White House Wants (Oregon) Suicide Law Blocked

[Khephra]

By GINA HOLLAND
Associated Press Writer

November 9, 2004, 4:14 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to block the nation's only law allowing doctors to help terminally ill patients die more quickly.

The appeal from Attorney General John Ashcroft had been expected since May, when a lower court ruled the federal government could not punish Oregon doctors who prescribed lethal doses of federally controlled drugs.

Oregon voters approved the law and since 1998 more than 170 people have used it to end their lives. Most had cancer.

The Bush administration has argued that assisted suicide is not a "legitimate medical purpose" and that doctors take an oath to heal patients, not help them die.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-scotus-assisted-suicide,0,2379398.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Liberal Veteran]

1. But what about "state rights"?????

Huh?

[0rganism]

4. Oregon's a "blue state", so we don't count

State Rights are for red states. Blue states require strict federal oversight.

[MaryH]

2. Boy, they just never give up, do they?

[ReadTomPaine]

19. Persistence is one of the reasons for the GOP's success.

That and fraud.

RTP

[Demeter]

3. Isn't That Special!

Is John Ashcroft so concerned about other people's business that they can't even DIE to get away from him and his meddling posse?

[louis-t]

5. Waaaayyy beyond his job description

Asscroft has no business sticking his nose in. Every legal expert I have heard discuss this has said it's not his role to question this. I thought Asscroft was so exhausted from chasin' terrists (er, hookers)that he was going to step down. I know, it's hard work, hard work, hard work......

[pdx_prog]

6. He's had a hard on for us for some time...

[bluedog]

7. just pretend

....perhaps bush and goons should pretend in their little warped minds that these

are people in good health young or middle aged and send them to Iraq.......shouldn't worry them then..........they don't seem to mind letting these ones die.............who don't want to.......

[tmooses]

8. I wish Bush would have to spend time caring for terminally ill cancer

patients. How moral is it to watch a parent or other loved one suffer
while cancer slowly and painfully destroys their mind and body. These people make me sick. Is this Oregon's punishment for voting for Kerry?
Let's see here, Bush executed how many in Texas, but we cannot ease the pain of those terminally ill because of moral values.

[NamVetsWeeLass]

As a Nurse, I second that...... eom

[VegasWolf]

18. Damn, for a second I thought you said that bush had a

terminally ill cancer.

[sattahipdeep]

9. Oregon

....
A federal judge and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
in San Francisco have ruled that federal officials do not
have the power to circumvent the Oregon law to punish
health professionals in Oregon.

[Lizzie Borden]

10. I think this is...

definately what he should be spending his time and our
money on. <sarcasm>

[daleo]

11. Only dying in foreign invasions is permissible, according to Bush

Or being executed.

[bluedog]

12. Wait a sec here

their voters approved this some time ago right?.........thats the states right.....as in what the voters did this time about Gay rights in states?................................they should have no say over states rights then or else the Gay right issue can come back up for discussion.

[classof56]

21. Actually, we approved the physician-assisted initiative twice.

Guess I figured that was a pretty clear message, but obviously Ashcroft doesn't agree. We also passed the "preserve marriage in Oregon" constitutional amendment last week (no gay marriage allowed), but I suspect that will come back for discussion, too, unless Ashcroft steps in to prevent it, claiming of course it's a state's "right" to outlaw gay unions. But not permit death with dignity. Those Bush-types--they just flip-flop all over the map, don't they?

Tired Old Cynic

[Liberal Veteran]

13. So terminally ill people should commit mass murder and then...

...the state will kill them humanely instead?

[oneighty]

16. I have heard two

terminally ill people say they have a list of people they wish to take with them.

180

[mulethree]

47. keeps me going

Suicide would be a waste when theres so many deserving people who should be taken along. But murder takes more balls. So I'm still here.

Not a terminal illness case though.

[Pastiche423]

14. asscroft's attempt's

at overturning our Death W/Dignity law as been defeated twice.

STAY OUT OF OREGON, ASSHOLE!

[0007]

24. There is no end to their method of madness

[RamboLiberal]

15. Oregon - give Bush and Asscroft the finger

Hey, who's got that pic?

[kostya]

30. And don't forget to include OR's dear (snort) Senator Smith

who has opposed the will of the voters on this issue time and again.

His time is coming in '06! - K

[Buck Rabbit]

33. Damn I want to get Mr Smith out of Washington and back

to polluting the "red" part of Oregon where he belongs.

Hope we field a strong candidate. DeFasio? Earl? maybe.

[gratuitous]

17. Spendin' that political capital

Gee, I sure hope the teevee pundits who've been telling all us blue staters what a bunch of meddling elitists we are can explain why it's meddling when we want folks to make their health and medical decisions for themselves, but it's all part of Bush's man date when Crisco Johnny and his fascist bully boys mess with assisted suicide.

[VegasWolf]

20. Here, and I thought Asscroft was on the way out the door! n/t

[prodigal_green]

22. Wait, I thought

that the chimp was opposed to the government meddling in your health decisions (because, as we all know, that was Kerrrrry's plan).

Oh wait, unless it has to do with decisions that you make about your own body.

To resurrect an old line, "things that make you go 'hmm?'"

[Modem Butterfly]

23. Holy crap. I first voted for this in '94 before I graduted from U of O

I can't believe these pricks are still trying to thwart the will of the people of Oregon.

So much for states rights.

[tmooses]

27. States rights is for Republicans-these are neo-fascists

[wellstone_democrat]

42. Me too! I thought this was long since over when I left

crazy me!

[Darranar]

25. More advocacy of "freedom" by the Bush Administration. n/t

[blackcatpgh]

26. anybody have a quick answer for me?

on that note, then...

do pharmacists have to take any kind of "oath" regarding healthcare? if so, throw it back in the faces of the "moral" pharmacists who think they should be able to keep their jobs even though they refuse to dispense contraceptives to women based on their religious beliefs.

off base? just an idea. but if so, it's a hell of a contradiction. not that that will stop these fuckers, i guess.

[Mick Knox]

28. This is stupid

But out of oregans business.

[Parche]

29. GW Bush

Oregon to Bush, we didnt vote for your sorry a$$

So leave our state alone

Dont you have your illegal war to deal with

[donkeyotay]

31. Oh this pisses me off! We voted for it TWICE you stupid fucks!

:nuke:

Paying back the fundies??? Even Oregon didn't support asscroft's meddling. This was one of the issues he was busy with when they were busy ignoring terrorism back in 2000-2001.

[superconnected]

34. You missed the point

The Bush Administration doesn't care what you vote for.

[Straight Shooter]

32. From the cradle to the grave, they will make us bush's slave

Okay, go ahead, try to f*ck with Oregon again, you dicks. We don't need no daddy, we don't need no nanny.

[2Design]

35. I hate titles - the white house says - it is BFEE says -

is bush willing to pay their bills? If not get out of their business.

[Democat]

36. Democrats never undermined Bush or the Republicans on "state rights"

Our side just doesn't know how to frame an issue and market a message.

[sphincter]

37. OK, I admit. I am confused...

So, terminally ill patients are not allowed to take their own lives using assisted suicide, but it is ok to execute people left and right, and kill civilians in foreign countries. Anyone other than I that finds this just a little bit strange?

[Erika]

38. Bush believes in state's rights unless it disagrees with his religion...

then he wants to grow federal government and limit state's rights. A theocratic neocon is what Bush is.

[VegasWolf]

39. Nothing new, cal had passed the medical marijuana law, but

they still tried to close them down. States rights
only when convenient.

[Erika]

40. Only Convenient As Long as it Agrees With Bush's Religious Beliefs

It must suck to be a Bush Republican.

[wellstone_democrat]

43. or it supports racism

STates Rights is useful in religious and racial cases to these people, otherwise its dangerous and allows people self-determination.

[Amigust]

41. It's only the beginning of their rampage into shaping social legislation

in their own sick image.

[goforit]

44. Why don't you start with your own soldiers in Iraq,......Bush!!!

[leesa]

45. Ah yes, the bogus state's rights rears its ugly head once again

And the stupid, stupid Republicans fail to notice!

[DeadManInc]

46. Fuck the white house

Oregon should tell them to suck it.

[Buck Rabbit]

48. We have, more than once. You got to admire how well

the bushists hold a grudge.