Calif. lawmakers see new push for assisted suicide

yahoo ^ | 1-17-06

[LouAvul]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. Supreme Court ruling backing Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law gives a major boost to a similar measure languishing in the California legislature since last year, lawmakers said on Tuesday.

"I believe we will get this bill passed this year and signed by the governor," said Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, co-author of a law to allow state residents to obtain lethal medication if they had less than six months to live.

Levine, a Democrat, spoke after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected legal arguments by the Bush Administration seeking to strike down Oregon's pioneering Death with Dignity Act. Under that law unique in the United States, about 240 terminally ill people since 1997 have turned to doctors to end their lives.

"I think it's going to provide great momentum for Assemblyman Levine and myself to move our bill forward," Patty Berg, co-sponsor of the California bill, told a telephone news conference.

"There were several members who said we should wait until the Supreme Court rules," she said, adding that a legislative battle still was ahead: "We still have some convincing to do."

[LouAvul]

Just another step in the complete dehumanization of man.

[Ol' Sparky]

We're headed full steam ahead toward the same kind of involuntary euthanasia that is occurring in the Netherlands.

[madprof98]

I think California should make suicide mandatory, starting with its governing class.

[cotton]

My best guess is this Law will soon to be followed by a law that Doctors must prescribe the medication upon demand. Pharmacists will be required by law to fill the prescription for the lethal drug and nurses or care givers will be mandated to administer the killing drug if the person is unable to self administer. One will not be allowed to refuse to assist in the suicide as a conscientious objector. Liberals will say "If they (Doctor,pharmacist, nurse etc) don't like it let them find other jobs." This is already where we are headed with abortion pills and there is no reason to think they would stop with a suicide prescription.

[madprof98]

My best guess is this Law will soon to be followed by a law that Doctors must prescribe the medication upon demand. Pharmacists will be required by law to fill the prescription for the lethal drug and nurses or care givers will be mandated to administer the killing drug if the person is unable to self administer. One will not be allowed to refuse to assist in the suicide as a conscientious objector. Liberals will say "If they (Doctor,pharmacist, nurse etc) don't like it let them find other jobs."

Well, you know, these people are pro-CHOICE.

[Stellar Dendrite]

this is f'n sick....culture of death strikes again.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I'd like to nominate Barbara Streisand!

[freedumb2003]

Calif. lawmakers see new push for assisted suicide

It's about time! I can give you a list of which lawmakers I would like to see go first!

[appleharvey]

This culture is so obsessed with death.It makes me think of the last lines of the poem "LUCINDA MATLOCK" fom SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY.

"Degenerate sons and daughters, Life is too strong for you-- It takes life to love Life."

[M. Dodge Thomas]

It a start - now that the SC has dragged the government back away from my death bed, perhaps they will eventually consider tossing it out of my bedroom entirely.

[newzjunkey]

Nice of the mainstream press not to include the bill # so opponents and concerned citizens can express an opinion.

AB654 is the bill from Dems Levine & Berg.