Judge: Mass. must pay for killer's sex change

[gobiggergoredder]

Is this real?

 

BOSTON (AP) — State prison officials must provide taxpayer-funded sex-reassignment surgery to a transgender inmate serving life in prison for murder, because it is the only way to treat her "serious medical need," a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

 

 

In his 126-page ruling Tuesday, Wolf found that surgery is the "only adequate treatment" for Kosilek and that "there is no less intrusive means to correct the prolonged violation of Kosilek's Eighth Amendment right to adequate medical care."

[Comish]

It's real, and in a nutshell,.........it's a prime example of government overreach and incoherency...........

[carlfense]

gobigger: Might want to throw this link in your post.

 

http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/legislative/apnewsbreak-mass-judge-oks-sex-change-for-inmate/nR3D7/

[carlfense]

Crazy Reagan appointees.

 

On a serious note: I don't understand transgender medical issues at all. They're completely foreign. This seems like a completely ridiculous thing for the state to pay for . . . but I'm a little wary of an example like this that is so easily demagogued.

 

Important line:

Wolf noted that the Department of Correction's own medical experts testified that they believe surgery was the only adequate treatment for Kosilek.

 

I just don't know enough about the medical issue to offer much in the way of informed comments.

[zoogs]

I've read no more than the two blurbs above so I hope I am not jumping the gun or being insensitive, but this seems insane! Although it does beg the question of how much care for prisoners is too much.

 

Still, I am completely unable to consider such a surgery as anything other than a luxury.

 

Then I wonder why any state resources should be devoted to caring for a guy who murders his wife. But I suppose at some level of inadequacy of care, it becomes a human rights issue.

[BigRedBuster]

Try being a hospital employee and having to take care of a death row inmate that the state paid to have open heart surgery so he wouldn't die of a heart attack.

 

Yep....that happened to me. That left an impression on me as a college student.

 

Not knowing any more than anyone else here about this, it sure sounds like typical government decisions. They make no sense. Sex change operations are by choice, they don't have any long term health issues that they solve. It is simply a way for someone to think they are going to be more comfortable in their own body.

 

The government should not be paying for these.

[sd'sker]

Try being a hospital employee and having to take care of a death row inmate that the state paid to have open heart surgery so he wouldn't die of a heart attack.

 

Yep....that happened to me. That left an impression on me as a college student.

 

Not knowing any more than anyone else here about this, it sure sounds like typical government decisions. They make no sense. Sex change operations are by choice, they don't have any long term health issues that they solve. It is simply a way for someone to think they are going to be more comfortable in their own body.

 

The government should not be paying for these.

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

[JJ Husker]

 

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

 

I agree that this case is strange and rare and probably should not be used to form an overall opinion of government but, it is good singular example of government gone awry. You may not have enough information to judge but, if the linked story was fairly complete, I feel I have enough information. It looks to be a clear case of the inmate simply desiring the surgery and therefore claiming her/his medical care desires are no less important than any other inmate. The article did not list a single medical reason or health benefit for this person to have the surgery. The reason for this ommision is that there are no health benefits that I am aware of for sexual reassignment surgery. You are right that it is national news because it is so bizarre and rare. However, it has earned the sensationalism linked to it because it was a totally wrong decision for them to come to. It is things like this that make people not want to pay taxes. You might not be able to judge but do you want your tax money used for this crap? I sure don't.

[carlfense]

 

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

 

I agree that this case is strange and rare and probably should not be used to form an overall opinion of government but, it is good singular example of government gone awry. You may not have enough information to judge but, if the linked story was fairly complete, I feel I have enough information. It looks to be a clear case of the inmate simply desiring the surgery and therefore claiming her/his medical care desires are no less important than any other inmate. The article did not list a single medical reason or health benefit for this person to have the surgery. The reason for this ommision is that there are no health benefits that I am aware of for sexual reassignment surgery. You are right that it is national news because it is so bizarre and rare. However, it has earned the sensationalism linked to it because it was a totally wrong decision for them to come to. It is things like this that make people not want to pay taxes. You might not be able to judge but do you want your tax money used for this crap? I sure don't.

 

 

Wolf noted that the Department of Correction's own medical experts testified that they believe surgery was the only adequate treatment for Kosilek.

 

I'm guessing that they're talking about adequate treatment for his mental health . . .

[BigRedBuster]

Try being a hospital employee and having to take care of a death row inmate that the state paid to have open heart surgery so he wouldn't die of a heart attack.

 

Yep....that happened to me. That left an impression on me as a college student.

 

Not knowing any more than anyone else here about this, it sure sounds like typical government decisions. They make no sense. Sex change operations are by choice, they don't have any long term health issues that they solve. It is simply a way for someone to think they are going to be more comfortable in their own body.

 

The government should not be paying for these.

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

 

Of course it is rare and absurd. But, I'm not using this one incident to frame my view of the government. My view of the government is based on 45 years of living in this country with 23 of those years working in post college working world.

 

This decision is an "example" of how government makes stupid decisions. There are MANY like this and I gave another one in my original post in this thread. Open heart surgery for someone on death row???? REALLY????

[sd'sker]

 

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

 

I agree that this case is strange and rare and probably should not be used to form an overall opinion of government but, it is good singular example of government gone awry. You may not have enough information to judge but, if the linked story was fairly complete, I feel I have enough information. It looks to be a clear case of the inmate simply desiring the surgery and therefore claiming her/his medical care desires are no less important than any other inmate. The article did not list a single medical reason or health benefit for this person to have the surgery. The reason for this ommision is that there are no health benefits that I am aware of for sexual reassignment surgery. You are right that it is national news because it is so bizarre and rare. However, it has earned the sensationalism linked to it because it was a totally wrong decision for them to come to. It is things like this that make people not want to pay taxes. You might not be able to judge but do you want your tax money used for this crap? I sure don't.

i wrote a lengthy reply, then deleted it. this is a bizarre situation and i understand the moral outrage, but it is all in the abstract. it is a salient example of gov't waste. however, there are so many other places to cut back, why take a stand here. we spend billions in military waste.

 

i am more upset that an inmate gets better and more readily available healthcare than i do. i would prefer our taxes going to allow everyone this comprehensive of healthcare.

 

but the reason i deleted my first post is because i really do not know what to say about this. it probably should not happen, but the process of protecting individual freedoms is worth the cost (including the expensive appeals process).

 

again, i deleted my post because i do not think you are wrong, i just view it a little differently, even when i agree with you.

[sd'sker]

Try being a hospital employee and having to take care of a death row inmate that the state paid to have open heart surgery so he wouldn't die of a heart attack.

 

Yep....that happened to me. That left an impression on me as a college student.

 

Not knowing any more than anyone else here about this, it sure sounds like typical government decisions. They make no sense. Sex change operations are by choice, they don't have any long term health issues that they solve. It is simply a way for someone to think they are going to be more comfortable in their own body.

 

The government should not be paying for these.

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

 

Of course it is rare and absurd. But, I'm not using this one incident to frame my view of the government. My view of the government is based on 45 years of living in this country with 23 of those years working in post college working world.

 

This decision is an "example" of how government makes stupid decisions. There are MANY like this and I gave another one in my original post in this thread. Open heart surgery for someone on death row???? REALLY????

i guess a compassionate gov't is one you are not in favor of? and you oppose due process?

[BigRedBuster]

Try being a hospital employee and having to take care of a death row inmate that the state paid to have open heart surgery so he wouldn't die of a heart attack.

 

Yep....that happened to me. That left an impression on me as a college student.

 

Not knowing any more than anyone else here about this, it sure sounds like typical government decisions. They make no sense. Sex change operations are by choice, they don't have any long term health issues that they solve. It is simply a way for someone to think they are going to be more comfortable in their own body.

 

The government should not be paying for these.

whether or not the gov't should be paying for this, i do not have enough information to judge. but to take a story like this and generalize it or say that it is typical is absurd. the reason the story is national news is because it is so bizarre, rare, and sensationalist. these anecdotes should not be used to frame the parameters of gov't, nor your opinion of the gov't.

 

Of course it is rare and absurd. But, I'm not using this one incident to frame my view of the government. My view of the government is based on 45 years of living in this country with 23 of those years working in post college working world.

 

This decision is an "example" of how government makes stupid decisions. There are MANY like this and I gave another one in my original post in this thread. Open heart surgery for someone on death row???? REALLY????

i guess a compassionate gov't is one you are not in favor of? and you oppose due process?

 

I'm all for compassion when you can afford it. We are going broke.

 

And, I understand this example is a pimple on the azz of hte real problem. And, I understand this is the state of Mass., but the example stays the same. Government spending money on stuff they can't afford in the name of compassion or what ever you want to call it. But, absolutely EVERYTHING needs to be on the table for cutting costs. Heck...cut the budget across the board.

[BigRedBuster]

And, sorry but something struck me about your statement.

 

The purpose of government is not compassion.

[Comish]

My question becomes.............Where (if anywhere) is the limit?

 

Is there ANYTHING that some won't describe as compassionate.....and therefore applicable?

 

As others have noted.......WE ARE FRINGGIN' BROKE !

 

And furthermore, with the plethora of "experts" for hire to render an opinion on almost anything, how do we ascertain the actual difference between what someone desires and what someone really needs?