I believe with the events of the last 50 years we have been headed down that 'slippery slope'. Those living in the 1950's would have never thought we would see 100,000's of abortions every year. Most people of the 1960's would never have thought people would want doctor-assited suicide. Most people today would never have thought that their government would want lead people to think it is time to die. What will people think in another 20 or 30 years when the government introduces, in the name of conserving resources, that anyone who reaches 75 will be terminated, similiar to the old movie Logan's Run? Although the age in the movie was 35. Just trying to think ahead.

 

You're probably right.

 

Just like people living in the 40's and 50's never dreamed that blacks and whites would have to go to school together or integrate in the military together. Or that they would even play ball together on a gridiron or basketball court.

 

Those living in the 50's never imagined that a college education was possible for many, many people but through the student loans and aids it is much more of a reality.

 

Those living in the 50's and 60's could never have imagined that Manufacturing jobs would be sent to other country's because it was so much cheaper for the owners to make their profit and send back their product. (Of course how many now have jobs to make the money to buy it. :confused:)

 

There's a lot of things that people 40, 50 or 60 years ago could not have imagined. (Some good, some bad)

 

 

BTW, there are no death panels and there never has been. :thumb:

Exactly. Leatherneck, I see your argument for the government but not a private insurer. If premiums are paid then the insurance should be on the hook for everything that person faces. IF they don't like it, get out of the insurance business and go make their profits in some other venture.

 

 

As to your scenario LN, I think everyone thinks differently when it's their loved one that's 85. :thumb:

 

My mother and father, as well as my in laws, are all alive and are 82 for what it's worth.

If there were Death Panels in the health care reform legislation, what would be wrong with that? Does it really make sense to spend lots of money on health care to someone who is 85 years old or is terminally ill? I don't think so. I know I'll get blasted for again being cold and heartless, but if we are going to bring down health care costs, I think we need to be practical as to what costs we as a nation are going to pay (and trust me, we all pay those costs regardless whether the payor of those costs is some private insurer or the Govt via Medicare, Medicaid or some proposed public option). Of course, if some elderly or terminally ill person wants to pay for medical care out of their pocket, I'm all for it. But the concept of the govt or some private insurer paying for a knee replacement on a person that only has a year to live just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

I'd probably prefer the Death Panel be handled by a private insurer as opposed to a bunch of govt bureacrats, but if I choose the public option I'd have to accept the fact that govt bureacrats might some day make the call on whether I get that emergency surgery or not.

 

What's every one think? I'll check back in a couple of days to see how stupid, cold and heartless I am. Football season is in full swing and I'm spending my limited BGP time in the Football forum.

 

My dad and I were discussing this earlier today. So let's say that my dad was 85 and needed a hip replacement. You want to leave it up to the government or an insurance company to decide whether it is a wise investment given his age? The insurance company (who as a for profit organization wants to keep costs down) won't want to pay as it costs them a lot of money, neither will the government, ... and my dad would suffer the pain because one of them determines that he is too old for it to be a wise investment? That is insane and not the America I want my kids and grandkids to grow up in. If you leave it up to either of those, the age would be an excuse to not pay for it. Regardless of his health, they could very easily say 'Well, he is already older than the average male and probably won't live much longer anyway.' This is a dangerous path to go down my friend. A very dangerous path.

 

For what it is worth, ... I have several relatives who have lived well into their 90's and even as old as 104 before they passed on. My dad is in his mid 60's, and nobody who knows him would believe he is even close to retirement. Is very active and honestly, most people think we are brothers not father and son. I would not want this type of government or insurance control to impact his quality of life over the next 25+ years.

BTW, there are no death panels and there never has been. :thumb:

I don't think anyone has suggested that there are death panels. The thread is a "what if" question about hypothetical death panels.

I keep seeing the part of Scrooge when the ghost of Christmas present says, "...and decrease the surplus population."

You're probably right.

 

Just like people living in the 40's and 50's never dreamed that blacks and whites would have to go to school together or integrate in the military together. Or that they would even play ball together on a gridiron or basketball court.

 

Those living in the 50's never imagined that a college education was possible for many, many people but through the student loans and aids it is much more of a reality.

 

Those living in the 50's and 60's could never have imagined that Manufacturing jobs would be sent to other country's because it was so much cheaper for the owners to make their profit and send back their product. (Of course how many now have jobs to make the money to buy it. :confused:)

 

There's a lot of things that people 40, 50 or 60 years ago could not have imagined. (Some good, some bad)

 

 

BTW, there are no death panels and there never has been. :thumb:

 

Improvements in our standard of living or changes in how we earn a living I can live with. I cannot accept the killing of anyone, whether they be the unborn or adults, just because people believe them to be a burden in some way. A big differnce from losing a job versus losing one's life.