Stupidity runs rampant...again!

I do not suffer fools gladly and Sarah Palin is no exception. I had actually given her some credit at first for laying low during the whole health care reform debate, but then she had to open her big mouth and ruin it by saying unbelievably dumb things. I am hoping that most people are keeping up with this, but Sarah Palin is yet another moron to jump on the "death panels" band wagon, insisting that Advanced Care Planning Consultation equals euthanizing old people or guilting them into accepting less medical treatment in old age. This is a flat-out lie. This piece of legislation is designed to help seniors with end of life planning such as creating a living will and putting into place things like advance directives and do not resuscitate orders. An advance directive simply makes your doctor aware of the type of care you would like to receive if you should become unable to make those decisions based on an illness, etc., and do not resuscitate means that if your heart stops beating you do not wish for medical personnel to attempt to revive you. These types of things are impotant for numerous reasons. One, because it should always be up to the individual to make these choices, not a doctor. If I were to be involved in a horrible accident and left in a coma with no chance of recovery, I would want them to pull the plug, period. This is a decision I want to make, not have made for me. Two, it's much easier to make decisions like these ahead of time instead of placing the burden on loved ones. I would hate the thought of my son having to decide whether or not to pursue this type of treatment or that type of treatment or whether to resuscitate or not. Dealing with the illness and potential loss of a loved one is difficult enough without having to make confusing, often time-sensitive decisions. I think it's a great idea for seniors to have more input and control when it comes to the type of care they receive. Time and time again doctors recommend unnecessary or risky surgeries for their patients because they're highly profitable. A person should be informed about the risks and benefits of a procedure and be allowed to balance those for themselves. The fact that Sarah Palin and countless others are using this piece of legislation to literally scare senior citizens is shameful. They do themselves and the people of this country a great injustice when they lie. I'd be amazed if they could actually bring themselves to tell the truth for once. The stupidity in all of it is what really bothers me. These people are elected officials. They're put into office by people like you and me to pursue the best interests of our country and this is the best they can do, make up phony stories about how the government is going to use health care reform to wipe out all the old people? I will conclude with a quotation, said by many but credited to Abraham Lincoln- 'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."