Doyle Busts Out The Whuppin' Stick

In a follow up to a previous post of mine, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (D) today vetoed the so-called Conscience Clause bill passed by the Republican-controlled Wisconsin legislature.

This bill, which was not endorsed by any physicians groups, was intended to allow physicians to deny care to patient's based on the physician's ideology.

Doyle wisely disagreed with this idea (via WisPolitics):

"One of the most sacred principles of our medical care system is that a doctor should always do what is in the best interests of a patient's health," Governor Doyle said. "But this bill would allow a doctor to put his or her political beliefs ahead of the patient's medical best interests. That is simply unconscionable. Medical decisions should be made by the patient and the doctor based on what's best for the patient, not on the doctor's political views."

[snip]

"Because it puts a doctor's political views ahead of the best interests of patients, this legislation ought to be called the 'unconscionable clause,'" Governor Doyle said. "It is a disservice to patients and to our health care system, and it is in the best interest of all Wisconsin citizens that I veto this bill."

This veto should help bolster support for Doyle, as he faces re-election next year with less-than-stellar approval numbers. Doyle tends to trend a little too conservative for some Wisconsin liberals, with his ardent support for business interests. But he has been a courageous supporter of funding Wisconsin schools and has exercised his substantial veto power quite liberally, saving Wisconsin from a veritable onslaught of pre-Age of Reason social control bills pushed by the wingnut lobby and its pet Republican legislature.

I have little to add about the Conscience Clause legislation that I didn't already talk about previously. It is nothing more than a thinly-disguised attempt by conservative Christian lobbyist groups to legislate their narrow-minded morality and preempt any "Right To Die" legislation. This does demonstrate, however, how vitally important a Democratic governor is for Wisconsin; lest the state be dragged back into the 14th century by the pro-religion, pro-gun and anti-medical science Republicans.