Posted on 07/02/2011 5:45:37 PM PDT by decimon
First Things discusses a concept that is supposed to be gaining ground in the UK: the duty to die. The key concept in Duty to Die is to remove control over life extension therapies from the doctor to policy.
Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the British Medical Association Scotland, said in some cases tens of thousands of pounds were spent on drugs to extend cancer patients’ lives for relatively short periods. Speaking ahead of his organisation’s annual meeting, the GP said the country had to debate the merits of these kinds of aggressive treatments and the effects they had on the NHS budget. But he stressed any decision had to be made at a society level, rather than being left to doctors.
“Who pays the piper, calls the tune”. When medical care becomes socialized, medical decisions are inevitably made by the government. People may disagree over whether this is a good thing, but that it is so should not be in dispute.
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The ultimate irony would be if “assisted suicide” turned out to be not some affirmation of the ‘freedom to end your life’ as much as a ploy to dump the dying offstage to save money to buy the votes of the living. The notion that we need the government’s permission to be free or drink poison seems funny when you think about it. Dr. Keighley’s argument that “any decision had to be made at a society level, rather than being left to doctors” is one more rejection of the idea that the individual, not the state, owns his life. Back in the day people thought they owned themselves and this was one reason why slavery was regarded by some as an abomination.
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(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
1984 - Doublespeak: “Duty to die” = “Legalize euthanasia because we need less old/sick people = Spend the money on liberal social programs = more lib voters = more power for Leftists.
At first it will be old, sick and dying.
Then it will be old and sick.
Finally it will just be old.
And then it will be the young, sick and dying.
then the young and sick.
then the young imperfect.
I am sure the good Doctor would feel differently if it were his Mother or father or wife, that the Government decided had lived long enough.
One other point is that Real Doctors are always looking for a cure. How do you find a cure if you kill everyone with the disease.
I hope they don't use AARP's definition of "old." You start getting their membership mailings the minute you turn 40. Maybe they'll define "old" the same way they define "the rich."
It’s also your duty to take two of the bastards that think this way with you.
I just turned 40 early last month and nothing yet but anything from them meets the shredder just like all other junk mail.
Gotta keep up the Soylent Green supply.
Slippery slope:
step 1) legalized abortion
step 2) Right To Die
step 3) Duty To Die
step 4) we kill indiscriminately if you disagree
Eventually the guideline will be that when you use mire resources than you produce, you are terminated.
“I am sure the good Doctor would feel differently if it were his Mother or father or wife, that the Government decided had lived long enough.”
Don’t be. Many see death from a purely clinical standpoint. and that includes their ‘close’ relatives. There are truly great doctors and I have had a few, but others value their paycheck above all else... and with govt funding, the pay is less but the workload caring for old/sick people is higher. Lib Docs, like all libs, value their own life - no one elses.
So much for medical progress. I remember when they used to treat “hopeless” cases. A friend of mine had polio and survived for decades afterwards. Another friend lost his father to a form of leukemia that is now completely curable. The list of diseases and conditions that used to be expensive to treat but still fatal stays about the same length, as some illnesses become curable and drop off the list, and others are finally treated by doctors who have new ideas. It’s a shame “we” have decided that this is not worth the money; but I suppose some people would rather spend those pounds on welfare for immigrants who hate Britain.
They will post a number each year; ie. 69 years 4 months maybe even have a lottery.
That would wipe out the entire Democrat Party constituency.
The number of the cull.
When citizens allow actuaries and accountants to set health care priorities, the decision that will be made follow this calculation: Is it less expensive to screen the population for condition X or is it less expensive to treat those who survive their personal episode of condition X?
Now of course, anyone who can pay his own bills and becomes concerned that he could come down with X will gladly pay for a visit to a doctor for a checkup. But the actuary, looking at cost data will say it is a waste of money.
The issue is not the money, but the ability to choose.
In a totally different venue, any accountant would tell you that there is not a single government-run lottery or powerball game in the nation where buying a ticket is a wise purchase. He will tell you that on average, players will lose. Yet government does all it can to encourage people to attempt to win their lottery.
And when government gets control of your health care system, they will do all they can to discourage the public from playing the anti-lottery of getting tests for conditions they may have, but don’t have any symptoms for. But this is exactly what the public gladly does when they shell out, for example $100 to have an ultrasound scan of their carotid artery.
It is all about the liberty to spend your own money as you please, even if a government actuary will not approve of it.
I always answer the AARP mail. I place a copy of the latest funnies in the prepaid envelop and send it back to them. I really hope it brightens their day!
Agreed that the duty to die is in the process of being imposed. The true interest now shifts to the question: upon which demographic this duty to die will fall?
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