Spray by TV news presenter

If
you want to hear a passionate of Sarah Palin’s “death panels”, it’s hard to go
past the vituperative spray delivered by American news anchor Keith Olberman on his
show Countdown. After his father’s colon was removed, he ended up in hospital
for six months battling one infection after another. The week before the
broadcast, in despair over the treatment, discomfort and pain, he asked his son
to kill him.

This
made Mr Olberman reflect upon the notion of “death panels” and “these
sub-humans who get paid by the insurance companies” to oppose them. In fact,
they are “life panels” which give patients and their families control over
their treatment. “Nobody gets to say no except the patient and the family. It’s
a life panel. And damn those who call it otherwise to hell,” said Mr Olberman.

Whether or not his complaint is fair or accurate, it is excellent
television. Have a look. It is an eloquent description of the kind of
burdensome treatment which everyone fears. Comments, anyone?

Michael Cook
death panels

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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