Obama orders end to the practice of denying same-sex partners hospital visits

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I'm pretty sure Hitler made a similar decree at some point.

But really... I ask again. Was this even really a problem? Are we now just scoring free points with key constituencies?

I don't know whether this is a problem. I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt, have quite a few gay friends and have never heard of anything like this happening here.

I really have zero problem with this rule as a matter of course, but does the President even have the power to do this? Isn't the spending power solely under Congress' control?

I guess to find out, we'll have to have a hospital who really wants to keep gay partners apart and is willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect their right to do so.

Yes it happens and yes, it is a problem. ICU rules almost always state "family only". If your same sex partner IS your family, they should be able to be there.

It is a federal government issue because because it is a civil rights issue.

All Presidents make executive orders. ALL. GW made 291 of them. Chill people.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DGTess

Mind you, I'm all for all the visitors the patient wants. Last time I was hospitalized, I told the staff "NO visitors but my spouse and son" and told them no more than 1/2 hour each day -- but that's me. When I'm sick I don't want to see anyone.

And from reading the memo, I think this is really the point -- who the patient wants (or doesn't want) to come in should trump a hospital's "family only" rule. As I read, it does no more than say that if a patient wants a companion to whom he or she is not legally married or in a civil union with to come be able to visit, the hospital can't say "No, family only."

I can see some concern about the federal goverment being involved to begin with, but I can see the other side, too.

Originally Posted by AGDee

All Presidents make executive orders. ALL. GW made 291 of them. Chill people.

This. (Only I don't think this even rises to the level of an executive order).

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I can see some concern about the federal goverment being involved to begin with, but I can see the other side, too.

Yep.

It shouldn't just be about what people PERSONALLY agree with. People are quick to speak out when it's something they don't agree with. For everything that you (in general) personally agree with, there are people who disagree with it. More importantly, there are people such as myself who can think about the potential outcome of something regardless of whether we personally agree with it.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Yep.

It shouldn't just be about what people PERSONALLY agree with. People are quick to speak out when it's something they don't agree with. For everything that you (in general) personally agree with, there are people who disagree with it. More importantly, there are people such as myself who can think about the potential outcome of something regardless of whether we personally agree with it.

THIS!

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by AGDee

All Presidents make executive orders. ALL. GW made 291 of them. Chill people.

And a lot of people didn't "chill" when GW made some of his "executive orders."