"Palin got death panels taken out of the health care bill!"

I swear I didn't start the conversation. When my friend the former hippie who now thinks commies are hiding behind every tree brought up "death panels", I felt I had to explain that no, there were no death panels, there was government funding for end-of-life discussions, i.e., "I want hospice care" or "I want aggressive end-of-life treatment." Ergo, Palin is a liar.

No, I don't admire Palin for giving birth to a special needs child instead of aborting it.

No, I don't know what I would have done in her place, and I don't understand what this has to do with her lying about death panels.

Seriously? You believe that was all a liberal conspiracy orchestrated by the New York Times and lefty commies? You believe there really were death panels and Palin opening her big mouth is the reason why there aren't any in the health care bill anymore?

I think this conversation needs to end now.

(For irony points, this conversation happened on a trip to Woodstock.)