There has been a good bit of backing away from the Death Panel moniker given by Sarah Palin by conservatives of late, with many saying they don't exist and never did. I give you the great head fake. Sarah Palin mentioned that she didn't want to worry about an Obama death panel denying care for Trig, her son with Down Syndrome. The supporters of the bill immediately pointed to the end of life counseling provisions saying there is no death panel. Talk show host fled away from the idea that end of life counseling constitutes a death panel. Rush Limbaugh supported the idea that end of life care was a death panel based on the VA death counseling handbook, which really makes it seem like it is suggesting taking the quickest way down. Sean Hannity followed. Most conservatives backed away from the use of the term, even as the provision was removed from the House version of the bill due to negative press.
Anyone notice what's wrong with this debate? I'll give you a hint. Sarah Palin was right and not in the same way that Rush was. Trig is a newborn. She was never referring to the end of life counseling when she coined the term death panel. She was talking about the panel of experts that decide what care is efficient and when. She was concerned that a Down Syndrome child who will likely never give a substantial contribution to society (other than smiling constantly and loving hugs, which is honestly probably the best contribution possible) would be denied care for such rudimentary things as colds because of the waste of resources. This expert panel does exist in the various bills. It would make treatment decisions for everyone in the country. And it would literally take an act of Congress to override their decisions. No appeals, no mercy, no treatment.
The greatest deception the Devil ever made was convincing man he didn't exist. Watch the terms the argument is made on before you've lost the point.
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