Death Panels (Yes, Again)

With the political blogosphere going practically all Sarah Palin all the time I think it is worthwhile to revisit the "death panel" debate. Particularly since I see it repeatedly mentioned as being ridiculous, beyond belief, and proof that somehow Palin is unfit for office. She may well be unfit for office, but her death panel claim isn't the reason why.

As I wrote back in August, are rumors of death panels greatly exaggerated? Here's an excerpt of an interview of President Obama (h/t Slate's Kausfiles):

THE PRESIDENT: So that's where I think you just get into some very difficult moral issues. But that's also a huge driver of cost, right?

I mean, the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health care bill out here.

LEONHARDT: So how do you - how do we deal with it?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that there is going to have to be a conversation that is guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists. And then there is going to have to be a very difficult democratic conversation that takes place. It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions just through the normal political channels. And that's part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance. It's not determinative, but I think has to be able to give you some guidance. And that's part of what I suspect you'll see emerging out of the various health care conversations that are taking place on the Hill right now. [E.A]

The President is talking about a panel to make medical treatment decisions in order to reduce costs.

You may not want to believe the U.S. government would ever do such a thing, but listen to the words. Palin's fitness for high office has no relevance in this debate. She has in rather stark terms made clear what is at the heart of Obama's consideration of what he concedes are "difficult moral choices."