Oldies but Ghoulies
Last week Tom Burka at Opinions You Should Have posted this:
Vaccine Shortage Solution To Social Security Problem, Says Thompson
Secretary of Health and Human Resources Tommy Thompson said today that the flu vaccine shortage thus demonstrated the kind of "careful, long-range planning" that the Bush Administration brings to bear on difficult problems. "One or two more vaccine shortages, and we'll be able to put away that so-called lockbox," Thompson boasted.
Hahahahahaha! That Tom Burka is really funny, I thought.
Mike Leavitt agreed, and operating under the principle [and you were wondering if he had any principles, weren't you?] that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, announced his innovative cost-containment program:
By KEVIN FREKING The Associated Press Monday, May 2, 2005; 8:47 PM
WASHINGTON -- Encouraging new Medicare participants to write living wills could end up saving the government large amounts of money, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Monday.
Almost as funny as Laura Bush!
I mean, after all the whoop-de-don't that the White House went through regarding "end-of-life" decision-making with Terry Schiavo, who would think that such a suggestion could be anything more than a jest?
Not that anyone would actually deny medical care on the crass notion that it was cheaper to let people die than to provide treatment. No President or Governor, certainly no Texas Governor, would ever sign a Culture of Death bill that would allow a state to intrude into the private health care decisions of, say, a family? Would he? Not if it were called the
Mike Leavitt agreed, and operating under the principle [and you were wondering if he had any principles, weren't you?] that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, announced his innovative cost-containment program:
By KEVIN FREKING The Associated Press Monday, May 2, 2005; 8:47 PM
WASHINGTON -- Encouraging new Medicare participants to write living wills could end up saving the government large amounts of money, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Monday.
Almost as funny as Laura Bush!
I mean, after all the whoop-de-don't that the White House went through regarding "end-of-life" decision-making with Terry Schiavo, who would think that such a suggestion could be anything more than a jest?
Not that anyone would actually deny medical care on the crass notion that it was cheaper to let people die than to provide treatment. No President or Governor, certainly no Texas Governor, would ever sign a Culture of Death bill that would allow a state to intrude into the private health care decisions of, say, a family? Would he? Not if it were called the Texas Futile Care Law. Not without the Religious Right getting reallyreallyreally upset, right?
Yeah, right.
Unfortunately for Secretary Thompson, so-called "experts" with no sense of humor took the whole thing seriously, and the laughs died down faster than you could shout "Grandma!"
By Ceci Connolly Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, May 6, 2005; Page A09
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said this week that encouraging senior citizens to write living wills could dramatically reduce Medicare's skyrocketing health care costs.
But a large body of scientific data -- including an article co-written by the Bush administration's Medicare chief -- offers little or no evidence that living wills or hospice care lower medical bills.
Eric Idle For President Texas Futile Care Law. Not without the Religious Right getting reallyreallyreally upset, right?
Yeah, right.
Unfortunately for Secretary Thompson, so-called "experts" with no sense of humor took the whole thing seriously, and the laughs died down faster than you could shout "Grandma!"
