The Death of Common Sense

It’s book recommendation time. Don’t have time to read? I’ll be your crib notes.
The title is “The Death of Common Sense: How Law is Suffocating America” by Philip Kay Howard (I'm specifically thinking you, JR, may like this).
I’d use his examples, but I have my own.
During Hurricane Katrina the evacuation of EVERYBODY was ordered.
Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy. Some hospitals had the capacity to remove their patients and get them to safety. Others, meaning most, did not.
Some doctors and nurses, due to their commitment to their patients, remained behind. They chose not to go home, grab their things, and run for their lives. My guess is they did this due to the understanding people they were caring for did not have the capacity to escape themselves. They wanted to save who they could in light of a tragedy and imminent danger to THEMSELVES.
These professionals have families too. They also have people who love them. However, they stayed behind to treat other people’s families.
When the lights went out, when the cooling system died, and the food ran out, they still had patients. Everybody was still waiting for help, an evacuation, medical supplies, that hadn’t come.
I’m sure they did what they had to do to save as many lives as they could.
After the waters had cleared, three of these healthcare professionals, an oncologist and two nurses, were charged with a wrongful death suit.
One patient’s family alleged they had administered a “lethal cocktail” to their elderly, decrepit family member. The family wanted to be compensated for THEIR loss.
Where was the family when this happened? Probably, safely somewhere else. Who was by the dying woman’s bedside. These professionals were there. Then they got sued and dragged through court.
The suit went to court, it tied up our judicial system, and our taxpayers money. That could have been spent elsewhere.
In the end, the two nurses said they would both share what they knew about the oncologist. Then they gave some details to the grand jury, but not enough to take the oncologist to trial. Charges were dropped.
Did anyone really think they would sell each other out here?
I’d call this The Death of Common Sense and How It Impedes Our Right to Life
Some rights can and have been exercised, ex. Civil Rights. I encourage individual’s or groups to reclaim our “right to life.”
Philip Howard states “ New rights aren’t rights at all: they are blunt powers masquerading under the name of rights.”
He states, “Handing out rights was supposed to provide justice in a fragmented society” then he proceeds to explain, “special interest groups can define the scope of its new power through the courts, not through elective representatives."
Maybe the right to universal health care should be proven through the courts. Insurance companies are legally protected from criminal litigation.
Our health care providers are not. Again, insurance companies get a pay with astronomical malpractice insurance costs; however, in seventeen states (New Hampshire included) they can be civilly sued for “delaying care.”
How much do you think a person’s life is worth? I’ve met plenty of people who have a case. None of them will sue. They won’t even allow me to mention their names.
They’ve all ready fought too many battles. They’ve fought for payment and lost. They’ve searched everywhere for funds. They think they’ve lost it all. What they wanted was to spare themselves from disease.
Maybe they wanted a prophylactic oophectomy (just in case ovarian removal) when genetic testing showed they have the gene after their mother died from ovarian cancer, but the insurance wouldn’t pay. When they started feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and tired the insurance didn’t think it was grounds for an ultrasound, forget about a CT or PET. So they waited, and waited, and waited, until the suffering was too much, only to be diagnosed with metastasized ovarian cancer and given months to live.
Maybe this happens.
They all ready have their death sentence. Now, they just want peace and quiet with their family. They have picked their battles. They won’t step up, they are all ready too beaten down.
I understand, I pick my battles all the time, but this should never happen to me or to anyone else.