It is all about spin, knowledge and facts. The notion that the federal government will decide when Americans “plan” on dying is nonsense at the center of the healthcare debate. Sarah Palin chimed in yesterday that she did not want her parents or children standing in front of “Obama’s death panel.”
Stop right there and let me give my take on the difference between misinformation and lying. Sarah Palin, who I want to defend because we are the same age, is not lying in my opinion nor did she lie during the campaign last year. She actually believes what she is saying so she is at best misinformed or at worst dim and does not know it. Please understand the difference: one is to knowingly lie and the other is simply being wrong. When I saw those protesters on T.V. this week, I knew they weren’t lying and were sincere. The liars are the guys in D.C. on K Street and in New York on Wall Street and Madison Avenue who designed the campaign to mislead regular folks and stop health care reform for your corporate bosses. I must say that those guys are good at what they do.
At the center of this drama was Senator Johnny Isakson from Georgia…reluctantly. MSNBC claims that the heath care provision which would fund “end of life” counseling is similar to a provision originally introduced in committee by Isakson. I tried to find information about this claim on the web and on Isakson’s website. What I did find after spending a good part of my Saturday morning is that Isakson’s concerns with the Democrats proposals sound reasonable to me and that Isakson and others do have alternative plans. As a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, Isakson is up on his game and we can count on him negotiating rather than just stonewalling like other conservatives.
Isakson and no other members of congress want death panels. From what I see, the optional counseling is an option about final options. Much of the cost of patient care occurs during the last month of life and some people decide to have DNR orders (that’s Do Not Resuscitate, not Department of Natural Resources for us outdoors types). If people want to talk with someone about those plans, their insurance would pay for the meeting. If you have buried a loved one, you know that people should consider deciding that stuff themselves years earlier so they can go how they want to go and remove family from making the decisions at the worst times.
In summary, spin-doctors knowingly distorted a provision in the health care reform proposal to scare old people and incite conflict. I must say that both sides play this game. When I was a congressional staffer, the Clinton administration bragged about reducing or cutting spending for a program in their budget. When I looked at the numbers, funding went up for that program over the previous years. So, program XYZ received $70 million one year and more the next year but they told me they reduced the rate of growth from the Bush years. Before, that program grew by 10% every year but under Clinton it is only growing by 5%–that’s a reduction. Do I look stupid? (Don’t answer that.) I told that guy that a reduction from $70 million would be less than $70 million and being cute with numbers and spin was not cool.
I saw the list of Town Hall meetings on Peach Pundit and wrote this comment there:
That was some smart scheduling down here in the 2nd Congressional district. You don’t disrespect SDB on the campus of ASU and FVSU so everything will be smooth. Debate the issues, yes; get ugly, oh no.
For all the times members of congress came on “The Yard” in the 80s, we were respectful and engaging. The same can be said for governors and officials speaking at commencement. I remember a youtube video of students at Columbia University shouting down Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist and the students were wrong.
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Look, the students will be back before these meetings and you really don’t want to “trip” on Bishop there. They loved their long time congressman on these two campus and I don’t want to see anyone get grounded up. The meeting would be one thing but that walk to the parking lot.
Let’s hope for the best because Bishop and the Blue Dogs really have listened to the Right for years without drama.
You should check out the writings and scholarly work of Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of Rahm and healthcare advisor for the Obama administration. Given his views on the allocation and distribution of care and his access, Ms. Palin’s viewpoint may not be that far off.
Papadoc: thanks for the information and I found story about him on PBS’s Now; David Barncaccio is a fair guy.
http://www.pbs.org/now/news/315.html
Senator Isakson’s staff emailed me the following information regarding his position on the counseling provisions in the health care debate and I appreciate their details.
Here is the information:
We received one call regarding the senator’s role in the “end of life provisions” in the Senate health care bill. Basically, the Senate bill says that individuals who decide to participate in the long-term care benefit may use the benefit to pay for voluntary counseling if they so choose. Sen. Isakson’s amendment simply added that advance directives such as a living will or durable power of attorney as a part of that counseling.
More specifically, the part of the Senate bill that Sen. Isakson amended (Title I Subtitle H) is a new federal long term care benefit that is completely optional. To the optional counseling available to beneficiaries, our amendment added “information regarding available assistance with decision making concerning medical care, including the right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment and the right to formulate advance directives or other written instructions recognized under State law.”
The House bill calls for a periodic review of current and future Medicare enrollees. So it’s amending an existing program. Doctors are incentivized to do so by a new reimbursement for a counseling session. Doctors are not compelled to conduct such a session nor are enrollees compelled to participate in one. If a beneficiary willingly elects to participate in an end-of-life counseling session, the House bill sets out guidelines for what is required to be discussed.
Sen. Isakson wants to make sure that people understand their options and can make informed decisions but in no way does he want to force anyone to do anything. He believes advance directives empower people to make their own choices about their care and to take personal responsibility for themselves.
Congressman Paul Broun has a Town Hall meeting today at 6 p.m. in Columbia County. He just called me and said there are hundreds of people there and the cars are still streaming in. He was scheduled for my show at 8 p.m., but he and his staff are adjusting. I’m remaining flexible because we may have to do the interview, via telephone, versus the original in studio plans on my radio program tonight. Listen via webstream at http://www.HelenBlockerAdams.com.