Alfie Evans
I’m sure many of you have been following the case of Alfie Evans, the terminally ill 23-month-old who’s been the subject of a tragic court battle in England.
I’m sure many of you have been following the case of Alfie Evans, the terminally ill 23-month-old who’s been the subject of a tragic court battle in England.
Shortly after his birth, Alfie was diagnosed with a rare and degenerative neurological condition. According to medical experts, Alfie had become so ill that the only humane course was to take him off a ventilator and let him die.
Every court has ruled against Alfie and his parents. On Wednesday, the British Court of Appeal approved the withdrawal of nutrition and hydration for Alfie. It also prohibited his parents from seeking care elsewhere. Doctors stopped feeding him, predicting that he’d die in a matter of hours.
But Alfie did not die. In fact, it’s been several days and, as of this writing, he’s still breathing on his own. Doctors have begun feeding him again. Alfie’s will to live has inspired millions and prompted a debate in England and around the world over who should ultimately decide whether a person lives or dies. Here are a few points to consider:
England has a socialized health care system called the National Health Service. This case highlights the dangers of government making the most important health care decisions. What is happening in England is essentially what American conservatives argued would happen under Obamacare’s death panels. Government bureaucrats would be the ultimate arbiters of who lives and who dies.
Some people have argued that Alfie should be left to die because British taxpayers are the ones who’d have to pay for his care. But Italy has granted Alfie citizenship and a Catholic hospital in Rome has agreed to pay for his care and take all possible steps to save him.
There’s a profound irony in these cases. In many Western countries, governments have enshrined the right of women to control the fate of their unborn children, even if it leads to the baby’s death. But in this case, the government is doing the opposite, telling Alfie’s mother that she has no right to control her baby’s fate. So much for women’s rights.
The European Union considers the freedom of movement a basic right. That means once migrants from the Middle East cross into Europe they can move to any country they wish to find work. Meanwhile, parents who wish to seek life-saving care for their child in another EU country are being told no.
This leaves me with a sad conclusion. What the British authorities are really worried about is not the costs associated with saving Alfie Evans. Again, Italy has agreed to care for the boy, which eliminates the cost issue.
Nor are they worried that the infant will die and that they will be accused of being heartless. Their real fear is that Alfie will be taken to Italy and live, which will expose them for the moral monsters they are.
Kudos to McConnell
After pushing through Mike Pompeo’s confirmation Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell teed up votes on six of President Trump’s nominees to critical circuit court positions. The circuit courts are right below the Supreme Court and often have the final say in legal disputes given how few cases are accepted by the Supreme Court.
Comey’s Claptrap
Bret Baier’s interview of James Comey on Fox News Thursday night did not help Comey’s credibility. He claimed he did not, even now, know that the Clinton campaign and the DNC paid for the anti-Trump dossier. He claimed the dossier played “Just a small part of the FISA warrant.” That claim has already been rejected by congressional investigators.
But Comey really had a Pinocchio moment when he aggressively denied there were any differences in how the Hillary investigation was handled and how the Trump investigation is being handled. He must think the American people are idiots. Comey literally wrote the Clinton exoneration months before Hillary or her staff were interviewed!
Comey’s book and book tour, as well as his interviews and speeches, are destroying his credibility and damaging the FBI’s reputation. Criminal prosecution is still a real possibility.
Korea Shock
The leaders of North and South Korea signed a historic declaration Friday morning pledging “no more war.” Prudence and history requires us to be skeptical about North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un’s sincerity. Only time will tell if he is serious about ending his nuclear program.
But we can say with certainty that this moment would not be happening if not for the iron fist of Trump’s foreign policy toward North Korea. Trump’s approach has been a combination of tough language, massive military maneuvers and the toughest economic sanctions regime ever implemented. The Clintons, Bushes and Obama all failed to get to this point. Trump is cleaning up the mess. We should hope and pray he succeeds.