Setting aside the Terri Schiavo case (if you possibly can), why is this a good idea?
And if this is indeed such a good idea for life-and-death decisions, then why not for issues like children, your estate, insurance, etc.? Why should these automatically go your spouse?
Here's the bottom line. We do not need to turn current law on its head because of a few exceptions. If someone, like yourself, has a real problem with your spouse making this decision, if it bothers you that much, then download a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney from the internet and name someone else as your guardian.
Need a link?
(Oh, what if it were Terri's parents who wanted to "pull the plug" but Michael said she wanted to live? Still feel the same?)
I understand what you are saying. This was the point Lawrence O'Donnell was making, it seemed like. Putting aside this legal issue, I think what I was agreeing with was his opinion that Terri was murdered by her husband. There are so many legal issues that all came together to work against Terri.
In the absence of a living will, I don't think a spouse's opinion should be 100% & her blood family's not count for anything.
But this is really another issue than what is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the Terri Schiavo case. Without a directive from Terri herself in writing, there was no reason to believe she would have wanted to be put to death this way for simply being disabled. NO way do I believe this, or that she would have wanted her family treated this way. Total disregard for her wishes by the courts. This woman was murdered in broad daylight & now I want to know what I can do to stop this.
If it is true, that this is happening all over, shouldn't someone at least investigate this?
Absolutely! Same goes for adult children who want to pull a feeding tube and let ma or pa die a slow death. Notice I said feeding tube, not ventilator, or heart/lung machine.
Btw, living wills are dangerous. Get something called a will to live, or a medical power of attorney.