Palin SUPPORTED End-of-Life counseling in Alaska by proclamation April 16, 2008 while still Governor of Alaska.

Click here to read her formal proclamation. Keep in mind it has Sean Parnell’s name at the top because he is now the current guv, but as you will see at the bottom of the article, it is Ms. Palin’s “John Hancock” on the bottom.

A great expose on her support of end-of-life counseling was written by Eric Adams of Portland, Oregon. I am providing excerpts here for you, but the entire article is a MUST read!

As recently as April 2008, then-Gov. Palin supported end-of-life counseling for all Alaskans – a “contradiction” to her allegations of death panel bureaucrats deciding whether to treat seniors or let them die, Rep. Blumenauer said.

Palin declaration ‘same difference’ as Blumenauer amendment

As governor, Palin declared Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16, 2008 to raise public awareness “of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions, related to end of life care and medical decision-making whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves.”

“Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient,” Palin wrote in the proclamation.

An aide to Rep. Blumenauer, Erin Allweiss told KGW that the end-of-life provision would pay doctors to counsel Medicare patients when they received a terminal prognosis.

“The goal was to give patients a say and their physicians, the guidelines, so that all the choices are clear before a major health care decision is made,” she said.

Palin’s office told KGW that comparing Alaska’s Healthcare Day proclamation with the House end-of-life provision was “hysterically funny” and “desparate.”

“The Healthcare Day proclamation did not evaluate whether your life is worth surgery, a pill, or maybe even death,” a possible result of Portland’s provision, Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton told KGW.

“Gov. Palin signed a proclamation raising awareness on an issue, asking knowledgeable Alaskans to volunteer their time to help fellow Alaskans with answering any questions they may have on end-of-life issues,” she added.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, told the Washington Post that Palin’s interpretation was “nuts” and said that every state, including Alaska had laws allowing end-of-life directives.

Healthcare Decisions Day

Alaskans should prepare for the end of life through counseling with hospice or palliative care workers and with living wills so that “more citizens will have conversations about their healthcare decisions.”

The proclamation argued that citizens weren’t making preparations because of public confusion. Healthcare Decisions Day would “encourage hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities … and hospices to participate in a statewide effort to provide clear and consistent information to the public about advance directives.”

Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton pointed out “significant differences” between the Healthcare Decisions proclamation and Blumenauer’s end-of-life amendment.

Palin endorsed “voluntary” preparation in 2008 whereas the Medicare funding provision would require such counseling. The Alaska proclamation was “not evaluating whether your life is worth surgery or a pill — or maybe even assisted death.” It was not law of the land, cost taxpayers nothing and did not incentivize end-of-life health care cost reduction, Stapleton said.President George H.W. Bush in 1992 signed a law requiring hospitals to assist Medicare and Medicaid recipients with end-of-life directives if they requested help.

Blumenauer’s end-of-life counseling once favored by Palin

11:09 AM PDT on Monday, September 14, 2009

By ERIC ADAMS, Kgw.com Staff

As recently as April 2008, then-Gov. Palin supported end-of-life counseling for all Alaskans – a “contradiction” to her allegations of death panel bureaucrats deciding whether to treat seniors or let them die, Rep. Blumenauer said.

Palin declaration ‘same difference’ as Blumenauer amendment

As governor, Palin declared Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16, 2008 to raise public awareness “of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions, related to end of life care and medical decision-making whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves.”

“Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient,” Palin wrote in the proclamation.

An aide to Rep. Blumenauer, Erin Allweiss told KGW that the end-of-life provision would pay doctors to counsel Medicare patients when they received a terminal prognosis.

“The goal was to give patients a say and their physicians, the guidelines, so that all the choices are clear before a major health care decision is made,” she said.

Palin’s office told KGW that comparing Alaska’s Healthcare Day proclamation with the House end-of-life provision was “hysterically funny” and “desparate.” …”The Healthcare Day proclamation did not evaluate whether your life is worth surgery, a pill, or maybe even death,” a possible result of Portland’s provision, Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton told KGW.

“Gov. Palin signed a proclamation raising awareness on an issue, asking knowledgeable Alaskans to volunteer their time to help fellow Alaskans with answering any questions they may have on end-of-life issues,” she added.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, told the Washington Post that Palin’s interpretation was “nuts” and said that every state, including Alaska had laws allowing end-of-life directives.

[Palin's] Healthcare Decisions Day

Palin said that…”Alaskans should prepare for the end of life through counseling with hospice or palliative care workers and with living wills so that “more citizens will have conversations about their healthcare decisions.”

The proclamation argued that citizens weren’t making preparations because of public confusion. Healthcare Decisions Day would “encourage hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities … and hospices to participate in a statewide effort to provide clear and consistent information to the public about advance directives.”

Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton pointed out “significant differences” between the Healthcare Decisions proclamation and Blumenauer’s end-of-life amendment. [Stapleton says] “Palin endorsed “voluntary” preparation in 2008 whereas the Medicare funding provision would require such counseling. The Alaska proclamation was “not evaluating whether your life is worth surgery or a pill — or maybe even assisted death.” It was not law of the land, cost taxpayers nothing and did not incentivize end-of-life health care cost reduction, Stapleton said.

[coincidentally] President George H.W. Bush in 1992 signed a law requiring hospitals to assist Medicare and Medicaid recipients with end-of-life directives if they requested help.

Adams reports on this in much greater depth in his article along with the back-peddling by Palin through Meg “Stapletongue” Stapleton (as as she is so fondly referred to by many Alaskans). What this confirms is that Palin is a sensationalist and a babble-rouser! She is willing to use misinformation and fear to rile up the uninformed and whip them into a frenzy by inciting anger, hatred and violence at any cost.

The plethora of signs at this recent gathering of the most uninformed followers of Palin, Beck & Co. in Washington, D.C. really says it all. These people are truly so uninformed and full of prejudice and disrespect for our President that they hang on her every word seeking confirmation for their sentiment.

I have to add some of my favorite ones for emphasis and I will leave you with these lovely images and their well articulated messages…

“Thank you Fox News for keeping us infromed (informed)”

“Amnety” (amnesty) next to “Honk for English”

“polititions” (politicians)

“morans” (morons)