Obama's Death Book for Veterans

[Shady]

Last year, bureaucrats at the VA's National Center for Ethics in Health Care advocated a 52-page end-of-life planning document, "Your Life, Your Choices." It was first published in 1997 and later promoted as the VA's preferred living will throughout its vast network of hospitals and nursing homes. After the Bush White House took a look at how this document was treating complex health and moral issues, the VA suspended its use. Unfortunately, under President Obama, the VA has now resuscitated "Your Life, Your Choices."

Who is the primary author of this workbook? Dr. Robert Pearlman, chief of ethics evaluation for the center, a man who in 1996 advocated for physician-assisted suicide in Vacco v. Quill before the U.S. Supreme Court and is known for his support of health-care rationing.

"Your Life, Your Choices" presents end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions, much like a political "push poll." For example, a worksheet on page 21 lists various scenarios and asks users to then decide whether their own life would be "not worth living."

WSJ

Here's an excerpt from the pdf...

What makes your life worth living?

Instructions This exercise will help you think about and

express what really matters to you. For each row, check (✔)

one answer to express how you would feel if this factor by

itself described you.

1 - Difficult but acceptable

2 - Worth living, but just barely

3 - Not worth living

4 - Can't answer now

a. I can no longer walk but get around in a wheelchair

b. I can no longer get outside—I spend all day at home.

c. I can no longer contribute to my family's well being.

d. I am in severe pain most of the time.

e. I have severe discomfort most of the time (such as

nausea, diarrhea, or shortness of breath).

f. I rely on a feeding tube to keep me alive.

g. I rely on a kidney dialysis machine to keep me alive.

h. I rely on a breathing machine to keep me alive.

i. I need someone to help take care of me all of time.

j. I can no longer control my bladder.

k. I can no longer control my bowels.

l. I live in a nursing home.

m. I can no longer think clearly-I am confused all the time.

n. I can no longer recognize family/friends.

o. I can no longer talk and be understood by others.

p. My situation causes severe emotional burden for my

family (such as feeling worried or stressed all the time).

q. I am a severe financial burden on my family.

r. I cannot seem to “shake the blues.”

s. Other (write in):

PDF

[waldo]

Obama's Death Book for Veterans, Ex-soldiers don't need to be told they're a burden to society.

continued 'scare' tactics from the right/GOP... Shady, quick - send this over to Sarah!!!

Obama Admin Fires Back At Right Wing With Detailed Rebuttal Of “Death Book” Claim

In a sign of real concern about the right wing’s latest lurid health care tale, the Obama administration’s veterans agency is hitting back at conservative media with a detailed factual rebuttal of the claim that government is giving veterans a “death book” that urges them to hurry up and die.

The rebuttal includes a detailed fact sheet and a timeline, both of which were sent my way by an administration official and may be sent widely to reporters later this morning.

Haven’t heard the “death book” tale? It got started with this Op ed piece in The Wall Street Journal by a former Bush official claiming that a manual distibuted by the Department of Veterans Affairs sends veterans a “hurry-up-and-die message.”

The claim — the right’s latest effort to frighten the vulnerable about Obama’s health care intentions — is that the manual steers veterans towards “predetermined concluions” about “end-of-life choices.” It’s gotten tons of right wing and even traditional media play.

The rebuttal points out that the manual, which is called “Your Life, Your Choices,” is not an “advance directive” and “does not promote limitation of life-sustaining treatment, assisted suicide, or euthanasia.” Rather, its goal is to help veterans “consider the types of health care they would want to receive if they were unable to make decisions for themselves” and to “think about and discuss their preferences” with family, friends, and doctors.

The fact sheet does note that the manual was determined under Bush to be in need of revision, and that it may be “too negative in tone and not sufficiently sensitive” to pro-life or disabled veterans. But the rebuttal strongly contests the core “death book” claim, and notes that the author of the original Op ed has offered a competing book, which is for sale.

The Obama administration’s detailed rebuttal is yet another reminder of how aggressively the conservative media is targeting the frail and vulnerable with its outlandish health care tales — so much so that real government resources are required to combat them.

uhhh, Shady... don't forget to actually read the linked to Veterans Affairs Dept. factsheet

[punked]

Ohhhhh Shady the scary government wins again with the truth.

Edited August 25, 2009 by punked

[Shady]

Rather, its goal is to help veterans “consider the types of health care they would want to receive if they were unable to make decisions for themselves.

The Obama administration talking points don't jive with the reality of the death book. Are they seriously saying that if you're in a wheelchair, you can't make decisions for yourself? Or if you spend all day at home? Or if you live in a nursing home? Or if you can't control your bladder? Or if you can't shake the blues?

However, there was at least one truth to the Obama talking points...

The fact sheet does note that the manual was determined under Bush to be in need of revision, and that it may be “too negative in tone and not sufficiently sensitive” to pro-life or disabled veterans.

Apparently, it wasn't too negative in tone for Obama. Gee, I wonder why.

[punked]

The Obama administration talking points don't jive with the reality of the death book. Are they seriously saying that if you're in a wheelchair, you can't make decisions for yourself? Or if you spend all day at home? Or if you live in a nursing home? Or if you can't control your bladder? Or if you can't shake the blues?

However, there was at least one truth to the Obama talking points...

The fact sheet does note that the manual was determined under Bush to be in need of revision, and that it may be “too negative in tone and not sufficiently sensitive” to pro-life or disabled veterans.

Apparently, it wasn't too negative in tone for Obama. Gee, I wonder why.

Yah who wants the men and women who have fought for freedom to have the freedom themselves to chose their care right Shady. Keep attacking Veterans rights Shady I bet that will go over really well.

[Shady]

I'm defending them, not attacking them. Keep spinning. I know it's a tough job defending the death book.

Hope n change!

[punked]

I'm defending them, not attacking them. Keep spinning. I know it's a tough job defending the death book.

Hope n change!

Here is a statement from a true Vet not Shady, not Steal, and Rushbo but someone who served.

I feel like I've been brainwashed into pulling the plug already. Really, if the document was really trying to get veterans to pull the plug on themselves, then first suggesting to them that their life should be prolonged at all costs is a pretty stupid way to do it.

In light of the absolutely ridiculous argument Towey makes in his op-ed, I'd like to point out something Towey isn't telling you. In 1996, Towey founded an organization known as "Aging with Dignity" which still exists today. The following year, Aging with Dignity released a document titled "Five Wishes". Five wishes is the same type of document as the VA's "Your Life, Your Choices", only 41 pages shorter and not legally sound as a living will in 10 states. That's right. All you need, according to Jim Towey, to make your end of life decisions is five questions and twelve pages, because wrestling over end of life shouldn't take up more than two minutes of your time. That is, if you are lucky enough to live in one of the 40 states in which it is acceptable.

Here is something else that Jim Towey isn't telling you: He wants to kill the "Your Life, Your Choices" pamphlet because he has been trying to sell his own "Five Questions" document to the VA for use in VHA medical centers:

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do;jsess...F0?diaryId=3084

ouch Shady it must hurt being wrong so much.

[GostHacked]

Death book, death panels. More meme talk for the idiots.

[Shady]

ouch Shady it must hurt being wrong so much.

I'm not wrong, but nice source.

Very impartial.

Sites We Like

Crooks and Liars

Daily Kos

Huffington Post

Media Matters

Think Progress

[punked]

I'm not wrong, but nice source.

Very impartial.

Sites We Like

Crooks and Liars

Daily Kos

Huffington Post

Media Matters

Think Progress

It is a great source because it is from veterans about veterans affairs. I know you would not like to listen to people who actually fought for the country and freedoms I would.

[bush_cheney2004]

It is a great source because it is from veterans about veterans affairs. I know you would not like to listen to people who actually fought for the country and freedoms I would.

Gee..that sure is sweet of you....and since I am a veteran....does that mean you will listen to me?

[punked]

Gee..that sure is sweet of you....and since I am a veteran....does that mean you will listen to me?

Sure thing what issues do you have with the "Your Life, Your Choices"? Is it that they want to have choices over your life or that guy who called it a death book didn't get to sell his own book to the government?

[bush_cheney2004]

Sure thing what issues do you have with the "Your Life, Your Choices"? Is it that they want to have choices over your life or that guy who called it a death book didn't get to sell his own book to the government?

Neither...it's that someone else wants to have choices over my life....including limiting my options. Most veterans made their peace with life and death a long time ago.

[punked]

Neither...it's that someone else wants to have choices over my life....including limiting my options. Most veterans made their peace with life and death a long time ago.

Where is said that someone wants to have choices over your life? See this is the bs people get tired of.

[bush_cheney2004]

Where is said that someone wants to have choices over your life? See this is the bs people get tired of.

Government choices are limiting by definition.

Stop whining...."BS" is part of life....including your "bs".

[BubberMiley]

Government choices are limiting by definition.

Yes. Imagine, without government, there would probably two or three different internets already developed for you to choose from. You could go to work a different route every day.

[bush_cheney2004]

Yes. Imagine, without government, there would probably two or three different internets already developed for you to choose from. You could go to work a different route every day.

There are.....I do.

[Oleg Bach]

When a soldier goes of to do his duty and protect and project the interests that profit certain Americans they are cheered..because they are making money for some rich weapons guys - some oil guys - etc...the are bringing a profit in pludner home --- But once a he is missing a leg or is mentally ill --then there is no profit - and off to the meat grinder he goes ---As a kid I hitchhiked though the states - and met a lot of newly arrived vets from the Vietnam adventure ......It was heart breaking - detroyed human beings - conditioned killers that could not stop - and hobos waiting to die on the side of the road out side of El Paso....One guy who I meant in Alberta - Canada was a former sniper - he was wearing those tire tread sandals that he got from a "gook" - he also had some gold teeth around his neck and a dried ears on his key chain --- I asked him -"How did you know if you hit the guy from half a mile off?" He said he could see the "spray" - which meant - a puff of red mist would appear where the head once was...I wonder where this guy is now - this snipper turned hippy crossing the nation in his VW van? I was not impressed with how these men left good men and some returned insane. What service does your government provide to heal the new burn outs?

[BubberMiley]

I know it's a tough job defending the death book. :

So you strongly defend the party that destroys soldiers' lives by starting pointless, unnecessary wars, but attack the other party because they try to counsel them once their lives are destroyed.

Nice.

Stay classy, Shady.

[bush_cheney2004]

So you strongly defend the party that destroys soldiers' lives by starting pointless, unnecessary wars, but attack the other party because they try to counsel them once their lives are destroyed.

Nice.

This is a silly comment....devoid of history and fact when it comes to starting "unnecessary" wars and all the campaigns involving US veterans.

[Pliny]

Nice of them to include a contact number for the Hemlock Society in that book. The government likes to participate in helping you make good decisions and outlining the many choices you have to accomplish what they want.