Human beings have a 100% mortality rate. At some point in time, you, me, everyone — will kick the bucket.

The President thinks we need to have a conversation about this. One “guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists. And then there is going to have to be a very difficult democratic conversation that takes place. It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions just through the normal political channels. And that’s part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance.”

Newsflash, Mr. President: America has been having that conversation all along, and without the benefit of your input, or that of some nebulous ‘independent group.’ Every family at some point struggles to deal with the inevitable mortality of ourselves and our loved ones. In my family, we’re having one of those conversations now.

A ‘democratic conversation?’ Not hardly. There isn’t anything democratic about this. My family isn’t voting on what to do. And certainly no outsiders have (or should have) any input. We don’t agree on the best course of action, and some of us have said things that we regret — but I can promise you that there is no ‘political channel’, normal or otherwise, that could possibly improve this situation.

Guidance? I don’t want ‘guidance’. From doctors and nurses, I want information. From scientists, I want research and new medical advances. From ethicists I want something more than a utilitarian weighing of costs and benefits. And as for government - who presumably would organize and guide these ‘democratic conversations’ about who gets voted off the island - surely it has better things to do than micromanage our deaths?

My parents have both given me a health care power of attorney. And soon it will be my turn to be the decision maker. It’s sobering, terrifying. I’m seriously in doubt about my wisdom in this matter. But what I do not doubt is that I can make a better decision for myself and my family than any government official or committee.