More Americans Commit Suicide Than Die in Car Crashes: Should Feds Spend $56M in Suicide Prevention?
Fef
2012/09/24 19:00:00
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Suicide takes too many good, loved people before their time. Many factors affect suicide rates, including financial hardship. The bad economy didn't help as suicide rates increased 15 percent. On a more positive note, car safety laws and regulations helped decrease deaths from car crashes by 25 percent.
Does the federal government have the responsibility to reduce suicide by spending taxpayer money? Libertarians (e.g. Ron Paul) would argue against spending the money to save lives because the government should not interfere in social issues and government should let people make their own decisions about living. Conservatives may argue against spending the money at the federal level because the Constitution does not give Washington, D.C. the authority. Liberals would typically argue in favor of spending the money as part of government's cradle-to-grave nanny state powers.
President George W. Bush signed the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act in 2004, which authorizes the $56 million in spending.
DAILYMAIL.CO.UK reports:
Does the federal government have the responsibility to reduce suicide by spending taxpayer money? Libertarians (e.g. Ron Paul) would argue against spending the money to save lives because the government should not interfere in social issues and government should let people make their own decisions about living. Conservatives may argue against spending the money at the federal level because the Constitution does not give Washington, D.C. the authority. Liberals would typically argue in favor of spending the money as part of government's cradle-to-grave nanny state powers.
President George W. Bush signed the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act in 2004, which authorizes the $56 million in spending.
DAILYMAIL.CO.UK reports:
The number of people who commit suicide in the U.S. has drastically increased while deaths from car accidents have dropped, making suicide the leading cause of injury death.
Read More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2207089/56...
Top Opinion
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Transquesta 2012/09/24 07:52:31No
+12The government has one basic function: defense. More specifically, the government's job is to defend citizens against acts of force and fraud. None of the 'shoulds' mentioned throughout fall into either of these two subordinate rubrics. Suicides (quick or otherwise as through lifestyle choices) are a loss to us all, but the answer to ameliorating that loss doesn't involve government. As usual, it involves each of us giving a damn about the plights of those around us. Hands-on/no proxies.
My advice get rid of the darn baby blanket and stop sucking your thumb. It's a ball and chain that is taking your life away. Sometimes it takes it away literally.
Instead, the Feds continue to make rules and change laws, and the judges interpret them, in favor of money, power, and influence.
As long as children are taught that they are worthless cogs in an evolutionary wheel the rate will continue to increase.
Back before Hitlers belief was taught in public schools we did not have such a suicide rate because we believed in God and had hope and morals. We did not have regular school shootings, terrorism and TSA sexual assaults to get on an airplane. THIS COUNTRY IS REGRESSING BECAUSE OF 'PROGRESSIVES'.
Does it ever occur the reasons WHY suicide has gone up?
The same reason thefts and burglaries as well as other crimes have gone up - poverty. It exists, it is here, and it's driving those who suffer it into madness.
Oh sure, those with a six-figure yearly income or higher are sipping their wine and dining on salmon and lobster every night then taking their organic supplements before curling up in their adjustable massaging mattresses, but think about everyone else who is lucky enough to get by paycheck to paycheck.
Better yet, think of those who have been looking hard for a job, those of us who went to school, got a degree, but now it's virtually useless because no one is hiring.
Think about those who are trying just to go to school to work towards their dream, but can't make it all the way through because an education is too expensive.
Think about those even worse off, lucky if they can keep a roof over their head, lest be forced on the streets.
Think of those who didn't get to see their family return from ...
Does it ever occur the reasons WHY suicide has gone up?
The same reason thefts and burglaries as well as other crimes have gone up - poverty. It exists, it is here, and it's driving those who suffer it into madness.
Oh sure, those with a six-figure yearly income or higher are sipping their wine and dining on salmon and lobster every night then taking their organic supplements before curling up in their adjustable massaging mattresses, but think about everyone else who is lucky enough to get by paycheck to paycheck.
Better yet, think of those who have been looking hard for a job, those of us who went to school, got a degree, but now it's virtually useless because no one is hiring.
Think about those who are trying just to go to school to work towards their dream, but can't make it all the way through because an education is too expensive.
Think about those even worse off, lucky if they can keep a roof over their head, lest be forced on the streets.
Think of those who didn't get to see their family return from overseas because they were killed by a bomb, or worse, took their own life as well.
Think of those who didn't get to save their close friend or relative because they didn't have medical insurance to see the doctor regularly, or couldn't afford treatment.
It's a sad but simple equation. The worse things get, the easier death seems, and the only solution to this is to attempt to fix the previously mentioned issues.
There is no such thing as "stopping suicide" with government intervention.
However, the Teacher's Union would never permit that.