No medical care in Vermont to be had for those who can pay?

Jul 302013

Shumlin administration gears up for the nitty-gritty of single payer

by Andrew Stein | July 29, 2013

See more at: http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/29/shumlin-administration-gearing-up-for-the-nitty-gritty-of-single-payer/#comment-65211

This article brought a lot of people out of the woodwork which shows how controversial the topic is. Below is one of the comments Bob Orleck posted on the matter: He and dozens of others made other comments in the comment section of the article.

“Lot of opinions here not backed up with facts, but what we need is to look at some hard truth.

Act 48 (Green Mountain Care Law) passed in 2011 and signed by Governor Shumlin in part gives the Green Mountain Care Board the job of setting rates charged by healthcare providers and under the law they maintain perpetual jurisdiction of such matters. Not only does this involve payments to be made that are covered by the government but also involves charges by healthcare providers to people paying out of their own pocket. Representative Browning (Democrat from Arlington), having done her homework realized this and offered an amendment to the health care bill HB 107 that would have fixed that which Act 48 allowed and would have allowed physicians in a private market to set their own rates and provide them to private paying patients at those rates. Our liberal legislature destroyed her attempt to put some freedom and sanity into the health care law and soundly defeated her amendment.

So what does this mean for a patient facing a medical problem requiring a procedure provided by a Vermont healthcare professional? If the procedure is considered not covered, can a patient with his own money go forward with the physician to do the uncovered procedure and pay for it himself? I know that might sound like a silly question to ask in a free land, but this is Vermont, land of lets do it first, let’s make it outrageous, let’s make it unconstitutional (we have our people in the right places) and let’s do it even if we have no idea how we are going to fund whatever we do.

I had a conversation with my House of Representative member, Larry Townsend, about the defeated Browning amendment to H. 107, health insurance, Medicaid and VHBE. I suggested to him that the amendment would have prevented what some us fear, and more should fear, and that an unelected board could end the private practice of medicine. With H48 being able to control what a physician charges for his procedures it could well mean that the private practice of medicine was a thing of the past. When I asked Mr. Townsend if that was so he responded, “In my opinion that is EXACTLY what is happening and I feel helpless to stop it!” Private physicians might not be willing to do the procedure at the price allowed and thus such procedures will become unavailable. And what happens if it is determined to be an unapproved procedure (no reimbursement), cosmetic or not, it seems that a Vermonter could not get the treatment even if he is going to entirely pay for it.

As I age, I am developing a very insecure feeling about my ability to stay in Vermont, stay healthy and stay alive because of what is happening under the gold dome in Montpelier. What are they not telling us? The option offered by the legislature for a lethal dose of medicine may be the only option that a person with a terminal diagnosis may be entitled to under the law. That is coming. A non-terminal person might also be denied the ability to get a particular treatment if it is not approved by the board even if they are willing to pay 100% of it with their own money. That is coming. I even wonder if they will allow us to leave the state borders to get the care. When will the barbed wire fences be put up to keep us in where they can take care of us?

Such decisions will be made for you and your loved ones, whether conservative Republicans or liberal Democrats. There may be some who know the direction all of this is going but I doubt if it is more than a small percentage of the population. We all need to ask some hard questions and get some real answers.”

Then there were some responses to what Bob Orleck wrote. There was the probably sincere but misguided person who wrote in response to:

“Why is there ZERO info on how VT residents will be treated across state lines? Why is there ZERO info on who will be administering this? Why is there zero info in general.”

With:

“Probably because the Shumlin Administration is setting this up. What makes you think that these questions and more will not be answered? Vermont can do it alone. It will lead the way and then it will no longer be alone.”

To which Bob Orleck replied:

“Walter, when three years have gone by and there is no plan revealed how to pay for it, how can you just trust that they are working on it? Why can’t we see what their best thinking is on that? Show us something! Could it be that even the Governor has no idea but is stuck on the same lie that others are stuck on and can’t get away from and that is that government can do it and can do it better than private industry. He will back away from this after he has drained all the political advantage he can get from it and then he will blame others for its failure.

The reason Vermont is going it alone is because it is wrong headed. My daughter taught me a lesson about restaurants once. Look to see if there are a lot of cars around and are busy and if that is so the food will probably be good and if not the food probably is not so good. I have found that to be a good test and applies here as well. The reason Vermont has no others joining them around the table is because what they are trying to feed us is bad food.”

Then there was another:

Wow, you want to see opinions lacking factual basis, read your post.

“but this is Vermont, land of lets do it first, let’s make it outrageous, let’s make it unconstitutional”

Provide any evidence that the law you discussed is unconstitutional. I mean an actual court ruling, not baseless guesses you or some right wing ideologue made.

“As I age, I am developing a very insecure feeling about my ability to stay in Vermont, stay healthy and stay alive”

Your baseless opinions not withstanding, Vermont is the healthiest state in the nation.

” The option offered by the legislature for a lethal dose of medicine may be the only option that a person with a terminal diagnosis may be entitled to under the law.”

Other than your hysterical fear mongering, do you have even the tiniest shred of evidence to back this up?

To which Bob Orleck replied:

“Michael: Your reply reminds me of someone objecting to having been called “old and ugly” by saying “I am not old”. So while you think what is being done is constitutional you recognize Vermont is doing it first and its outrageous. And my friend, there are many unconstitutional actions by government that either have not yet been ruled so or have been allowed by activist wrong minded judges who like you and me are not perfect and make mistakes. On the health issue you need to address what I said on Act 48 which you ignored which is a threat to my and your health. Finally your objection about my statement that a lethal dose of medicine being the only option for a person with a terminal diagnosis, you only need to review letters sent to such patients in Oregon that did in fact deny coverage for their treatment but as an alternative offered them physician assisted suicide. No, not fear mongering, but good healthy realization that Vermont’s train is off the track and all of us are going to be injured in the wreck to come.”

To stay healthy vote Democrat!

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Jul 292013

Health exchange to double as voter registration site by Alicia Freese | July 29, 2013 – See more at: http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/29/health-exchange-to-double-as-voter-registration-site/#sthash.6LcKQlVo.dpuf

http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/29/health-exchange-to-double-as-voter-registration-site/#comment-65094

Bob Orleck commented on the above story.

Those who are naive enough to believe that Democrats are really interested in more people engaging in the democratic process are being so deceived. Democrats walk in lock step to anything their leaders want in order to make sure that more people become beholden to them so as keep their grip on power. It is about that and not about caring about people voting. The more government controls, the more people it takes care of. The more people it takes care of, the more likely that those people will vote to perpetuate that process. In effect they have been made slaves and don’t even know it or care. Look at the damage such power grabbing has caused. Just look at Detroit and other major cities. Which party controls? Detroit is bankrupt because of its leaders. Look at other major cities that are in financial difficulties and ask who their leaders are. Democrats all! No, they do not care about people voting. They just want to register people who are inclined to vote to keep them in power. The reason for the link between Obamacare and voting registration is clear. To send the message that you need to vote for those who made this possible for you and if you do not you will lose it. They are insuring the vote of people who usually don’t vote, but would be inclined if they did to vote for their liberal Democrat daddy figures who will take care of them from birth until grave. And by the way the Democrats will make sure many are not born (abortion) and many will die before their time (rationing health care and physician assisted suicide.) Don’t be deceived!

Former Governor Madeline Kunin recognizes unborn baby can be educated!

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Jul 282013

Kunin: The first thousand days of a baby’s life.

by Opinion | July 24, 2013 – See more at: http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/24/kunin-the-first-thousand-days-of-a-babys-life/#comment-64998

http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/24/kunin-the-first-thousand-days-of-a-babys-life/#comment-64998

Bob Orleck has responded to this opinion piece at vtdigger.org

Madeline Kunin: “The first thousand days of a baby’s life are likely to determine the rest of her life—whether she grows up to be healthy or not both physically and emotionally. Early childhood education begins early—even before birth.

Seems that former Governor Kunin by this statement has recognized there is human, child life in the womb before birth and that early childhood education can begin then. She is correct of course but there are so many who deceive themselves into believing an unborn child is just some fetal tissue or is not yet human. The unreal result is that the United States has condoned the killing of millions of young Americans thus depriving them of their God given Constitutional right to life. These young people have not been given a chance to learn in that first 1000 days and we will never know what difference those lives might have made.

Hagel Can’t Offer Hope in Budget Cuts! See why!

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Jul 282013

Hagel Can’t Offer Hope in Budget Cuts

Jul 21, 2013

Associated Press| by Lara Jakes

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/07/21/pentagon-chief-cant-offer-hope-in-budget-cuts.html?ESRC=dod.nl#jivepostlink#community

Below are the comments from Bob Orleck on the above article. The comments are supportive of our military and of the civilian industry that supports and insures its vitality with what they do.

“It is clear to me and to most everyone else I know that these cuts could be avoided. The political blame game process where those in power (Liberal Democrats) are trying to further their hold on power by making things hurt where they should not in order to further insure they will never be out of power. The whole problem stems from the poor stewardship of the treasures of all Americans through fraud, waste and payoffs to political cronies. In a minute they could find enough of this waste so they would not have to hurt the people who help us the most. I do not see belt tightening by our President or his staff. Yet every time I turn around there are cuts. Even cuts in Honor Guards supplied for military celebrations! How sick is that? Reductions in medical benefits for some with “Tricare for Life”. Makes a mockery out of the sound of its stability (“for life”)! What we need is a constant list in front of us supplied by them as to what they still are funding and not cutting. That should create an embarrassment that even they could not help feeling. I am embarrassed and apologize for their action in hurting these people who insure our safety and well-being. How long will it be before it is too late to come back?”

Pharmacists should beware of participating in Act 39 Physician Assisted Suicide dispensing

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Jul 152013

My name is Bob Orleck.

In reply to an article appearing in the Burlington Free Press

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/comments/article/20130714/NEWS03/307140012/In-Vermont-doctors-prepare-for-a-new-way-of-dying-death-with-dignity-law.

I am a Vermont Pharmacist and as such paid particular attention to the words of Jim Marmar, executive director of the Vermont Pharmacists Association (VPA) who said he felt obligated to provide the lethal medication under Vermont’s Physician Assisted Suicide law. His stated reason was that the process is “working in Oregon and they haven’t repealed it.”.

Over the many years that I have served as a retail pharmacist, I recall the reporting in the drug magazines of surveys that the profession of Pharmacy was the most respected of professions even topping the clergy and doctors. It is not unusual that pharmacy customers tell us they believe we know more than doctors. While not necessarily so it was nice to hear people speak so highly of us. This trust will be lost when pharmacists start doing things like assisting in the death of vulnerable individuals. People trust pharmacists who work to cure people, not to kill them. I have spoken to many who would not trust a pharmacist who is willing to aid in killing someone.

The VPA executive director has the right to say what he wants just as people have a right to choose the pharmacy they want and feel safe at. But he should make sure people know this is his priivate thought and not necessarily of the organization or business he represents. The VPA characterizes itself as one that “strives to build 1 voice for pharmacy” and one that “… enables pharmacists in Vermont to have a unified voice.” As a pharmacist who knows other pharmacists and their feelings, I can assure you that his opinion is not shared by all pharmacists and I would think not by most pharmacists.

It is seems that Mr. Marmar’s opinion is not based on medical or scientific facts or on a clear understanding of this law but solely on the existence of such a law in another state. He recognized that the law does create a “moral dilemma” for pharmacists but not based on the concern that they are participating in the taking of a human life, but because he knows some pharmacist do not want to stock condoms or other products “and this could fall along those lines.”.

Questions come to mind. Did Mr. Marmar canvas his membership on how they felt about being a part of killing a human being and whether they believed his comments represented their feelings? Did he, as I did, attend the Senate and House debates and votes on the law and witness how the Vermont Legislature went down the wrong path of being controlled by special interest politics and emotion while ignoring sound medical judgment, scientific facts and the best interests of Vermonters? Was he there to see how our lawmakers in their desire to have some sort of death law enacted, when faced with what seemed to be defeat of the Oregon style bill, accept carelessly drafted language of an ego driven lawmaker who wanted his way in order to change his vote? Did he watch as they failed to do a critical examination of this work before passing it into law in the last minutes of the legislative session creating a law that Edward J. Mahoney, president of the Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare, characterized in an op-ed piece in the Burlington Free Press as one that could be considered “legislative malpractice by cutting-and-pasting together a law that has great potential to be injurious to one group of people and violates the rights of conscience of another group — clear violations of their legislative oath.”? http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013307070007.

A pharmacist with the knowledge of drug actions and reactions is in a unique position to understand the dangers created by this law. A law that allows a physician to write a prescription for an oral drug to kill a patient who they might have rightfully or wrongfully diagnosed as terminal with six months or less to live creates dangers. This is a law that requires this compromised patient to self-administer this lethal dose that could and in many cases will not work and will cause the patient horrific pain and suffering before and even if they die from the dosed medication. These are side effects that an ethical pharmacist must consider before deciding to participate in dispensing of a drug that could do these very things.

While Mr. Marmar has decided to dispense lethal doses, each pharmacist must decide on his or her own. The statute allows a pharmacist or any health-care professional to opt out of participating in the process. So the pharmacist can choose to do it or not. Neither the state nor the pharmacist’s employer can make them participate in the process. If they are so inclined to take part they should realize that the law does not, as it does with physicians, provide immunity when they do. It is only the physician who has this immunity by very specific language in the statute. One only need ask why there is a necessity for an immunity provision for the physician to realize there is legal liability (possible civil or criminal) and for physicians to participate the law needed to provide that protection. It does not take much thought to realize that a pharmacist just might have need of that same immunity and without it they are vulnerable and exposed. I suppose the lawmakers thought they could get the pharmacists on-board without those protections. For a total of five or possibly a few more than five prescriptions statewide per year with the dangers these few prescriptions bring should surely dictate against pharmacist participation. When a litigious minded person realizes that the physician is off limits for a lawsuit, they just might well look to the next person down the line to sue and that would be the pharmacist and pharmacy that chose to take part.

So where does that leave the pharmacist legally if they do not have this stated immunity? They would have to rely on their malpractice insurance for coverage in some cases but there will be areas where that might not be sufficient. The pharmacist should make sure their insurance carrier covers the many fact situations that could arise under this law including possible allegations of criminal wrongdoing in causing the death of a person. The pharmacist had better make sure their employer is on-board with them or they could even lose their employment.

Pharmacists and pharmacies, instead of following the lead of their VPA executive director, should carry on their practice in the traditional and caring way that pharmacists have done over the centuries and as a result they will still command the respect of those they serve, will not jeopardize their license, livelihood, personal positions and welfare of their family and they will be able to sleep soundly at night with a clear conscience that they did not harm to vulnerable valuable human life.

There were two replies to my commentary.

Suzanne G Butterfield · Burdett College

just say NO

Reply · 1 · Unlike · about an hour ago
Carolyn McMurray · Works at Sacred Heart St. Francis Church

Let’s hope our pharmacists pay attention to Bob Orleck, who speaks from his knowledge of the drugs that will be prescribed rather than relying on Oregon reports that cannot tell us the truth, because they are based on data provided by physicians who in most cases are not even there when patients commit suicide using the drugs they prescribed. A 2000 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that physicians in the Netherlands stepped in and euthanized patients in 18% of assisted suicide cases, because the drugs did not work as they were supposed to. In Vermont the law leaves euthanasia illegal, which is fortunate because we also know that people are being euthanized in the Netherlands without their consent. So, for a very few patients, some of whom will suffer and others of whom will not die, we are going to expose every single terminally ill patient in Vermont to the shock of hearing from the doctor not only that he is dying but that assisted suicide is one of the options available to him. How sick and how dangerous! If a pharmacist filled a lethal prescription for one of my relatives, you can bet I’d sue under this law, which certainly allows me to.

Reply · 2 · Unlike · 50 minutes ago

Oregon’s PAS it ain’t what its claimed to be!

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Jul 152013

This is a commentary post by Bob Orleck in response and sent to the Burlington Free Press re: End of Life-Oregon Experience

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20130714/NEWS03/307140013/End-life-law-Oregon-experience

The final third of this article is right on and shows a fair presentation of the other side of this emotional and political issue of physician assisted suicide. The reported advice from a physician that they “…need to consider why they went into medicine” could and should be applied by all health care providers including pharmacists, for which I am one. These caring professions that have such a rich history of preserving and fighting for life have been turned up-side-down overnight and the result will be loss of trust between patient and provider. Patients want to be taken care of and not killed. Most patients I have talked to do not even want to ask their doctor what they believe for fear of finding out that their beloved physician would kill someone.

The first part of article is full of errors and at best omissions and misinterpretations of key information. The article, if believed shows few problems in the dosing of patients in Oregon. The reason that seems so is because they have little or no reporting system that would uncover any problems that do in fact happen. By reading the flowery departure accounts of Gideonse and Crumpacker and the implications that flow from them that such applies to all cases, you would be deceived. There was no physician present in 64 of the 77 cases and there is no requirement that a report be obtained from those individuals who might have been present at the death. So the only reports we have are from at best, the 13 where physicians were present.

“Patients have to be able to self-ingest 4 to 6 ounces of liquid medication without throwing up. That, too, has disqualified patients”, Gideonse said. How would he know that in advance if a patient was able to do that? And how would he know what happened in the 77 deaths in 2012?

One would believe that the data shows that “The median time between ingesting the medicine and losing consciousness is five minutes, and the median time from ingestion to death is 25 minutes. The truth is that out of 77 who died in 2012 in Oregon under the law, 66 of those cases are reported as it being unknown if they had any complications. This article refers to these 77 people. I repeat that by its own account* the Oregon Public Health Division indicated it was unknown whether 66 of those 77 had any complications. There is no report on these 66 souls. http://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Documents/year15.pdf .

When the Oregon law first went into effect it only asked but did not require the prescribing physicians to interview and report on certain facts from those present when the patient took the lethal dose and died. In 2010 they even changed that procedure to eliminate those interviews and only asked for information from the physician or health care worker if they were present at the time of the death but did not require that they be present. At least 64 out of 77 dying in 2012 did not have an attending physician. So if no one else is interviewed, there is no information at all. If there is no information at all, no one can definitively state there are no problems! That happens to be the situation with 86% of those who died pursuant to the Oregon law in 2012.

Just saying there is adequate reporting in Oregon when in fact there is not, does not make it truth. The truth is that no one is talking (or reporting) and the deceased cannot. You have heard it said that “dead men tell no lies”. Well, they cannot tell the truth either of how real and intense their pain and suffering was after they took the lethal dose but before they died. If not from the grave, the suffering these people experience does cry out from statistics elsewhere that have been kept and it is reasonable to predict that a large percentage of those who died in Oregon in 2012 had serious complications from the point of ingestion to the point of death. What statistics support this?

In the Netherlands, assisted-suicide complications and problems are not uncommon. One Dutch study found that, because of problems or complications, doctors in the Netherlands felt compelled to intervene (by giving a lethal injection) in 18% of cases.(21) This led Dr. Sherwin Nuland of Yale University of Medicine to question the credibility of Oregon’s lack of reported complications. Nuland, who favors physician-assisted suicide, noted that the Dutch have had years of practice to learn ways to overcome complications, yet complications are still reported. “The Dutch findings seem more credible [than the Oregon reports],” see http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/oregon-ten-years/

In that same post a member of the British Parliament when considering the Oregon report; “…questioned the lack of reported complications associated with assisted suicide in Oregon. After hearing witnesses from Oregon claim that there had been no complications (other than “regurgitation”) associated with more than 200 assisted-suicide deaths, Lord McColl of Dulwich, a surgeon, questioned that assertion. He said that, in his practice as a physician, “if any surgeon or physician had told me that he did 200 procedures without any complications, I knew he possibly needed counseling and had no insight. We come here and I am told there are no complications. There is something strange going on “(23)”

Who is gaining what from who on installed solar panels

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Jul 112013

Bob Orleck comments on the article “Tensions rise as credits for solar cut into utility budgets; VEC is the third utility to hit 4 percent cap – See more at: http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/10/tensions-rise-as-credits-for-solar-cut-into-utility-budgets/#comment-63536”

It is hard to miss seeing the large solar orchards around the state. Sometimes you see solar panels on homes and businesses. For the benefit of those who have not installed solar but might be considering it could someone address the tax credits and/or other incentives that were given for these larger and smaller projects to be built and what role that played in this burgeoning solar business.

More to come on this.

Vermont Physician Assisted Suicide (Casualties are acceptable)

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Jul 102013

True Dignity Vermont is a grassroots, independent, citizen-led initiative in opposition to assisted suicide in Vermont. Vermonters deserve true dignity and compassion at the end of life, not the abandonment of assisted suicide. Killing is not compassion, and True Dignity Vermont will work to ensure our end-of-life choices respect the dignity of all Vermont citizens.

Pharmacist and Legislative Observer: Physician-assisted Suicide Was More Important to Vermont Legislators Than the Wrongful and Tragic Loss of Innocent Human Life

July 12, 2013 by Administrators

Bob Orleck, who sent us the article in italics below, was in the Senate and House for every stage of the debate and knows exactly what happened. As a pharmacist with detailed knowledge of how the suicide drugs work, Bob is appalled that this law was passed.

A very accurate analysis of what Act 39 (physician assisted suicide) will mean in real life practice to real hurting people was written by Edward J. Mahoney, Vermont Alliance for Ethical Health Care, and was published in the 5 July edition of the Burlington Free Press (http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013307070007).

While Mr. Mahoney has pointed to many legislative errors, there will be more discovered as application of this law meets the multitude of fact situations and abuses that will present. What was clear from the beginning, even with consideration of the Oregon style bill before it morphed into what we got, was that Vermont’s liberal legislature for political reasons refused to deliberate on the many dangerous facets of this legislation. They focused solely on appealing to special interests both in and out of our State of Vermont and ignored the good of the people. Their work is an embarrassment and needs to be fixed. To have a special session though, with the same cast of characters who walk in lock step, will probably prove fruitless. They were blind to the truth then and they will most likely chose to stay in the dark in the future. A special session though, driven by a realization that serious errors were made, might lead to a more sufficient vetting of the issues and a change in course for our lawmakers, one that realizes they went down the wrong path of being controlled by ignorance, politics and emotion instead of by sound medical judgment, scientific facts and the best interests of Vermonters.

Our Vermont legislators in their last minute rush to salvage what appeared to be certain rejection of the Oregon styled Physician Assisted Suicide bill, made a deal with an ego driven lawmaker to get some manner of death legislation. In so doing they threw caution to the wind, carelessly drafted language, then failed to do critical examination of their work and instead cranked up the emotion level and crammed it though with pressure from Governor Shumlin and by the recognized hard work of Speaker Shap Smith, who maneuvered and controlled the House debate to gain passage of the bill in his chamber. This may well be the undoing of at least both of these politicians, who did not do their homework on this last minute compromise and who should pay the price by being turned out of office in the future for violating the trust they were given by the people not to do harm. In that they failed miserably and should be held accountable by the voters.

It was so hard to watch the actions of the legislature move toward the passage of physician assisted suicide when there was so much valid and scientific evidence available and presented that was ignored. I could not understand this until True Dignity Vermont made the point that cleared up the whole matter for me. Casualties were acceptable! As simple as that! That is why the legislators ignored the doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, nurses and ethicists. They knew from the beginning exactly what they were doing and what the cost of doing it would be, and there was no way they were going to allow facts to stand in the way.

Throughout the debate on this bad law, Act 39, it was amazing how easily the majority of Vermont lawmakers accepted the fiction that physicians can accurately predict the amount of life left in a person. Medicare and hospice require that a patient, to be eligible for coverage, must have a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less to live if their condition is allowed to run its natural course. It was never intended that this physician’s prognosis be the basis for making a person eligible for a procedure to make that death happen before the six months. So many times these predictions are wrong and the patient lives much longer. In fact under the care provided by hospice their life can and is often prolonged beyond what it would otherwise have been before the six month prediction. This was not meant to be a pronouncement to trigger a life ending procedure but one to provide care to a person who is dying and needs support. But the death proponents had to have a test so they latched on to these often used but scientifically lacking guesses that physicians are called upon to make. For widespread acceptability of physician assisted suicide the proponents had to limit the application to those patients who appeared to be facing imminent death. Without such, they would have failed. But what is troubling to my thinking is that I believe they knew quite well that the test was flawed but were willing to accept that because they had to win at any cost.

I am a pharmacist, and so many times I tried to point out to the lawmakers that there were dangers in the dosing procedure that was to be used to bring about the death and that those dangers would result in botched attempts, horrific side effects and even exacerbation of already painful situations for a large percentage of dying patients. In some cases the patient would not even die from the procedure but would surely suffer greatly. I asked our legislators to address the objective facts supporting my opinion but could not get them to even respond other than to say they thought the bill had safeguards and was a good bill. They had to avoid this evidence just as they accepted the fictional certainty of a six month physician prognosis in order to get their death bill passed. They had to realize there would be casualties along the way but that would be acceptable in order to accomplish their death on demand objective. They wanted this death law and considered the price affordable. For these folks, physician assisted suicide was more important to them than the wrongful and tragic loss of an innocent human life. But now it appears that in their zeal to get the job done, they carelessly and negligently created a monster that will keep raising its ugly head and doing more damage than even they had expected and that might just cost them their position of power.

death

Wind Turbines on Vermont ridgelines

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Jul 052013

Bob Orleck comments about article: “State, Vermont Yankee enter homestretch in relicensing process by Andrew Stein | July 5, 2013 – See more at: http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/05/state-vermont-yankee-enter-home-stretch-in-relicensing-process/#sthash.eEsegEbD.dpuf”

Sure sounds like the deck is stacked against Entergy. I am more concerned about the over effects on our wonderful Vermont when I think about the Governor wanting to see wind turbines on all the ridgelines. Talk about environmental and economic destruction. And what will we get out of it. Higher taxes, an ugly state, pockets of special interests padded and so many beholden to our misdirected politicians that they will be elected again to make things get even worse for our children in the future. I sure wish people would open their eyes and see what this liberal establishment is doing to us.

Trip to Turkey makes Vermont AG a better attorney?

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Jul 042013

Bob Orleck Responding to (http://vtdigger.org/2013/06/13/sorrell-describes-scene-of-turkish-unrest/)

I went to this article expecting to hear some real news but got absolutely nothing but that William Sorrell thinks he will be a better attorney because of his visit. Wow! That was real news!

I am not sure what good purpose was accomplished by him going there and what he was indoctrinated with and why by the Turkish civilian government. What is happening in Turkey needs to be accurately and more completely reported. Turkey was at one time one of America’s most reliable allies in the Middle East and its people enjoyed similar freedoms to ours, but no longer. Democracy is no longer the order of the day. Its own people are trying to stand up for democracy and against the tyranny coming from those very people who got the ear of our AG, but are being suppressed and victimized by those leaders. Very little coverage is being devoted by the American press to the injustices happening in Turkey. This report is one more example of that.

Simple research as to what has happened there in the Sledgehammer (Balyoz) cases, Mr. Attorney General, might open your eyes and might in fact make you a better attorney by insuring we never do here what has been done there. Over half of the Admiralty of the Turkish Navy, good men, and Turkish patriots who have defended in Turkey the kind of freedom we take for granted in the United States, have been arrested and imprisoned on fabricated, doctored digital evidence that they conspired to overthrow the Islamist Turkish Republic. When the evidence that was used to convict over 400 of Turkey’s top military leaders was generated in 2003 has reference to happenings in 2006 there is something wrong with that kind of evidence.

Even more wrong is when the courts and prosecutors, who are controlled by the executive think that is OK! There is no recourse for these imprisoned and the citizens of Turkey except hopefully from political pressure from countries like the United States. Injustice is the order of the day in Turkey and it now appears that those perpetrators are trying to get a friendly ear from officials from the US. I hope they did not accomplish that. The military leaders I spoke of are now in prison for no offense other than being pro-western and caring for the rule of law in what is becoming more and more a fundamentalist dictatorship. Maybe their lawyers and judges should come here, learn what the rule of law is all about and then go back to Turkey and practice justice instead of injustice. It would have been better for us, Mr. Attorney General, if you had spoken with Senator Patrick Leahy before you went over there for he has some real knowledge and I am sure sincere concerns about it that he would have shared with you.

Demonstrator holds pic of Admiral Gurdinez and his book