right wing projection... sick, sociopath hate fantasists...

Marcus Baram looked into this, and explained why the Republican activists are wrong.

I don't think the Republican activists give a flying f#$% whether they are "wrong" or not. They have one goal: plant the seeds of suspicion and fear amongst their base. Classic ingroup morality.

I'm certain there are plenty of real substantive points in the healthcare bill on which reasonable people can disagree. The goal of conservative leadership is to ensure we never get to the point where a reasonable discussion is taking place. They will continue to launch chaff and blow smoke until they are sure healthcare reform will die.

Interesting how all these freak outs occur over things that were created by or took place under republican leadership. Is it just the lazy way to create lies? I picture a bunch of white guys with cigars and brandy scheming the next attack and saying "you know what, I helped put a provision into a piece of legislation awhile back that could be spun pretty well!" I guess it beats them actually having to read bills.

About Time, I agree, it takes unbelievable nerve for a veteran of the Bush "administration" to talk about callousness toward Iraq war veterans. By the way, remember that clip of the Israeli man comparing Israel's single-payer, national health care to the American system, and pointing out that the former works a lot better? You know, the guy who was baited by a Tea-Party type yelling "Heil Hitler?" Well, what actually prompted her to start heckling him was when he started comparing the way Israel treats its veterans with the appalling neglect of veterans in the U.S. That's what happens when Republicans try to fight wars on the cheap.

I agree with DelCapslock. As we've seen all summer, truth is the first casualty of Republican talking points. They will say anything -- and believe anything -- that furthers their agenda. Right now, that agenda is to kill health care reform in order to deny the Democrats what they perceive as a political victory, regardless of the cost to the nation. So we read stories about "socialized medicine," "death panels" and "mandatory home inspections." It's a cross between Orwellian Doublespeak (right is wrong, black is white) and Joseph Goebbel's Big Lie technique (repeat a lie often enough, and loudly enough, and it will eventually be believed). It's a pity that the MSM validate this campaign of deception and disinformation by reporting it in a "he-said-she-said" manner, without determining whether the statements are factual and accurate. It's an even greater pity that Mr. Obama is willing to trust the very people who traffic in and disseminate these patent falsehoods.

This whole health reform debacle is turning the 'American Way' belly up, isn't it? I knew the racists would shed their barely extant skins of civility over Obama's skin color, but we're really getting a good look at the seamy underside, the quotidia that truly make this country tick, aren't we? Not that there was any doubt about the predatory nature of life under modern conservatism, but it certainly seems like the parasites smell blood and propitious circumstances and are surfacing. Fascinating and revolting at the same time.

At the root of all this right-wing craziness is the conviction that any government controlled by liberals is motivated to destroy them. These crazies really, truly believe that liberal government seeks the power to kill the vulnerable--fetuses, the comatose such as Terry Schiavo, the sick and inconvenient elderly, wounded soldiers, the retarded or otherwise handicapped. And, of course, a liberal government will seek to destroy the heroes who would protect these innocents.

They will find some way to twist every government proposal to fuel their paranoia. It's analogous to that game where you take fortune cookie and add "in bed." Conservatives take every liberal proposal and mentally add "to kill the innocent and vulnerable, aieee." For example, we want to give health coverage to the uninsured..."to kill the innocent and vulnerable, aieee." Or we want to ensure that people have living wills..."to kill the innocent and vulnerable, aieee." Just roll through every objection that they have, and you'll find this to be true.

A priest, a rabbi, a renowned disability rights advocate walk into a bar.

The priest says to the rabbi and the renowned disability rights advocate, "What do you call a solider with no arms and no legs who encounters a veteran's health-care system that seems intent on his surrender?"

The renowned disability rights advocate says, "I don't know, but he should use James Towey as a colostomy bag."

After reading this, it's apparent that Jim Towey is nothing more than a Sarah Palin wannabe. Except not as smart.

The words "Sarah Palin" and "smart" should never be used in the same paragraph.

Just wanted to say that this is the first time I've seen in print something that seems like it should be more widely known. I had surgery back in 2000, it was planned ahead of time and one of the required steps from the hospital (which around here is part of a behemoth insurance company/university/many hospitals complex) was a pre-visit.

During this visit they did bloodwork, told you what to expect the day of the surgery and made sure that you had filled out what amounts to an advanced directive/living will. You didn't get to go in to surgery without their knowing your wishes for your care.

Obviously, now anyone getting these forms is going to assume that they were an invention of any health care reform, when in fact they've been around for years. Of course, they were implemented because there were so many problems when people didn't plan ahead.

I wonder how many of those angry old gummers got their "death shot" for polio when they were in school. It's getting past the point now where it should arouse fear and anger, and edging into the zone where it's just ridiculous, worthy only of amusement. The Democrats should start referring - tongue in cheek - to medical schools as "death schools" and hospitals as "death apartments". Everything medical should be preceded by "death", until everybody sees what a bunch of big stupid assholes the Republicans are making of themselves. The whole world is already laughing at how foolish Americans are for letting this kind of nonsense be broadcast on media that can be seen outside the country; might as well laugh along.

My roommate died earlier this year from leukemia. He was treated at the VA. Strangely, I don't remember this book. Of course, he rarely read anything but the sports section, so he probably just didn't take the book. Not that he didn't care, he received extensive counseling on end-of-life issues. And he and I frequently discussed it because I had already taken care of my mother when she was dying from leukemia. So, he probably didn't need the book as much because he was already very open to discussing the issue. And so where his friends and family. But I can see how the book would be great for people who don't have anyone comfortable about discussing it.

I saw that segment, and was very disappointed that when Chris Wallace was insisting that the VA was making doctors use this particular text, Tammy Duckworth did not a) explain that "e.g." means "for example" and b) even if you used that listing, it would be as a starting point in a discussion -- Wallace seemed so upset that there was a statement about when you can't shake the blues life doesn't seem worth living, but if a doctor hears that from a patient, then it's a great opportunity to suggest counseling and/or anti-depressents. It was so discouraging that later, Arlen Spector promised to have hearings instead of making some points -- I bet he has an advance directive, and he should talk about that.
Years ago, before abortion was legal, there were ads in the NYTImes, lists of women who announced "I had an illegal abortion" in order to help people see that anyone, including the famous and well known or your neighbor or your female self might need this medical treatment. I think a similar campaign is clearly needed for both advance directives and the public option...

I thought Tammy Duckworth did great to talk about substantive issues, and Chris Wallace came off as the tool that he is.

Of course, that's probably not how the mindless Foxatrons would have seen, it but just saying.

Just last week I was ordered by the government to start dating a woman named Death Knell. Where will it all end?

Here's the opening line of a very standard manual advising veterans on how to make a living will:

"There’s only one person who is truly qualified to tell health care providers how you feel about different kinds of health care issues—and that’s you."

http://www1.va.gov/pugetsound/docs/ylyc.pdf

I'm tired of the bullshit. Democrats (who don't suck) should call bullshit on this one and just read the opening line. End of life planning is the ultimate empowering of THE INDIVIDUAL. It pisses me off all the hedging that people who support these measures (which includes most elected Republicans until two weeks ago) do now that it's a hot potato. It's a hot potato because nobody will grab a hold of the thing and ram it down the throats of the bullshit artists pushing it.

If you haven't looked at Your Life, Your Choice, please do. I’ll leave it up to you if this is a “death book.” It’s a common sense guide as far as I’m concerned, and, frankly, I’m glad the subject came up. I have an advanced care directive and am an organ donor, but I can see that’s not nearly enough. I’m going to complete the workbook.

The righties who use this to advance their political agenda all ought to contract Alzheirmers, or Lou Gehrig’s disease and let’s see which side of their mouths they can’t talk out of when the time comes.