Posted on 07/08/2004 7:00:31 PM PDT by wagglebee
Of course, we feel for this man, but can the Federal Government "solve" suicide?
No.
I was going to ask how a bill can prevent suicide.
I think of a few who could set a good example in that
regard, if they had the honor required.
I don't believe in the "nanny state" but once we go down the road of health care, we have to give mental health the same status as other types of illness. My adopted daughters mental health issues and my sons alcoholism are both diseases, not different from cancer which deserve our attention.
I agree. On the other hand I also think that the current policy of putting millions of school children on Ritalin and other drugs has had some very adverse effects on the mental health of these young people.
This is not good. It is the job of families, churches and communities (acting as private entities) to deal with such things, NOT government. Scary, even though it is a sad story and he has the best of intentions. Now, government could stand out of the way a little better. They could stop pushing deviant and depressing lifestyles. They could stop hiring liberal morons to control social services and education. They could stop being so hostile to religion. Stuff like that would help.
Alcholicism is different. It's a result of a lifestyle decision.
I cringe at the thought of where we are headed.
I didn't know there were federally subsidized health care clinics on college campuses...
Pandora's box...
Schizophrenia is a disease without choice. Comparing any other mental illness or alcoholism is an abomination!
I agree.
"I was going to ask how a bill can prevent suicide."
Seven day waiting period? Register anything that can be used to commit suicide? Place everyone on suicide watch all the time?
Disease aside, sobbing Senators don't make good law. The law ought to be made by rational debate and thought not by sobbing solons playing on emotions of colleagues.
That said, mental health benefits for medically ill, Schizophrenic as an example, people ought to be the same as other coverage for medical illness. But if this can is opened, every psychopest calling himself a counselor from the Scientologists to the garden variety busybody with an easy degree from a junior college, will be billing the federal government, Medicare, as well as private insurers for their "services" and the "services" won't be for the very seriously ill patient but for the worried well, the gripers, the kvetchers, the sorry for themselves crowd. The people who want this bill want a friend for hire paid for by you and me. That is quite different from those very seriously ill people who need professional medical care not counseling in various guises.
I wish there were an 'Owner's Manual' to help us shove legislators off high bridges -- especially those who insist on micromanaging our lives.
There are legitimate mental illnesses that have physical causes. These should be covered. But I don't want everyone who claims to be "depressed" on the government dole. Some people have "mental illness" because they can't deal with life. I think as a society we have labeled laziness, self-centerdness, anti-social tendancies as depression too often. Although there is a legitimate physical induced depression I see a lot of other "victims" who are people who label themselves as such to get attention.
Alcoholism is a choice. The firt drink is a choice.
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