S15: Euthanasia Ban Repeal Act (Passed)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I am steadfastly opposed to euthanasia and support existing law on the matter.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I don't believe it's fair for someone to arrange for their death via this procedure. What if there are people who depend on them? What will they do? To frame it as a freedom issue misses the point. We have obligations in society; to family, to friends, to many. This law just makes it easier for people unhappy with their predicament to remove themselves from the world and quite potentially throw loved ones to the wolves.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I don't believe it's fair for someone to arrange for their death via this procedure. What if there are people who depend on them? What will they do? To frame it as a freedom issue misses the point. We have obligations in society; to family, to friends, to many. This law just makes it easier for people unhappy with their predicament to remove themselves from the world and quite potentially throw loved ones to the wolves.

As fhtagn said, there's a long process that makes it so that such a thing wouldn't and doesn't happen.

I would strongly prefer if you had more than just the person who wants to consider assisted dying in the hands of the decision. Family deserves some say.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I don't believe it's fair for someone to arrange for their death via this procedure. What if there are people who depend on them? What will they do? To frame it as a freedom issue misses the point. We have obligations in society; to family, to friends, to many. This law just makes it easier for people unhappy with their predicament to remove themselves from the world and quite potentially throw loved ones to the wolves.

As fhtagn said, there's a long process that makes it so that such a thing wouldn't and doesn't happen.

I would strongly prefer if you had more than just the person who wants to consider assisted dying in the hands of the decision. Family deserves some say.

They do have a say. The process is way longer and more thought out than

Patient: "doc can you get me the euthanasia drug?"
Doctor: "k"

If we are going to have assisted dying, the fairest way of doing it is requiring that a sizable amount of the immediate family of said person agrees with said decision.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Ultimately, as with any medical procedure, I think it sets a dangerous precedent to require a portion of the immediate family to consent to this. You wouldn't ask that for other medical procedures.

That being said, legal euthanasia in most cases covers making sure the family is aware of the decision in part of the "is this person of sound mind to make this decision?" argument. 

I think it's fair because euthanasia is irreversible. Once it's done it's done, and you can't ever said person ever again in this life. This isn't a normal medical procedure, it concerns life and death in a way very few others do. Notification isn't enough.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I am on the fence on this issue. I understand wanting to allow a person to do this so they can end the pain. But I have seen it where someone was "dying" and the doctors told them they only had a few months or day to live to end up making a full recovery and live a long happy life. I feel like people who are going through something like that aren't really in the right state of mind, because they will be making a decsion out of fear or despair.

Just my 2 cents..

I'm not in favor of euthanasia being legal. I am of the opinion in general that if euthanasia has to be legal though, it's unhealthy for society for it to be legal for someone to do so in a way that might harm dependents, and that would cause undue division and undue harm within their families after the fact. To quote Disney movie Lilo and Stitch: 'Ohana means family. Family never gets left behind'.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

That would be covered by the states. This law doesn't  legalize euthanasia region-wide, but rather overturns the regional ban.

If there is no regional ban, then how is it not legal? What's the difference?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The federal government legalized euthanasia last year IIRC.  In case that's at all relevant to this bill.

If so, then this means that overturning the euthanasia ban at least probably makes it legal in the South. We don't have state-level government, only regional level.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I think we should adopt a stricter standard than Federal law. Hence why I think we need some sort of family consent first.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I think it would be good to add an amendment that requires some sort of familial consent.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

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The reason I think this amendment is a good idea is that, since it's clear we will legalize it, we do so in a way that will minimize the chance that you have situations that divide families. Euthanasia is not to be taken lightly and if the family is that heavily divided on whether the procedure needs to be done, it definitely shouldn't happen at all. Keeping families together and minimizing discord within them is paramount.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I think allowing family members to veto a medical decision is a weird thought.

Since many medical procedures have the possibility to go wrong, can the family stop those too? At what point is the probability of a procedure killing someone high enough to allow the family to tell someone they can't get that procedure done?

Again, euthanasia is literally planned and assisted death. How is it a regular medical procedure? Sure, the family doesn't deserve to be able to stop regular medical procedures, but euthanasia is a different kettle of fish. It's just not regular, no. It's different. We have only chance to dwell on this Earth, and euthanasia puts an end to that purposely.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I think allowing family members to veto a medical decision is a weird thought.

Since many medical procedures have the possibility to go wrong, can the family stop those too? At what point is the probability of a procedure killing someone high enough to allow the family to tell someone they can't get that procedure done?

Again, euthanasia is literally planned and assisted death. How is it a regular medical procedure? Sure, the family doesn't deserve to be able to stop regular medical procedures, but euthanasia is a different kettle of fish. It's just not regular, no. It's different. We have only chance to dwell on this Earth, and euthanasia puts an end to that purposely.

It might put an end to life like 2 months earlier than it would happen anyway. That's the point. Patients should have the right to make that decision if medical professionals deem it appropriate. Going with your system, if the family does approve the decision, there's a good chance it breaks them mentally, thinking that their loved one's death was their fault. And if they disapprove, they might feel similarly about forcing their family member to suffer. We shouldn't force terminally ill patients' family members to make such a decision that could easily be psychologically damaging to them for the rest of their life.

The possibilities you raise might seem possible in some limited, not so common cases, but we need to weigh it against the alternative, which is people more or less arranging themselves to die in some cases and their families not wanting that to be done, by and large. That sort of thing can cause tensions, especially if you have some family members who supported said people undergoing the euthanasia procedure (which is always a possibility and is going to be the case most of the time) and there is division between said family members and the rest of their kin. Let's face it, some sort of tension stemming from this is inevitable. It's better for Southern families for us to require some sort of consensus before it goes ahead, because whatever damage is caused by having to decide the future of a family member, what comes after someone arranging for their death and getting that done, against the wishes of a divided family is bound to be worse, potentially much worse.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Aye

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I want stronger protections still personally, but I'm willing to settle with this for now. I would be totally okay with a final vote.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Abstain

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

With 4 votes in favor, 0 opposed, and 1 not voting, this legislation is hereby passed.

x Acting Speaker TimTurner