I'm almost too exhausted by the Terri Schiavo coverage to talk about this case. There are too many things wrong, not the least of which is overcoverage. I guess instead of getting pissed off I've been worn down so much that I find the whole issue amusing instead of outrageous. Is it irony or hypocrisy? I have trouble telling the difference in politics sometimes.
First, I find it (ironic/hypocritical) that the same GOP lawmakers and talking heads who decry "Activist Judges" (eg. Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay) now decry the courts for not intervening in Terry Schiavo's case. Most striking are his words. Regarding gay marriage, "these activist judges — who feel a greater responsibility to their own political ideology than the Constitution — seem not to care." Regarding Terry Schiavo, "When this tragic episode is resolved, the Supreme Court will have some serious questions to answer about its silence ..." I guess Activist Judges are the devil when we're talking about constitutionally protected right to association (gay marriage), religion in public schools, and beer on Sunday, but they are the best thing since Wonderbread when it comes to populist faddish issues like Terry Schiavo or the 2000 Presidential election. Who knows what he would have said during the Civil Rights era of Activist Judges?
Here's the other thing I'm finding amusing, despite its tragedy. The White House misled the country into war with Iraq. Over 1500 Americans and countless thousands of Iraqis have died because of that. If we take issue with that, or even if we want to photograph the return of the soldiers' bodies, we're being "unpatriotic" and somehow "hate America". But the White House and the GOP is now obsessed with the life of one vegetable who used to be called Terry Schiavo. The life of one woman who will never achieve anything in the future, never have children, never do anything but suck up resources from our medical system that people who are truly alive really need.
Oh wait - the amusements keep coming. I just remembered that in the Right's crusade against "trial lawyers" and medical malpractice suits, the GOP seems to have forgotten that Terry Schiavo exists partly because of a malpractice settlement and partly because of Medicaid. Oh, this irony/hypocrisy is so juicy I can just taste it dripping down my chin.
3 comments:
I'm actually with you on this one. The Federal government shouldn't be involved. Of course there is hypocrisy on both sides, since the liberals that normally are all about Federal intervention in just about any situation (because the government knows best) are know crying states' rights. Not that that justifies the GOP intervention, jsut shows how easy it is to switch sides depending on the situation.
Anyway, I think the column Neal Boortz wrote on Schiavo expresses my thoughts best. Let the woman go and end her suffering. If there is a heaven, then she's been staring at the white light for 15 years, yearning to go forward, unable to go backward, stuck in limbo, which probably resembles a living hell to her soul. Let her go.
Really, who's the flip-floppers? "Culture of Life", but Bush has put to death more people than any other governor, more than all other states combined during his whole term as governor. He also passed the Texas Futile Care Law which allows the hospital- not the family or the person themselves- decide when the plug should be pulled if they don't have any money or insurance. Is there a list of people that are covered under this Culture of Life? I'd like to know if I'm on it. Probably not, I don't have enough money or political/religious power appeal.
If you don't have money or insurance, then why the hell should I or other taxpayers pay for your interminable vegitative care? It ain't my fault you don't have money or insurance, it's your own for not being prepared.
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