Update video.
Euthanasia in the Netherlands: Rick Santorum’s bogus statistics
Glenn Kessler
02/22/2012Santorum:“In the Netherlands, people wear different bracelets if they are elderly. And the bracelet is: ‘Do not euthanize me.’ Because they have voluntary euthanasia in the Netherlands but half of the people who are euthanized — ten percent of all deaths in the Netherlands — half of those people are enthanized involuntarily at hospitals because they are older and sick. And so elderly people in the Netherlands don’t go to the hospital. They go to another country, because they are afraid, because of budget purposes, they will not come out of that hospital if they go in there with sickness.”
— Former senator Rick Santorum, at the American Heartland Forum in Columbia, Missouri, Feb. 3, 2012
These were interesting remarks by one of the leading candidates for the GOP nomination. Though Santorum made this observation earlier in the month, a video of his comments only circulated on the web over the weekend and a number of readers asked whether he is correct. (His comments also spawned headlines in Holland, such as one that proclaimed: “Rick Santorum Thinks He Knows the Netherlands: Murder of the Elderly on a Grand Scale.”)
So we will check his statistics — 10 percent of all deaths in the Netherlands are from euthanasia and 50 percent of those die involuntarily — and also his claim that the elderly wear bracelets requesting that they not be euthanized.
(Full disclosure: The Fact Checker’s parents emigrated from Holland and I have direct, personal experience with the practice of euthanasia there. My father’s brother requested euthanasia when he was diagnosed with a terminal disease and after various remedies were ineffective. In the United States, he might have lived another two or three months, in great pain, and likely would have lapsed into a coma before death. But, after a conclusion by the Dutch medical establishment that he had no chance of survival, he arranged for his death at home with his family at his side. He even called me an hour before his death to say good-bye.)
We realize this is an emotional issue in the United States. But the simple facts, as Santorum described them, should be clear.
The Facts
In 2001, The Netherlands became the first country to legalize euthanasia, more fact checker
H/T Maren, who incidentally, just happens to be Dutch.
15 comments:
good article, love the picture
http://bit.ly/bS2kRo
Well, as we say colloquially, I'll be buggered!
bit.ly/y8ygkO
I'm Dutch, who the FUCK is Rick Santorum??? - brantong73
@brantong73 Don't forget sex on every streetcorner!
That one is probably nearer to Ricky's heart.
You will never guess who makes a guest appearance on my Santorum post.
Coming up shortly.
Rick Santorum has been making incorrect statements about Dutch Euthanasia since 2009.
http://bit.ly/wpGTGE
So... this guy is already telling this nonsense to audiences for 3 years now? And in all that time nobody told him or his crew that it might be a good idea to check their facts? - Nloveru
http://bit.ly/zGsEff
Comment aceg 81
Dear Dutch People,
I'm so sorry you had to get dragged into this. Sadly, it's not uncommon for US Conservatives to tell lies about European nations, but it's usually not this blatant or specific. Let me assure you that this douche-nozzle has absolutely zero chance of winning the Presidency. Some of us are actually rooting for him to win the nomination to go up against President Obama, simply because we know he'd get his butt kicked.
I hope you understand that most Americans don't believe nonsense like this.
What we really need is accurate information. Please educate those of us who are exposed to these falsehoods, simply telling us the truth; IMHO, that's the best way to combat this sort of thing. Please also keep in mind that most of us aren't as ignorant as a certain loudest minority would like us to be :)
Sorry, thanks, and wish us luck!
- an American
He's certainly got a hard-on for the Netherlands ain't he?
But he knows he's on safe ground, no matter what he says to his audience.
Mushrooms aren't known for critical thought.
(Second link) All Comments (2,223)
Nuff said!
'local' news, bit.ly/wROfck, no ism intended M
Ah yes but! you don't have cheese like us.
http://twitpic.com/8tiobx
http://twitpic.com/8tiozw
Good morning H, via my exclusive twitter friend:
The Dutch Euthanize Their Elderly, and Other Scary GOP Lies About Europe.
An excellent article by Heather Horn.
bit.ly/AzoLpa
greetz
Chuck
You have seen this before, but somewhere in this clip, yer man asks where she gets her info from.
Look upon it as a microcosm of America in general. Easier to be led by someone else (no matter how outlandish) rather than tax your brain and think for yourself.
http://onlyinamericablogging.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/mississippi-republican-voters-sublime.html
Belgium the first country in the world to abolish an age limit for euthanasia.
http://www.flanderstoday.eu/politics/federal-parliament-passes-euthanasia-law-minors
I did read it the other day Chuck, along with Belgium having the highest suicide rate among Europeans.
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