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SunSeeker

(51,378 posts)
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 05:58 PM Jun 2015

California Senate approves assisted death law

...
Modeled on a law first enacted in Oregon in 1997, Senate Bill 128 would permit doctors to provide lethal drugs to patients with less than six months to live. The measure passed 23-14, over strong moral objections from Republicans.
...
SB 128 heads next to the Assembly, where supporters are hopeful that CMA’s neutrality will ease passage. Gov. Jerry Brown, who once trained to be a Jesuit priest, has yet to weigh in on the proposal.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article23113641.html#storylink=cpy


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California Senate approves assisted death law (Original Post) SunSeeker Jun 2015 OP
Oops, missed this; deleting mine now. antiquie Jun 2015 #1
To hell with the Republicans! CaliforniaPeggy Jun 2015 #2
It's not just Republicans KamaAina Jun 2015 #3
The law would only allow assisted death for the terminally ill with less the 6 months to live. SunSeeker Jun 2015 #6
Stephen Hawking was diagnosed as "terminally ill" decades ago KamaAina Jun 2015 #7
Was he ever diagnosed as having less than 6 months to live, as this law requires? SunSeeker Jun 2015 #8
I'm not Republican, and I think this is a bad slippery end of the slope. nt. daredtowork Jun 2015 #9
Good. NV Whino Jun 2015 #4
Humane and much appreciated BrotherIvan Jun 2015 #5
Thanks to KamaAina I've modified my views. antiquie Jun 2015 #10
 

antiquie

(4,299 posts)
1. Oops, missed this; deleting mine now.
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 06:41 PM
Jun 2015

Assisted-death bill approved by California Senate

Los Angeles Times | June 4, 2015 | 1:18 PM
The state Senate today approved a bill that would allow physicians in California to prescribe lethal doses of drugs for terminally ill patients who want to hasten their deaths.
via email

story

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,308 posts)
2. To hell with the Republicans!
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 07:40 PM
Jun 2015

If they don't want to use it, then don't!

Just get out of the way of the rest of us who do.

 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
3. It's not just Republicans
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 07:44 PM
Jun 2015

Disability rights groups like the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, and Not Dead Yet, hardly lean Republican.

http://dredf.org/public-policy/assisted-suicide/

http://www.notdeadyet.org

SunSeeker

(51,378 posts)
6. The law would only allow assisted death for the terminally ill with less the 6 months to live.
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 09:59 PM
Jun 2015

I am not sure if those disability rights groups' position reflects the amendments to the bill that require the person be terminally ill with less than 6 months to live. It appears from the Not Dead Yet group's website that they are not aware of this provision, since they suggest the law would basically legalize what Jack Kavorkian did:

Then the1990s brought Dr. Jack Kevorkian, conducting assisted suicides using lethal drugs, with two thirds of his body count being people who were not terminally ill. As before, the difference between being disabled and dying was not recognized or considered relevant. As before, the difficulties disabled individuals faced in living – community access, getting a job, getting married – were not considered, or worse, accepted as rationales for ending their lives.


This bill makes a clear distinction between being disabled and dying. It would not legalize what Jack Kevorkian did. That is why it is called an assisted death bill instead of an assisted suicide bill.

Although I support the disabled having the right to assisted suicide, that is not what this bill does.
 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
7. Stephen Hawking was diagnosed as "terminally ill" decades ago
Fri Jun 5, 2015, 12:41 AM
Jun 2015

He has, ironically, survived long enough to state that he would take his own life if he ever "became a burden". Whatever that means.

SunSeeker

(51,378 posts)
8. Was he ever diagnosed as having less than 6 months to live, as this law requires?
Fri Jun 5, 2015, 01:15 AM
Jun 2015

Although our expected time horizons vary, we're all terminal.

daredtowork

(3,732 posts)
9. I'm not Republican, and I think this is a bad slippery end of the slope. nt.
Sat Jun 6, 2015, 12:56 AM
Jun 2015

I do think the idea of "burden to family" will ultimately be internalized.

Also certain disability foundations do an amazing job marketing the worthlessness and horror of living with certain conditions in order to encourage donations.

I'm more inclined to think people who are truly determined to kill themselves will find a way - and that determination in itself is proof of what they actually wanted. The validation of the law and the doctor approval and rigamarole seems to be a sign of insecurity, a need for validation.

I'm sure there were a lot of dramatic presentations before the California Senate.

 

antiquie

(4,299 posts)
10. Thanks to KamaAina I've modified my views.
Mon Jun 8, 2015, 05:11 PM
Jun 2015

I listened to this podcast.
I still favor assisted suicide, but with more restrictions than I ever thought I would support.

I also learned about this organization:

DREDF, along with numerous other nationally prominent disability organizations, opposes the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Legalization is a serious mistake for many reasons that are not always immediately apparent. Supporters often focus solely on issues of choice and self-determination, but actually, legalization would restrict choice and self-determination.

It is crucial to look deeper. For example, assisted suicide would be a deadly mix with our broken, profit-driven health care system.

It is imperative to distinguish personal wishes from the significant dangers to society of legalizing assisted suicide as public policy. The legalization of assisted suicide has many harmful consequences.

Find out why DREDF regards the legalization of assisted suicide as a dangerous mistake
.
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