The state rightly intervenes in issues regarding the welfare of children, elderly abuse, spousal abuse, etc. I think Dr. Charles Krauthammer had it right when he stated that when a person has become infirm and unable to make his or her wishes known, a spouse with an obvious conflict of interest should not be the be-all-and-end-all when it comes to pulling the plug.
And neither should the national government be either. But hey, that's just an old Federalist view of the powers of the separate and sovereign states. Let's just throw that out and listen to a faux conservative like Krauthammer.