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Patients Ponder Life and Death as California's New 'Right to Die' Law Begins

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Terminally ill California residents may now legally take medicine to end their lives, thanks to a new law that goes into effect Thursday.

Under the "End of Life Option Act," California has become the fifth state in the nation to create a legal process for patients to obtain aid in dying.

And how the law fares in such a large and diverse state could shape whether this controversial option gains traction in the rest of the nation.

Advocates say people should have the right to decide whether they want "aid in dying," while opponents argue patients could feel pressure to take their own lives.

'I love my life'
Kristy Allan, a 63-year-old who has been in hospice care for terminal cancer since November, says the new law gives her peace of mind.

"I like my life, I love my children," Allan emphasized. She has already decided, however, at what point she would seek to end her life.

"For me, it's if I can no longer hygienically take care of myself," she told NBC News, adding, "I don't want my husband to have to."

Patients Ponder Life and Death as California'''s New '''Right to Die''' Law Begins - NBC News

I wish we had this in WA. My brother would be all over this.
 

I would be all over this in Illinois as well. Although there are ways to legally hasten one's death, it is unnecessarily burdensome on one's family, could raise eyebrows and bring the state into a VERY personal decision. I personally have every leftover narcotic that I've ever had prescribed. There are better ways.

Great news. I had no idea that was on the table in CA. Thanks.
 
I would be all over this in Illinois as well. Although there are ways to legally hasten one's death, it is unnecessarily burdensome on one's family, could raise eyebrows and bring the state into a VERY personal decision. I personally have every leftover narcotic that I've ever had prescribed. There are better ways.

I have 3 sibs with Huntington's.. 2 of them would do this. One now, the other soon.
 
I would be all over this in Illinois as well. Although there are ways to legally hasten one's death, it is unnecessarily burdensome on one's family, could raise eyebrows and bring the state into a VERY personal decision. I personally have every leftover narcotic that I've ever had prescribed. There are better ways.

Great news. I had no idea that was on the table in CA. Thanks.



It is on the table nationally in Canada. And the supreme court has given the government until today, June 9 to bring in a new law. It is currently before the senate; who may sober up for a day or two and debate it
 
I support this as well. For the terminally ill.
I am not for legal suicide of the "healthy" as they could simply need treatment or therapy and not be of right mind. But that's another topic.
 
I am so sorry. Lord have mercy.

Thanks Maggie. It's a wretched disease. I lost another to Dementia. These things are so hard on familes This bill will bring some peace to so many.

I hope you personally aren't in a similar boat.
 
This seems to have bipartisan support.

I happen to sell long term care insurance. The single biggest threat to your estate is the cost of LTC. And while some have quality of life in some circumstances, many have none. Meanwhile the family is often left financially devestated. 2/3 of people 65 or older will need LTC in their lifetime.

Those that want to go should be able to make those choiches.

The time to plan for LTC is when you are young and healthy. WAAAAY CHEAPER. There are many ways to fund it. Life insurance is one. I personally like this method. Because with life insurance there is a guaranteed claim. Someone will benefit from it. Whereas with LTC insurance maybe not.
 
The diabolical perverts who composed this wicked and insane purported law, seeing how they have no fear of God or Hell, and how they are corrupt and depraved, ought to be promptly removed from office before they can injure society any further by their insipid designs.

Meh. You are on an island on this. As you are on so many issues.
 
The diabolical perverts who composed this wicked and insane purported law, seeing how they have no fear of God or Hell, and how they are corrupt and depraved, ought to be promptly removed from office before they can injure society any further by their insipid designs.

And yet you, inexplicably, kneel and bow before the alter of Satan, genuflecting and praising him.

Why do you worship Satan as your god?
 
i see kevorkian's movement is finally gaining traction 20 years later. Talk about a pioneer

because people are so emotional, i predict it will be individual cases that determine whether assisted suicide becomes legal elsewhere. The california woman who moved to oregon solely to obtain the poison brought renewed urgency, just as cases (over 300, some not even terminal) of british seeking an end to life thru the shady swiss group dignitas has helped to gain a crescendo of support to change the law in the UK
 
This seems to have bipartisan support.

I happen to sell long term care insurance. The single biggest threat to your estate is the cost of LTC. And while some have quality of life in some circumstances, many have none. Meanwhile the family is often left financially devestated. 2/3 of people 65 or older will need LTC in their lifetime.

Those that want to go should be able to make those choiches.

The time to plan for LTC is when you are young and healthy. WAAAAY CHEAPER. There are many ways to fund it. Life insurance is one. I personally like this method. Because with life insurance there is a guaranteed claim. Someone will benefit from it. Whereas with LTC insurance maybe not.

yeah but how many of those 2/3 are deemed terminal rather than simply in need of assisted living for several years before becoming terminal? For instance, my great-grandma had dementia in a nursing home for years, but only would've become eligible for assisted suicide in the last 72 hours...when she fell into a coma. And she wouldn't have been given the poison anyway due to her mental state.

The new law does not grant physicians, or anyone else, an immunity to assist in suicide for those without a documented terminal illness expected to kill them in under 6 months. That rules out MANY of the elderly who require LTC. Now if you want to push for more, such as blanket immunity on assisted suicide once a person needs LTC, you start to give ammunition to theocrats who feign concern for 'cost containment strategy' i.e. pulling the plug on grandma against her will

AFAIK only switzerland allows this
 
I support this as well. For the terminally ill.
I am not for legal suicide of the "healthy" as they could simply need treatment or therapy and not be of right mind. But that's another topic.

the problem is terminal illness can drag on for years. One of kevorkian's first patients had early stage alzheimer's, she begged on camera for help to end it which was what won the jury over, yet she would NOT have been eligible until reaching an advanced stage of dementia, at which point:

"the law also requires that patients are mentally competent; have a prognosis of less than six months to live"

i am guessing a judge would rule she's not mentally competent. The new law is far from perfect, because (as with almost all public policy) it attempts to fit many disparate issues into one-size-fits all

this is probably in large part what drives the "low utilization rates"
 
The diabolical perverts who composed this wicked and insane purported law, seeing how they have no fear of God or Hell, and how they are corrupt and depraved, ought to be promptly removed from office before they can injure society any further by their insipid designs.

How horribly misguided. I would say more, but I'm a lady.
 
yeah but how many of those 2/3 are deemed terminal rather than simply in need of assisted living for several years before becoming terminal? For instance, my great-grandma had dementia in a nursing home for years, but only would've become eligible for assisted suicide in the last 72 hours...when she fell into a coma. And she wouldn't have been given the poison anyway due to her mental state.

The new law does not grant physicians, or anyone else, an immunity to assist in suicide for those without a documented terminal illness expected to kill them in under 6 months. That rules out MANY of the elderly who require LTC. Now if you want to push for more, such as blanket immunity on assisted suicide once a person needs LTC, you start to give ammunition to theocrats who feign concern for 'cost containment strategy' i.e. pulling the plug on grandma against her will

AFAIK only switzerland allows this

As of the other day, Canada does, too. There's a law making it's way through the Senate, but it's too restrictive according to the ruling of our SC on doctor assisted dying. The SC said it should be available to anyone who is greatly suffering, but the law says the person has to be terminal. The Senate just voted to delete that and go with the SC ruling. Whether it gets passed or not is anyone's guess but in the meantime, it's legal.

I am against making it only for people who are going to die within 6 months. There are many cases of people who are non terminal but in extreme suffering. They should have the right to doctor assisted dying, too. We give our pets better consideration than we give our fellow humans.
 
I have 3 sibs with Huntington's.. 2 of them would do this. One now, the other soon.

Very difficult, TC. I've worked with people with Huntington's. Insidious disease.
 
Very difficult, TC. I've worked with people with Huntington's. Insidious disease.

My youngest sister's onset was in her mid thirties. It manifested itself in many ways. The big one for her was bipolar disorder. Which you are obviously very familiar with. Interestingly her movements came later and she was misdiagnosed as having tariff dysconesia. Something I suspect you also know well.

A young psychiatrist at the VA in Seattle noticed some inconsistencies. She recommended that she be tested. In 2005 we got the bombshell. The "test or no test" decision for all of us. I eventually tested when my oldest daughter came of child bearing age. I got lucky. 3 of 6 of us did not. We still have 2 nieces that have chosen not to test. No symptoms so far...

Our father died at 49. He never knew what hit him. As we investigated later, we found out he was diagnosed (mis) with St Lucia's Dance while in the Army.
 
Very difficult, TC. I've worked with people with Huntington's. Insidious disease.

My oldest brother was a big man 6'5", 240. Solid. He is now waiting to die. He's 145 pounds. Can barely walk. Wears a helmet because of his falls. It's really difficult to witness.

This law is precisely what he wants.
 
And yet you, inexplicably, kneel and bow before the alter of Satan, genuflecting and praising him.

Why do you worship Satan as your god?

What on Earth are you talking about?
 
What on Earth are you talking about?

To me, it's quite clear that you worship Satan based on your rabid dishonesty.

He is, after all, the father of lies, and you clearly enjoy serving him.

Am I reading you wrong?
 
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