New Mexico Watchman

The New Mexico State Legislature is expected to hear proposed legislation entitled “Medical Aid in Dying (MAID)” during the 2019 legislative session that begins in January in Santa Fe, NM.

Medical Aid in Dying, also known as Death with Dignity, Physician Assisted Suicide and End of Life Options, allows a physician to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to a patient with the understanding that the medication is to be used to cause the death of the patient as the result of suicide.  The legislation declares the physician free of any legal consequences as the result of participating in the death.

The rationale for Medical Aid in Dying is that it is a compassionate alternative for those suffering from a terminal illness.  The prescription is intended to bring a life to an end, thus hastening the inevitable death.  The reasoning behind Medical Aid in Dying is the same as for euthanasia:  the desire for a compassionate end of life and the avoidance of suffering.

“Safeguards” are prescribed in the legislation in an attempt to avoid the exploitation of the death.  The patient must initiate the suicide by requesting his or her own death.  The patient must self-administer a lethal dose of prescribed medication.  The physician must concur and prescribe the lethal dose.  A consulting physician must concur.  And a single family member must agree.  The result is irreversible:  the patient dies.

The following are concerns surrounding this legislation.

1.  Disregard for Human Life
   A disregard for human life inevitably follows state-sanctioned killing, regardless of the safeguards.  The European experiment began with physician-assisted suicide.  The weak and vulnerable are very susceptible and eventually succumb to the growing demand for their deaths.  Today euthanizing infants is in practice there.
2. Uncertainty Regarding a Diagnosis of Terminal Illness
   A diagnosis of terminal illness is not always accurate.  Estimating the end of life can vary dramatically.  An example of a missed prognosis is Ms. Aja Riggs, diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2011 and the plaintiff in the case for assisted suicide that was overruled by the New Mexico Supreme Court in 2016.  According to all accounts Ms. Riggs is enjoying her prolonged life.

3. Inherent Corruption of the Patient-Doctor Relationship
   Third, there is a corruption of the patient-doctor relationship.  The physician-patient relationship is a complex one.  The physician’s authority holds exceptional weight in prescribing a treatment regime.  Once a physician recommends suicide, the patient’s healing is necessarily compromised.  The patient’s expectation is that the best decisions are being made on his or her behalf.  That assurance comes into conflict with the suggestion of taking one’s life.
4. Economic Incentives for Promoting Suicide
   The economic incentives inherent in providing a patient with a premediated death are obvious.  The insurance industry is offering to pay for Medical Aid in Dying in lieu of expensive, life-extending medical treatment.  The preservation of inheritance is another obvious factor.  The wealthy are especially vulnerable to death by those seeking an inheritance.
   
5. Familial Relationship Compromised
   Familial relationships are compromised.  The adage that property divides families following the death of parents is axiomatic.  Such factors as single parenthood and geographic distances have diminished familial relationships.  We live in an era in which government has enable the destruction of the American family.  We are a nation of 13.6 million single parents, for example.  Assuming that family members always have the best interest of the patient in mind is fallacious.

6. Human Dignity and Equality before the Law
   Our nation’s judiciary is based on the idea of human dignity and equality before the law.  The argument for Medical Aid in Dying is that a patient’s dignity, autonomy and self-control are inherent in planning their own death, but the opposite may be true.  A person facing their own demise may not experience dignity and autonomy.  Prejudging a dying person’s state of mind and their ability to make end of life decisions introduces major uncertainty.  You cannot offer equality – much less human dignity – to the deceased.

7. Wrongful Death Lawsuits
   Wrongful death lawsuits may be filed against those not covered by the law who participate in a Medical Aid in Dying event.  Anyone with standing can disagree with a Medical Aid in Dying case and claim that the death was the result of carelessness or was a dangerous, intentional act of deceit.
   
8. Palliative Care and Other Treatment Choices
   Palliative care, pain management and hospice are always viable alternatives to killing the patient, avoiding all of the above.

9. When Death becomes Commonplace
   When the taking of life becomes commonplace, complacency about taking life follows.  What follows assisted suicide is euthanasia.  In the Netherlands in 1990, deaths from euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide were 1.7% of deaths.  By 2015 the number had increased to 4.5%, a 250% increase.  Normalization and acceptance of death have always resulted in an escalation.

10. Judeo-Christian Principles
    If we were to add another insight, it would be that the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our nation point only to respect for and choosing life in each and every case, from natural birth to natural death.  The burden of having enabled a patient’s death should not be laid on a physician or others trained to heal and preserve life.

New Mexico Watchman
www.nmwatchman.com

A resolution to endorse Medical Assistance in Dying is being proposed by Santa Fe City Council Woman Carol Romero-Wirth.  Mrs. Romero-Wirth is asking the City Council to endorse allowing physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication to those deemed terminally ill. 

The Medical Assistance in Dying legislation (formerly titled Physician Assisted Suicide, Death with Dignity and End of Life Option) has been addressed by the New Mexico State Legislature and will again in the January 2019 session.  The Santa Fe City Council resolution endorses and encourages passage of the state legislation.

Public comment will not be taken on the issue this evening, Monday, July 16, 2018, but may be open during next week’s City Council session.  We encourage all Santa Feans to contact their Councilors and encourage them to vote “No” on Medical Assistance in Dying.

Alan Webber
Mayor
(505) 955-6590
mayor@santafenm.gov

                                                                     SANTA FE CITY COUNCILORS

Renee Villarreal
District 1 Councilor
(505) 955-2345
rdvillarreal@santafenm.gov

Signe I. Lindell
District 1 Councilor
(505) 955-6812
silindell@santafenm.gov

Peter Ives
District 2 Councilor
(505) 955-6816
pnives@santafenm.gov

Carol Romero-Wirth
District 2 Councilor
(505) 955-6815
cromero-wirth@santafenm.gov

Chris Rivera
District 3 Councilor
(505) 955-6818
cmrivera@santafenm.gov

Roman “Tiger” Abeyta
District 3 Councilor
(505) 955-6814
rrabeyta@santafenm.gov

Michael Harris
District 4 Councilor
(505) 955-6817
maharris@santafenm.gov

JoAnne Vigil Coppler
District 4 Councilor
(505) 955-6811
jvcoppler@santafenm.gov

Carol Romero-Wirth
District 2 Councilor
(505) 955-6815
cromero-wirth@santafenm.gov

We are praising God today, Monday, June 4, 2018.  The United States Supreme Court decided in favor of Mr. Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker who was sued by two homosexuals for not baking a wedding cake for them.

Had Mr. Phillips lost the case, freedom to practice Christianity in the market place would have severely damaged if not ended.  Seven justices voted in favor of Mr. Phillips and two against.

We are in an era in which silencing Christianity and traditional values is being forced upon us.  For example, California Assembly Bill 2943 “Unlawful business practices: sexual orientation change efforts” if passed, will make it illegal to counsel anyone regarding changing their sexual orientation or publishing anything suggesting reorientation to heterosexuality might occur.

Nevertheless we thank God for Mr. Phillip’s victory.  Thank God for this day.

New Mexico Watchman

Law in New Mexico comes by way of an elongated process sometimes taking years of persistent effort.  During a 30-Day Session, social issues take a back seat to financial concerns.  For a bill to be heard, first the Governor must “send a message,” allowing the bill to move forward.  Secondly, the Floor Leadership must assign the bill to a Committee.  Thirdly, the Chair of Committee must schedule the bill for a hearing.

The only legislation we are following that is approved by Governor Martinez is HB 56  Parental Notification of an Abortion.  The Speaker of the House, Rep. Brian Egolf, has assigned the bill to the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, Rep. Eliseo Alcon, Chair.  Mr. Alcon has not scheduled the bill for a hearing.

(Mr. Alcon may be embarrassed by the fact the last year he purposely call a committee hearing on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m., assuming most persons interested in the legislation would be in church.  A church service was held in the Rotunda of the Capitol and a record number of testimonies in support of the bill was heard.)

Hearing HB 56 Parental Notification of an Abortion should move forward this legislative session and should be heard.

Please call Mr. Alcon at his capitol office at (505) 986-4425 and ask him to schedule HB 56  Parental Notification of an Abortion for a hearing.

Also, please pray for our New Mexico State Legislature, Mr. Alcon and the legislators that represent you.

New Mexico Watchman

Since the Supreme Court sanctioned homosexual “marriage,” there have been endless attacks on individuals and organizations that advocate a Christian worldview.  Guidestar is the latest organization to adopt an anti-Christian stance.

Guidestar is largest organization that provides information on the country’s nonprofits.  Nonprofits rely on donations, and philanthropic organizations rely on Guidestar for information about them.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a pro-homosexual organization that began in the early ‘70s with a civil rights focus.  The law office became active suing the Ku Klux Klan for example.  More recently the organization has focused on supporting homosexual activism, immigration and the separation of church and state.   The Southern Poverty Law Center targets conservative Christian organizations, labeling them “hate groups.”

This month, June 2017, Guidestar partnered with the Southern Poverty Law Center.  The result is that 46 Christian organizations have been labeled “hate groups” by Guidestar.  Groups such as Focus on the Family and Family Research Council have been so labeled.  Guidestar has temporarily removed the labeling.

Guidestar does not appear interested in hearing from the Christian community, claiming that input in defense of a Christian worldview had turned into “harassment and threats” against their staff.

Nevertheless, if you would like to contact Guidestar with your concern, you can email edu@guidestar.org, outreach@guidestar.org or fax (757) 229-8912.

The Guidestar slogan is “Better data. Better decisions. Better world.”  Please let Guidestar know there is nothing better in labeling Christian organization as “hate groups.

Lastly, please pray for Guidestar and its founder, Arthur “Buzz” Schmidt.

Thank you and God bless you.

New Mexico Watchman

Prior to Santa Fe’s vote on the Sugar Tax, Mayor Javier Gonzales, held a meeting at the United Universal Church with Santa Fe’s liberal clergy.
The purpose of the meeting was to justify taking 3 year olds into a government run day-care program and taxing sugar.  That position was addressed in a resent article in the Santa Fe New Mexican by columnist Milan Simonich.  The column can be seen at the following link.

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/local_columns/gonzales-gets-lesson-from-santa-fe-voters/article_18bc303d-fc5a-5930-83c7-d937c8bcce4f.html

I thank Mr. Simonich for his his position, writing on this subject in a lucid and cogent way, exposing the hypocrisy and manipulation of our current Mayor.

JD Vasquez
nmwatchman@comcast.net

The question facing Santa Feans in the city’s proposed Sugar Tax is, “Can government be a better parent than Mom and Dad?”  The tax increases government by hiring an administration to pay for day-care from providers without training, who then assumes the role of parent.  Rather than helping families economically, the Sugar Tax takes more of the family’s resources, then and hires pseudo-mom and dads in their place.

Also, the long-term value of pre-K programs diminishes and disappears by the 3^rd grade.  “Fade out,” the phenomenon of non-pre-K children catching up academically with those enrolled in pre K, has been researched and documented.

Let’s avoid government intrusion and keep New Mexico families and their resources in their homes where they belong.  The government is not a good sugar daddy and the Sugar Tax is not a good idea.