Newspapers Weigh in on Assisted Suicide Ruling
Following U.S. District Judge Robert Jones' ruling that the federal government overstepped its authority in attempting to nullify Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law, several newspapers have offered opinions on the matter.
- Los Angeles Times: An editorial states that Jones' decision "sent a sharp message to Ashcroft: You are not Congress, you are not president." It concludes, "The attorney general has more than enough to do in his own job" (Los Angeles Times, 4/19).
- New York Times: Jones "got it exactly right" when he said Ashcroft "overstepped his legal authority," a New York Times editorial states. According to the paper, Ashcroft's assertion that physician-assisted suicide is illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act, which regulates the use of certain drugs, "was a stretch" (New York Times, 4/19).
- Portland Oregonian: "We don't think the corridors of the Ashcroft Justice Department are the right place to resolve the argument," the Oregonian, which opposes assisted suicide, states, calling the ruling "predictable, clear and mostly correct." The paper argues instead that the federal Pain Relief Promotion Act, which would have outlawed the use of federally controlled substances for assisted suicide, "remains the best alternative to Oregon's assisted suicide mistake." That bill was defeated following a filibuster by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in 2000 (Portland Oregonian, 4/18).
