Freightdawg, here is the conundrum. Today's medicine can keep people breathing and their hearts going for a really, really, really long time without them ever regaining consciousness.

So what are you really suggesting is "right" in these circumstances. Are you prepared to have the state take over, in order to force families who wish to have loved ones removed from all life support, to keep their loved ones alive against everyone's wishes?

And if you wouldn't approve of the state making those decisions for everyone, even stephen, so money would never be the issue, how do you propose we care for all of them? Where will there be housed? Who will provide their round the clock care?

Considering that long term care facilities are chronically short of staff, underfunded, and already have desperate problems caring for people who are still quite alive, but in need of assistance?

It isn't just about money. It is about coming to grips with the medical 'miracle' of being able to keep elderly people alive, when we should allow natural death to take it's course.

None of us will live forever, even with god on our side. So you better think about what the quality of life in an understaffed nursing home is for people as it is now. You put far greater burdens on this system, and it will collapse--as it is already teetering on the brink.

No, we ALL need that system to be sustainable, not just those who think grandpa or mom should be kept alive as long as possible, in any awful condition, at the taxpayers expense.

Either the family should be required to provide the care themselves in their own homes, and/or pay out of their own pockets/insurance to keep their loved one artificially alive for as long as they would like to continue the torture, according to their beliefs.