VIDEO: Newt Gingrich on End of Life Planning II
Posted by iusbvision on August 24, 2009
Newt is spot on with his point about the amendments that the Democrats shot down. Democrats tell us that the language that is clear in it’s language and logical context doesn’t say what it says it says. When Republicans finally said, “Ok well if it doesn’t mean rationing then lets just add language to say that it can never be construed to allow rationing” and “If it doesnt mean pushing people towards euthanasia lets include language to say specifically that it doesn’t mean that” the Democrats voted NO. To see a list of those amendments please go HERE.
As published in the New York Times
August 19, 2009
To the Editor:
Paul Krugman asserted that I have changed my position on end-of-life medical care (“Republican Death Trip,” column, Aug. 14). I have always been a vocal proponent of proper end-of-life planning — and an equally vocal opponent of government intervention in the most sacred of moments.
Gundersen Lutheran Health System in Wisconsin gets it right. Ninety-plus percent of patients complete advance directives with their doctors, nurses and families. Gundersen offers this because it is good for patients, not because of a government directive.
Patient satisfaction is among the highest in the country because its model is compassionate, dignified and individually centered. It does not push individuals to forgo care, nor does it make decisions on their behalf. I know this personally because my wife’s father was a patient at Gundersen until his death in 2006.
When you combine the new federal powers in the emerging House legislation with the crushing Medicare debt of the future, especially with 20 percent of costs spent in the last two months of life, government rationing is a question of when, not if.
–Newt Gingrich
