Today in a stunning display of common sense, the Supreme Court ruled against Former Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Department of Justice's attempt to overturn Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, which had been affirmed by Oregon voters in 1997.
The law states that doctors who follow specific procedures may prescribe lethal doses of federally regulated medications to help their mentally competent, terminally ill patients end their lives. The Department of Justice attempted to override this law by arguing the federal Controlled Substances Act trumped Oregon's Law.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the majority opinion in the 6 to 3 ruling over the case brought about by exiting AG Ashcroft (as a last minute F- You! to Oregonians who had not bent to his holier-than-thou opposition) and sustained by present Attorney General Ruben Gonzalez.
From a NY Times article by Linda Greenhouse (1/18/06):
In his opinion on Tuesday, Gonzales v. Oregon, No. 04-623, Justice Kennedy emphasized, with evident disapproval, the unilateral nature of Mr. Ashcroft's action, taken "without consulting Oregon or apparently anyone outside his department." The attorney general's rule was not entitled to the deference the court usually gave to interpretations of governing statutes by executive branch officials, he said, because Congress had not given the attorney general the authority he was invoking.
Said Justice Kennedy about Ashcroft, "He is not authorized to make a rule declaring illegitimate a medical standard for care and treatment of patients that is specifically authorized under state law."
He continues, "The authority claimed by the attorney general is both beyond his expertise and incongruous with the statutory purposes and design."
"Today's ruling reinforces Oregon's -- and every state's -- right in determining matters of medical practice," said U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore. "The Supreme Court's decision today will end the repeated attacks on the will of Oregon voters once and for all."
Right on, Rep. Hooley! We Oregonians don't mess around!
And what did the White House have to say about this ruling?
White House spokesman Scott McClelland says the decision goes against the principles of President George W Bush.
"I'd express our disappointments," he said.
"I know the Department of Justice is reviewing the decision, we are disappointed at the decision.
"The President remains fully committed to building a culture of life, a culture of life that is built on valuing life at all stages."
That's the real kicker. "A Culture of Life." It's what Jesus would have wanted. And since Bush is unquestionably (this is questionable - ed.) a follower of Jesus (not to be confused with following the teachings of Jesus), perhaps we who agree with today's ruling must beg forgiveness someday from Our God for wanting to ease the suffering of our fellow man, in lieu of the Government cutting off so much funding into stem cell research, etc.
He's perhaps too ignorant to be a fucking hypocrite, but I still don't believe it's an excuse for his alleged indifference and hatred of the poor and the suffering.
And of course Ashcroft fought the Oregon Law tooth and nail. I mean, what would he know about "dignity" anyway?
You poor frustrated songwriter...sing yourself to sleep, you creep.
3 comments:
Too good. I'm so glad you Oregonians (?) shut down that wacky bastard.
Just look at Ashcroft. Put him in any movie and he's the bad guy. And not just the bad guy, but the creepy, sweaty, deviant, hypocrite bad guy.
excellent.
you should run for president on the suicide platform!
just don't expect to be re-elected.
Where was the President when the "Culture of Life" in the Gulf was threatened? Poor misguided soul - I just hope that one day when it's his time to meet his vision of his "maker" that he isn't in the midst of the choking grip of a slow, painful, crippling death because his screams will fall upon deaf ears.
Hey George, they shoot horses don't they?
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