AUDIO- Huckabee: Kennedy would be told to "go home to take pain pills and die."

By GottaLaff

How endearing. What a fine, compassionate, religious everyman HuckaDeath is. Way to politicize a tragedy. Timing is everything, isn't it?



Via Taegan:

George Stephanopoulos reports Mike Huckabee "tossed a hand grenade in the debate over who's politicizing Ted Kennedy's death" when he told his radio audience that under President Obama's health care reform bill, Kennedy would be told to "go home to take pain pills and die."

"One thing's for sure: by joining the debate in this time in this way, Huckabee is showing how determined he is not to be outmaneuvered by Sarah Palin in the early 2012 bidding for the GOP's conservative base."

Think Progress adds this:

Huckabee’s contention is even more baffling. Following Huckabee’s argument to its logical conclusion would suggest that Kennedy fought cancer in order to strip other older Americans of the ability to vigorously fight the disease.

All HuckaDeath needs now is his own Facebook page.

AUDIO- NPR corners Michael Steele on health care reform

By GottaLaff

Poor Michael Steele. He actually had to face an interviewer who challenged him, and all he could say was:

"You're doing a wonderful little dance here and you're trying to be cute."

Via NPR:



Michael, Michael, Michael, as I mentioned in a post about Mark "STFU Already" Sanford, know when to stop. Okay? Okay:

[...] Steele told Inskeep this: "No one is trying to scare people with sound bites. I have not done that."

Oh, really? Here's what he said on "Morning Joe" last week: "[T]here’s clearly an attempt by at least the House members to put in place a structure that causes concern for the American people in respect to end of life decisions. I think that’s a legitimate point. You don’t have to call it death panels if you don’t want to. You can call it a panel. I call it rationing."

And here's his Washington Post op-ed from Monday: "[W]e need to outlaw any effort to ration health care based on age. Obama has promoted a program of 'comparative effectiveness research' that he claims will be used only to study competing medical treatments. But this program could actually lead to government boards rationing treatments based on age... Obama's government-run health 'reform' would pay for seniors' meetings with a doctor to discuss end-of-life care. While nonthreatening at first, something that is quite normal for a family to do becomes troublesome when the government gets involved. Seniors know that government programs that seem benign at first can become anything but. The government should simply butt out of conversations about end-of-life care and leave them to seniors, their families and their doctors."

Actually, keep talking, Aluminuminuminum. Not only is it entertaining, but the hole you're digging for yourself and your party is big enough to hold, well, and elephant.

Michele Bachmann: Health Care Fight Will Be Won "On Our Knees In Prayer And Fasting"

By GottaLaff

Anyone got a fork? I need to stick one in my eye, and I'm plum out. Please note: Sporks are too dull:

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) made an interesting appeal to conservative activists last week on a telephone town hall hosted by the conservative Susan B. Anthony List, the Minnesota Independent reports: To help stop the Democrats' health care bill, through the power of fasting and intercessionary prayer.

A Swiss Army knife would suffice. Toothpick? Come on, someone must have something. I'd bang my head against the wall, but I do that all the time. My life coach says I need some variety in my masochism.

Via the Minnesota Independent:

Bachmann was joined by North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx, most famous for calling Matthew Shepard’s murder was a “hoax,” and former Colorado Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, who made national headlines by refusing to concede after losing her re-election contest November.

It's all about the company one keeps, isn't it? By the way, maybe Death Panel Barbie and Fasty McNutcase might think about taking a little look-see at this to clear their empty heads a little:

Bachmann praised Sarah Palin for raising the alarm about "death panels" that would deny any health care to the elderly and mentally disabled. "Thank God that Sarah Palin said that," said Bachmann. "These are true." Bachmann also warned against the government forcing doctors to perform abortions, and urged callers to oppose it with all their energies -- and their prayers.

She must have meant to say "gay abortions". That wacky, scampy Michele, she's so forgetful.

"That's really where this battle will be won -- on our knees in prayer and fasting," said Bachmann. "Remember: faith without works is dead. So we're asking you to do all of it: pray, fast, believe, trust the Lord, but also act."

Church, state... such a benign little combo. We as a nation really must make a collective mental note to co-mingle them more often. It's so awe-inspiringly productive.

Thank you, Fasty, for encouraging America to move away from dispassionate, logical, Constitution-oriented discourse. What could the founding fathers have been thinking? Without you to guide us toward our real destiny, we might all have been doomed to lives motivated by the rule of law.

End-of-Life Counseling: Today's Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about end-of-life counseling, and I am more than happy to oblige.

Take it away, 42bkdodgr:

In a previous comment I made reference to the 2003 Medicare Drug Bill. I noted there was a provision in the bill that provided end-of-life consultation. The basic difference between the 2003 Drug Bill and provision in Health Care Reform (HCR) currently being considered by Congress is this: The prior bill only covered consultations for terminal ill patients.

So I began to wonder, why all this fuss by Republicans about consultations in the proposed bill, and how they would somehow lead to “death panels”, or “pulling the plug on grandma”?

I went back to see how the 2003 Bill was passed in Congress. The bill passed in the House 216 – 215 and in the Senate 54- 44. In the House 92% of the Republican voted in favor, 82% voted in favor in the Senate.

Those Republications who voted in favor included such names as Rep. John Boehner; Sen. Johnny Isakson; Sen. Charles Grassley; Sen. Kyl; Sen. Orrin Hatch. All have been very vocal opponents to an end-of-life provision in HCR Bill.

Both the 2003 Drug Bill and the proposed HCR Bill cover (1) end-of-life issues and care options; (2) hospice care; (3) advance care management.

Therefore, I ask those Republicans still in congress from 2003 who voted in favor of such a provision: Why are you now totally rejecting a similar provision in the 2009 HCR Bill? What has changed? Do you even know that such an end-of life provision was in the 2003 Bill, or are you just doing this for political purposes? Why wasn't the inclusion of a provision in 2003 for terminal ill patients considered a government endorsement of euthanasia; yet now you say it is?

Republicans, you have a lot to answer for. It is obvious you are only doing this for political purposes, and want the HCR Bill to be President Obama’s “Waterloo”.

I have yet to see anyone in the media challenge the Republicans on their inconsistency regarding end-of-life provisions; I think it’s time for them to do so.

I do too. Thank you once again for a thoughtful, relevant, heartfelt piece, 42bkdodgr.

Many Republicans voted for 2003 bill with funding for end of life counseling

By GottaLafff

Via The Plum Line:

Looks like top Dems are now making a concerted effort to remind people that multiple Republicans voted for a 2003 bill containing funding for some end of life consultations.

President Obama pointed this out today, and Nancy Pelosi did too, saying: “You know, the language is almost exactly the same as what the Republicans put into the prescription drug bill.”

Hasn’t been much, if any, traditional media pickup of this seemingly relevant fact, though

Why would the corporate media pick those stories up? It might ruffle their owners' feathers, and that would never do.

The preceding post was brought to you by Cialis, CIGNA, and Boniva. Side effects may vary.

Oops! GOP For "Death Panels" Before They Were Against Them

By GottaLaff

Well, well, well. Back in 2003, 42 GOP senators and 204 GOP House members voted for--What are the kids calling them today again? Oh yeah-- "death panels". Hyp. O. Crites:

Amy Sullivan: "You would think that if Republicans wanted to totally mischaracterize a health care provision and demagogue it like nobody's business, they would at least pick something that the vast majority of them hadn't already voted for just a few years earlier."

Via Amy Sullivan, one more excerpt:

Remember the 2003 Medicare prescription drug bill, the one that passed with the votes of 204 GOP House members and 42 GOP Senators? Anyone want to guess what it provided funding for? Did you say counseling for end-of-life issues and care? Ding ding ding!!

More like ding-dongs.

VIDEO: End-of-Life Counseling Explained Properly

By GottaLaff



A Twitter pal of mine sent me this video featuring her husband, Dr. Robert Fried. Please get this around, since so many people seem to need to be educated in an informative, rational, gentle way, about palliative care:

Serious illness can pose many challenges for patients and their families: pain and other symptoms, uncertainty about goals of care, difficult choices regarding the type of treatment to receive. Palliative care focuses on supporting those who are struggling with such difficulties.

Specialists from the NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) Palliative Care Service are available at the request of attending physicians to assist in coordinating and managing the care of hospitalized patients. This may include:

• Helping with strategies for easing pain and other symptoms
• Promoting communication between patient, family, and medical team about the goals and coordination of care
• Participating in difficult decisions about the use of medical procedures and technology
• Helping choose the most appropriate setting for a patient to receive care

[...] “An important part of what we offer is our time. Our job is to be infinitely patient. We will s all voices are heard and that patients and their family members get the support they needpend as much time as necessary to make sure.”

- Robert Fried, MD, Medical Director, NorthShore Palliative Care Service

More of this composed, reasonable, compassionate communication, please... as opposed to this:

H/t: mpf2011

Living Wills v. "Death Panels": Today's Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

I have a very caring, impassioned Twitter pal who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, one who I've actually had the pleasure to spend some time with. He wanted to share his feelings about recent events, and I am more than happy to oblige. I've posted two other Special Comments by him here and here, and both got great reviews.

His latest rant concerns the teadeather insanity regarding "end of life" issues, brought to you by Death Panel Barbie, Chuck Grassley, Dickle Me Armey, et al. Take it away, 42bkdodgr:

In past comments I talked about hate and fear in America. What I want to talk about is the fear being generated by the GOP in relation to Health Care Reform Bill; in particular as it pertains to “end of life” advance care planning.

Everyone likes to have quality of life when in good health, then why shouldn’t a person be able to decide for a quality of life they wish to have at the end-of-life. Having end-of-life counseling with your physician to discuss procedures that may be available to you for various types of illness, at a time when you may be unable to speak for yourself, is an important issue to be addressed. A living will provides for your end-of-life wishes and lifts the burden off your family to make such life and death decisions at an emotional time.

The proposed House of Representative Health Care Reform Bill has nothing in it about “a death panel” or “when to pull the plug on grandma”; it’s purely fear tactics.

I wonder if they ever lived through a period of seeing a loved one on a respirator, and knowing that even if they come off the respirator they will not have any quality of life. Do they want to see a loved one on a respirator for weeks on end, who is unable to communicate and has no awareness of their condition, but from the grimaces on their relatives face, you know they are experiencing agony and pain. Why would they want you to see a loved one in such a condition? Is this how they you want to remember a loved one for the rest of your life?

One of the more difficult decisions a family member has to make about a loved, if there is no living will, after considering the options given them by the attending physician, is how to end a loved one’s life. It is so heart wrenching that at times a feeling of guilt permanents one’s soul. If you haven’t been through it, it is hard to understand how it can affect family harmony. It can pit a parent against the children or siblings fighting with one another. No good can ever come from such a situation.

Having a living will is a step toward in letting a loved one die with dignity and it is not a step toward euthanasia. The politicians know this, but are more interested in scaring their constituents and trying to kill health care reform than doing what is best for the country. So why is the GOP against Americans having end-of-life counseling about the choices that may be available to them in considering the quality to one’s end of life?

I believe the first question to be asked of any Republican appearing on television to discuss healthcare reform is whether they have a living will. If they answer yes, the next question should be why they have one and why would they deny or attempt to scare their constituents from getting a living will through end of life counseling. It will be time for them put up or shut up on the issue of end-of-life counseling.

Well done and thank you, 42bkdodgr, you're on a roll.

Palin Endorsed End Of Life Counseling As Governor

By GottaLaff

Hyp. O. Crite:

[O]n April 16th 2008, then Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed some of the same end of life counseling she now decries as a form of euthanasia. In a proclamation announcing “Healthcare Decisions Day,” Palin urged public facilities to provide better information about advance directives, and made it clear that it is critical for seniors to be informed of such options:

WHEREAS, Healthcare Decisions Day is designed to raise public awareness of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions, related to end of life care and medical decision-making whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves and to encourage the specific use of advance directives to communicate these important healthcare decisions. [...]

WHEREAS, one of the principal goals of Healthcare Decisions Day is to encourage hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, and hospices to participate in a statewide effort to provide clear and consistent information to the public about advance directives, as well as to encourage medical professionals and lawyers to volunteer their time and efforts to improve public knowledge and increase the number of Alaska’s citizens with advance directives.

WHEREAS, the Foundation for End of Life Care in Juneau, Alaska, and other organizations throughout the United States have endorsed this event and are committed to educating the public about the importance of discussing healthcare choices and executing advance directives.

Though this proclamation is now deleted from the Alaska governor’s website, it shows that Palin’s current fear-mongering is purely political. Palin is not the only conservative leader completely flip-flopping on this issue. Merely months ago, Gingrich too endorsed end of life counseling.

Helloooo?