Hooray for Holmes' bill to bring Right to Die to Illinois

Hooray for Holmes' bill to bring Right to Die to Illinois

Assistant Illinois Senate Majority leader Linda Holmes introduced SB3499 Friday. It would create end-of-life options for the Terminally Ill Patients Act in Illinois. If passed, Illinois would join 11 other states that permit end of life options for terminally ill patients.

Holmes’ bill has a number of restrictions greatly limiting its use. But it’s a start. It’s only available to the terminally ill with a ‘six months or less’ prognosis. The patients must verbally request lethal drugs from their doctor twice within 5 days and follow up with a written statement. Their doctor must certify the patient is mentally competent to tender such a request.

As a fairly healthy 79 year old, I’m not imminently close to needing a right to die option in Illinois. But I certainly want it available to me if and when that stark crisis knocks on my door. Every Illinoisan deservers that right.

The Illinois legislature should pass Holmes’ Right To Die bill without delay. Don’t let it die in committee.

 

February 13, 2024, a dastardly Senate day

 February 13, 2024, a dastardly Senate day

The Senate approved $95 billion for more genocide in Gaza, more endless destruction in Ukraine, possible war with China.

The lopsided vote of 79-22 was pushed thru by the Democratic Senate majority, further cementing their premier status as top war promoting party, squandering over a trillion dollars a year for laughably termed ‘defense.’

Only 3 of 51 Democratic senators, including independent Bernie, voted against this boondoggle certain to add hundreds more thousand dead in Gaza and Ukraine. It also provides billions for weaponizing Taiwan against an imaginary Chinese invasion 1guarantees endless and unnecessary diplomatic and military tension there.

While Republicans have no credibility as a peace party, they only gave 22 of their 48 votes to squander US treasure so vitally needed for the homeland. The House GOP is the last roadblock keeping Biden from sending endless innocents to an early death. The pressure on House Republicans to cave is enormous.

While President Biden laughs off charges he’s failing physically and mentally, it’s clear his mind is laser focused destroying his governmental legacy. Much worse, he’s destroying 2 peoples and their homelands simply to promote the ludicrous notion America still controls the world.

Walt Zlotow

West Suburban Peace Coalition

Glen Ellyn IL

Why Biden’s $61 billion in weapons for Ukraine won’t prevent inevitable defeat

 Why Biden’s $61 billion in weapons for Ukraine won’t prevent inevitable defeat

 

For 4 months President Biden has been beseeching Congress to grant another $61 billion in aid to Ukraine to continue their 2 year war with Russia. This is on top of $113 billion that has made no dent in Ukraine’s efforts to prevail against overwhelming Russian forces.

Biden could give Ukraine a trillion dollars in aid but it’s essentially worthless because Ukraine is running out of soldiers to use US weapons.

A dozen Ukrainian soldiers and commanders told the Washington Post that personnel deficits are at their lowest point ever.

One mechanized brigade battalion commander advised he’s down to 40 soldiers from a normal 200 to hold off the Russian advance. Another mentioned the same shortage in his unit.

Replacements are scares since August when Zelensky fired all recruitment office heads due to corruption. That’s caused a dramatic decline in replacements still not solved.

But if Biden gets his $61 billion he’d be better off tossing it into a bonfire instead of squandering it on more weapons for Ukraine. That will only prolong a war that was lost on Day One, 717 days ago. Had Biden not torpedoed a peace deal nearly inked in the first month, over 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers would still be alive, the Ukraine economy would not be devastated, and Ukraine may not have lost a single square mile of territory.

Biden knows the $61 billion more will not turn the tide. But as Pete Seeger sang about LBJ continuing to fight a lost war in Vietnam 57 years ago, in today’s White House…’The Big Fool says to push on.’

Biden shattering Gaza is shattering Democratic unity for November 5

Biden shattering Gaza is shattering Democratic unity for November 5

President Biden has given Israel over 25,000 tons of weapons to complete their genocidal ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. He has given them public support for 126 days of unrelenting genocidal war on Gaza. He has used his veto to stop the UN calls for ceasefire. He’s labeled International Court of Justice calls for Israel to cease their apparent genocide in Gaza “meritless. This makes President Biden as guilty of committing genocide in Gaza as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Tho it pales in comparison to Gaza’s destruction, Biden’s complicity is destroying his re-election bid. About half of his 81,200,000 voters in 2020 believe he’s committing genocide. He’s being hounded at campaign stops with signs and shouts of ‘Genocide Joe.’ It's likely millions of them will either vote for a third party peace candidate or simply skip the presidential race November 5. That could sink Biden’s prospects in the swing states critical to victory.

Biden has an opportunity to salvage Democratic presidential hopes. He must call for immediate, complete and enduring ceasefire to end genocide in Gaza. Then he must halt all US weapons to Israel which allow the genocide to continue. He then needs to withdraw from the race as he’s clearly in physical and mental decline, making him unfit for a second term.

That will signal to his replacement for president not to pivot back to supporting genocide in Gaza. It will remove US complicity in genocide as an issue November 5. Millions of Democratic voters will come home to prevent a regressive Republican replacement, whether Trump or another, from further degrading American democracy.

But time is running out and Joe Biden is not listening to the 40 million Democratic voters imploring him to cease genocide and move on.