Posted on 06/08/2005 5:28:26 PM PDT by CHARLITE
AB 651 (FORMERLY AB 654) Physician Assisted Death (Berg, D-Eureka and Levine, D-Van Nuys)
Using a procedural ploy, called “gut and amend”, the authors of the physician-assisted suicide bill avoided certain defeat of AB 654 during the last week of the mid-session deadline. Instead of placing the bill before the full Assembly for a vote, authors Patty Berg, (D-Santa Rosa) and Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) pulled the bill and took AB 651, a bill that has already passed the Assembly, gutted (removed) the language from that bill and replaced it with language from AB 654. By using “gut and amend” the authors were able to send physician-assisted suicide to the Senate without a vote by the Assembly. However, if AB 651 passes the Senate, it will still need to be sent back to the Assembly for a vote by the house. The authors claim they need more time to counter the “misinformation” from opponents of the bill. They haven`t clarified what they consider “misinformation.”
This bill legalizes physician-assisted suicide by creating the "California Compassionate Choice Act," or, in reality, the “duty to die.” Persons 18 years or older, who have been diagnosed with an incurable and irreversible disease and will within "reasonable medical judgment" die within six months, may take a drug to kill themselves. However, the law provides that persons ending their lives under this bill would not be deemed to have committed suicide – and those helping them with their decision would not be guilty of homicide. In fact, those who participate in "good faith compliance" are immune from civil or criminal liability.
While the authors did attempt to write in "safeguards" against abuse, the opportunity for abuse will not be thwarted by mere words printed in a law! The bill states that it is a goal of the Legislature to "provide safeguards to ensure that there are not instances of a coerced, unwanted, or early death by a vulnerable dying patient." Bad idea for the premise of the bill notwithstanding, while the safeguards are laudable, they will not prevent the gradual or not-so-gradual slippage into a devaluing of life.
The bill requires a 15-day waiting period, and prevents prescriptions for the severely depressed or mentally ill; however, CFC is concerned that there will become a perceived obligation to die, or duty to die, if one is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Better alternatives include hospice and adequate administration of pain medication. The only way to insure that there will be abuses under the guise of "Compassionate Choice" is to pass this bill.
CFC'S POSITION OPPOSE
STATUS SEN Health
HEARING DATE No Date
RESULT Passed ASM Health 10-0 Passed ASM Appropriations 13-4
Passed ASM Floor 48-30
What was AB651 before it was gutted? Was it anywhere near the same subject or did they take an arbor day proclamation or other such stuff and put a poison pill (pun intended) inside? That's a nice little loophole you all have going in Calif.
And what were you saying last night? LOL. You nailed 'em.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
They are philosophically isolated from the electorate, abusive of procedures only tolerated among gentlemen in a free society and simply convinced that they sit on the right hand of their creator, imbued with superhuman discretion, excused by their position from common decencies and untroubled by public outrage.
All you folks over 65, you are next. The feds will call it the "Save Social Security Act".
-Men(ace) in Black? SCOTUS goes Rogue...--
-Useless Eaters vs The Death Cult--
-Thunder on the Border-- (Minuteman Project)--
1- an unaccountable Judiciary.
2- whose life is it, anyway? Yours, or someone else's?
3- whose Country is it?
There are other vital issues, of course- but these three will determine just who we really are as a nation.
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