted on 06/20/2009 11:39:38 AM PDT by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: TribalPrincess2U

Dang, beat me to it. That’s what I was thinking.


13 posted on 06/20/2009 11:40:34 AM PDT by CodeMasterPhilzar (I'll keep my money, my guns, and my freedom. You can keep the "change.")
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To: Jeff Head

You read it wrong, Wesley J. Smith is one of the premier pro-life leaders in the fight against euthanasia. He was commenting on what others are saying.


14 posted on 06/20/2009 11:41:14 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: wagglebee
Bumper sticker:

It's not suicide. It's cost containment.

Thanks to Freeper I see my hands for the border script.

15 posted on 06/20/2009 11:44:36 AM PDT by Steely Tom (RKBA: last line of defense against vote fraud)
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To: wagglebee
The Oregon Medicaid story is both shocking and a little uplifting (when the pharmaceutical company donates the anti-cancer drug), but we know we can't count on that always happening.

When does the state start offering assisted suicide, say, when the patient has an infected molar and can't pay to have it extracted? (and I do know of a case where no dentist in the area offered services without pre-payment).

16 posted on 06/20/2009 11:45:13 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: wagglebee

This article exposes the wisdom of Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman....who wishes to kill fellow citizens.


17 posted on 06/20/2009 11:46:21 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
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To: wagglebee

Everyone who argues for Obamacare should be asked to see the movie, “Soylent Green”

Can anyone post a pic of Sid Roth (Edward G. Robinson) in the suicide room?


18 posted on 06/20/2009 11:46:40 AM PDT by wildbill ( The reason you're so jealous is that the voices talk only to me.)
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To: wagglebee
Claremont McKenna College, not exactly a hotbed of radicalism

Wasn't this the same college where the professor staged the hate crime?

19 posted on 06/20/2009 11:47:19 AM PDT by cardinal4 (Dont Tread on Me)
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To: TribalPrincess2U

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!


20 posted on 06/20/2009 11:51:28 AM PDT by aliquando (A Scout is T, L, H, F, C, K, O, C, T, B, C, and R.)
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