Michigan bill would ban medical decisions if adultery is involved

AP ^ | 3/22/2005 | Amy F. Bailey

[Crackingham]

A Michigan lawmaker is working on legislation that would prohibit a spouse having an affair from denying food, fluids or medical treatment to a wife or husband who cannot make such decisions.

Rep. Joel Sheltrown on Tuesday said he wants to avoid a situation similar to Terri Schiavo's.

snip

Sheltrown, a Democrat from West Branch, said Michigan should strengthen its protections before a similar situation happens here.

"While people, in happier times, may trust their spouses to make future medical decisions for them, situations change," Sheltrown said in a statement. "In a situation where an incapacitated patient lives at the mercy of an adulterous spouse, it is in the patient's interest to make a presumption in favor of life."

Michigan law already prohibits the denial of life-sustaining treatment, such as food and water, unless the patient has expressed that such action be taken, said Sheltrown, who expects to introduce the bill in about three weeks.

[writer33]

Good. That'd help clear up the stench in this Florida matter.

[quantim]

Granholm won't sign it.

[Servant of the 9]

Ohh, good. Now there can be an adultery case tried before anything can be done about someone.

For God's sake, after the Terri Schiavo case everyone understands about Living Wills.
From this day forward, anyone who doesn't have one can be assumed to want to be dead, or to not care.
After all, 80% of people still say they would not want to be kept alive like that.

So9

[jwalsh07]

LOL. None are so blind as those who will not see.

[MamaLucci]

"While people, in happier times, may trust their spouses to make future medical decisions for them, situations change," Sheltrown said in a statement....

Well, that sums it up quite well .............and by a democrat, no less.

[Not A Snowbird]

I think any spouse who has "moved on" with another partner should forfeit guardianship. No matter what condition the patient is in.

[sgtbono2002]

This is great ,the government getting into the bedroom.

[TheOracleAtLilac]

Sheltrown, a Democrat

Surprise, surprise

A solution in search of a problem

[Dr. Frank fan]

This strikes me as a problematic way to deal with the situation. You get into a whole legal issue of proving adultery.

[the Deejay]

True for MI, but won't do a
thing for this case or FL.

[BedRock]

LOL, I disagree with you.

Mr. Shiavo claims he can't grant Terry a divorce because it is against his religion.(LOL) But I guess his religion condones adultery??? Come on, who puts any weight in what he says about divorce when he goes and does the second???

[writer33]

I meant if adopted in Florida.

[westmichman]

Granholm has to go!!

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>This is great ,the government getting into the bedroom.

So it's OK with you if a person with a spouse in Terri's situation, and has someone on the side, and then goes to court to have the state kill their spouse?

[Lexinom]

Abortion s!ut?

[sergeantdave]

Logically, this makes some sense.

If your spouse is comatose and you're whooping it up, and popping out kids with another person, the state will give the comatose spouse a de facto divorce.

BTW, Michigan at one time had a strict law on the books that if a husband started running around on his wife, he could be charged with family or spouse abandonment, brought before the court and face the consequences.

[garybob]

You get into a whole legal issue of proving adultery.

In the Schiavo case, with him living with Jodi Cenzone and fathering two children, proving adultery should be a no-brainer.

[sodpoodle]

Well that's precisely why you are not a lawmaker and probably not a lawyer.

You are far too intelligent.

For such good sense to flourish it must be written into law.

let's dance;)

sp

[RightWhale]

Right. Make a general law to cover a particular case when it is just about too late already, in case it happens in your own state. Need more laws, feed the system. Make a spontaneous Lorentz violation a felony.