Friday, March 12, 2010

In Favor of Death Panels


I’ve seen a lot of talk about the “Death Panels” used to discredit Obama care and I have to say I’m totally in favor of a death panel, but it’s not what you think.

Watching the U.S. from the outside is like an animal lover watching the movie Old Yeller. I know the dog is suffering and as much as it hurts me I know that dog needs to be put down in a quick and humane manner lest it linger and suffer, either way however the dog still dies.

The U.S. is like Old Yeller suffering from a disease that will inevitably kill it.

The major difference is there has been no decision on when or if to euthanize the country and there is no mechanism to make such a decision. This is the kind of Death Panel that America truly needs, a non partisan highly skilled panel that can look at the least damaging ways to wind down and reset a nation. If it is too sick to save put it down now and begin to rebuild rather than suffer a long painful death.

Who should head this Panel?

Damned if I know!
I would expect you’d want economists, constitutionalists, State delegates, philosophers and political scientists but no bloody politicians or bankers, they’ve caused more than enough damage already.

Their Mandate?

To develop a transition plan from today’s debt ridden, top down, police state to some rational, affordable, sustainable model that respects the rights of both the people and the individual states while diluting the power of lobbyists, bankers and corporations. In my model I’d like to see more Vermont style town meetings and less mention of Washington DC, more hard currency and less paper, less big banks and more community banks and credit unions, more people and less corporations making decisions.

Might it create a new nation(s)?

If there is going to be any real change all ideas including allowing secessions must be entertained. In the end, provided the panel gives the people and the states what they deserve within the union I don’t see everyone running for the door. Should they fail however the States should be allowed to leave individually or as new regional nations.

Despite the painful decision, the boy in Old Yeller did the right thing and in the end got a new healthy puppy. Perhaps a nation can achieve a similar result if they make the expedient decisions.

It's worth a conversation at least.