‘Kill Granny’ media campaign alarms seniors

[spanone]

A campaign on conservative talk radio, fueled by President Obama's calls to control exorbitant medical bills, has sparked fear among senior citizens that the health-care bill moving through Congress will lead to end-of-life "rationing" and even "euthanasia."

The controversy stems from a proposal to pay physicians who counsel elderly or terminally ill patients about what medical interventions they would prefer near the end of life and how to prepare instructions such as living wills. Under the plan, Medicare would reimburse doctors for one session every five years to confer with a patient about his or her wishes and how to ensure those preferences are followed. The counseling sessions would be voluntary.

But on right-leaning radio programs, religious e-mail lists and Internet blogs, the proposal has been described as "guiding you in how to die," "an ORDER from the Government to end your life," promoting "death care" and, in the words of antiabortion leader Randall Terry, an attempt to "kill Granny."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32247482/ns/politics/

[Turbineguy]

1. I'd be OK with the "Kill Granny Doctrine"

as long as it was being run by the same guys who have been chasing Osama bin Laden and running the economy during the Bush years.

[glowing]

2. It doesn't even make sense. Suicide is illegal in this country. How is the govt

going to mandate something that is illegal? Its just nonsense to scare old people... they should be ashamed at themselves.. Would those people actually allow someone to kill their grandmothers or grandfathers? NO. Does it make more sense for the description of speaking with your doctor about end of life issues and living wills, yes.. then you don't have crazy Terry Schiavo shit happening.

[spanone]

3. it is nonsense, but so is the Obama citizenry bullshit. yet the media will promote it.

ad nauseum

[peekaloo]

4. like a stale fart wafting from 2000.....I seem to remember "Al Gore

scaring old people".

:eyes:

[Frustratedlady]

5. This is another scare tactic the Repigs are famous for. A Living Will...

is not a license to kill. I've had one for 15 years. It's one of the first questions the hospital asks when you are admitted. It's been that way since the 1970-80s.

They should all retire and write horror stories. They are sick in the head.

[drm604]

6. My mother's friend told her "they're going to end Medicare".

Fortunately my mother is too smart to fall for this but her friend is gullible and calls her friends on the phone spreading these rumors around. I'll probably soon be hearing "Nancy told me that the government is going to euthanize seniors."

Whoever is orchestrating these rumors (and you can bet they don't arise spontaneously) is scum. This shows the kind of people we are up against. They are not above frightening seniors. It's the lowest form of manipulation. What won't they do?

This shit makes me livid. :grr: