oh, well. get the militia.

I've spent the last 35 minutes documenting CNN's coverage, and it took the full 35 minutes before there was any airing of reactions from those who support the husband and the decisions made by the courts throughout this legal marathon. That was a few minutes of comments from attorney Felos, and he correctly calls the actions by those challenging the courts "abusive" of the patient's rights.

Prior to Felos, CNN had at least 3 proponents of 'saving Terri" on, including the rabid Pat Mahoney of some group abusing Christ's name (Christian _____ Coalition), who openly called for a constitutional crisis in which Jeb Bush would ignore the orders of the local Judge Greer by "taking custody" of T. S. and reinserting the feeding tube. This is advocating anarchy, which is treason, and under the U.S. Constitution is punishable by death.

I couldn't believe my ears when Mahoney said, "if this creates a constitutional crisis, so be it." And what did CNN say/do? Merely repeats the call by Mahoney, as if he had said that we should have a turkey sandwich for lunch! Do these fools have any idea of what is going on? Of how close we are to all out riots, and then who will be in charge? When the assholes in charge of the Republican Taliban in Congress and Bush decided to pitch the separation of powers and states rights out the window, they threw out civilized discourse with it -- maybe even ALL rules of law and rules of order.

Our democratic republic depends on voluntary compliance with a delicate balance between who is in charge, of those things they are in charge of, and who can enforce the rules by which the "game" of government is played [sorry about all of the hanging prepositions]. When one (or more) of those rules is ignored or gets out of whack, then all the others don't function as they should, and chaos results.

We've been tilting towards chaos in this country ever since the Supreme Court first took the Bush v Gore case in 2000 and, worse, decided the case the way they did. This was the first real violation of the separation of powers, when the judicial branch acted like a legislature. Now, we have an executive branch along with the legislative branch acting like a court.

Disaster may no longer be over the horizon; it may actually be here now! God -- or whoever you pray to -- help us.

Now we see that Jeb is suing to have Florida take over her care, based on allegations of neglect (!).

I'm amazed at how far they're willing to take this strategy of pandering to the religious right. These are the same people who were bellowing "Rule of Law" back in 1999; now there's no law they seem willing to subvert, openly and seemingly proudly.

What?!?! You mean I fucked up and somebody NOTICED...!?!?!?!?!?! Oh, shit... Gotta find someone to blame, Gotta find someone to blame... Dick? No, he tells me what to do... Condi? No, I like getting laid...

WHERE'S MY TALOR?!?! This damn suit is loosing it's teflon...!!

(~8

Dems take advantage of this misstep whenever normal legislative business resumes, and they can invoke a "culture of life" justification for each piece of legislation (including appropriations bills) for health care (Medicaid and Medicare), nutrition (food stamps, WIC, etc.), shelter (all housing assistance--public housing, Section 8, etc.), peace (less money for American WMD, military arms, optional wars, etc.), Social Security (obviously against cuts in benefits for the disabled and senior citizens), AND in the electoral arena campaignoing against any opponenet who opposes such public policies as the enemy of a "culture of life." The Dems were right to watch the Re;pubs self-destruct, but having been handed a gift, the Dems had better make good and consistent use of it.
Charles

Great points George T- and thanks for the 'coverage' of CNN's coverage. Amazing and disgusting.

Talking about the separation of powers: I was just outside talking with a co-worker about the current state of the economy, (I will be out of work at the end of next week- AGAIN- my 'temp contract' is ending- AGAIN- and he mentioned that it's hard to get anything permanent, full-time anymore,) and I said, "I don't know how you lean politically, but I simply cannot STAND our current administration." He scoffed, and basically we both went on a 10 minute tirade about Bu$hCo, this whole Schiavo fiasco, the irresponsibility of congress and the WH and what a world of shit we are currently in. He said that he wished the son of a bitch would just have a heart attack and die, and "what do we have, three and 1/2 years to go...?" I said, "3 & 1/2??? We're only three months into this term!!!!" He looked at me apologetically and said, "yea, I guess I was trying to make it sound better than it acutally is..." We both talked about how rediculous it was that congress got involved in all this, how it was unconstitutional, and how interesting it is that this is THE FRIST TIME our chimporer saw fit to inturrupt a vacation at his "ranch" to fly back to DC to sign this immesurably important piece of legislation.

It's funny that you mention 2000 as the first time this abuse of the separation of powers was committed- I had not really thought of it that way...

Great post Steve and excellent comments George T- Nice work!!! (~8

For the most part, I've felt infinitely disgusted by this whole gruesome freakshow and long for it to finally end, but if there is some good coming out of it, it is the political damage the GOP is inflicting on itself with their ranting and raving. Guys, did you learn NOTHING from the government shutdown in 1995 and Monica in 1998? This makes a hat-trick of times when they pulled a shameless political stunt, were stunned when the public overwhelmingly rejecteed them and can only react by ranting and raving and digging a deeper whole for themselves. Plus, we also get the benefit of watching Tom DeLay tighten the noose around his neck and Bill Frist pretty much destroy his presidential hopes in the span of a week (not that Senator Cat-Killer ever had much of a chance anyway).

I've deliberately stayed away from domestic TV for quite some time. It's improved my life, left me more time for work and play, and -- this is the astounding part-- made me better informed about the news! (I do recommend shortwave BBC, and occasionally World News or Link TV on satellite).

Spurred by George T.'s message, today I made an exception and tuned into CNN's Daren Kagen (sp?) and Carol Somebody-or-other for a few minutes.

Talk about pain!!! Talk about torture!! Talk about wanting to die!!

Just a couple of pretty faces asking idiotic questions flashed on their teleprompters by a producer). These people simply don't know what they're talking about. They don't listen to the answers they get. They don't have the wits to follow up, anyway.

It was truly, truly disgusting. I appreciate even more, now, what I've been missing. Back to shortwave radio.

"And when do Democrats take advantage of this misstep, not on the moral issue involved, but on the more defensible issue of congressional and presidential priorities?"

We need to know which Dems are not talking about this issue so we can hold their feet to the fire and listend to them scream, and smell their burning flesh. Yes, the Republicans control the entire government, most of the corporate world, and a much larger share of the electorate than we do, but that shouldn't stop us from cannibalizing our own. We're the last line of defense in this country, and if we're not willing to throw cowardly Dems to the wolves, what kind of credibility do we really have?

I agree, the CNN coverage has been horrific. You'd think we were watching the WTC falling again the way they've set up a 24/7 death watch outside Terri's hospice. Last night CNN had a female reporter/commentator/person with an opinion running a talk show. She was overly emotional, crying about Terri being starved to death, not being kept moistened to relieve any discomfort, etc. She was interviewing Michael Schiavo's brother who calmly explained that they were keeping her moistened, etc. Then the woman interviewed a priest outside the hospice: Is this true? Of course the priest called Michael Schiavo's brother a liar. What a circus! I had to turn it off it was like watching Fox News.

Rove must be watching the polls, though, because we haven't heard anything else from GWB. He made his point, flew in at midnight and made his symbolic gesture to pacify the extreme right wingers. Now, the Republicans can just use that as proof that he tried and was thwarted by the activist pro-death judge.

Part of me thinks that Democrats should rise above the fray on this one but the reality is that we simply can't. The Republicans made this a cutural vaules issue and are exploiting the hell out of it. I think the only reasonable response is the one previously mentioned, to approach every issue (minimum wage, health care, social security) from the viewpoint that this is a "culture of life" issue. We have to learn to use their terms against them. That's the only way to make the connection to their hypocrisy.

And where was the CNN death watch in Texas when Sun Hudson was removed from life support despite the wishes of his mother simply because the mother could no longer pay? Now THAT'S a culture of life for you.

As seems likely, this poor woman will soon/finally be allowed to die. I know this situation very well, as I was the legal guardian for my youngest brother for more than 5 years, and the "practical" guardian for him for the 7 years before that. He died last August at the age of 44, after 4+ months of hospitalization.

While he was comatose -- twice during that time -- I had to decide for him whether to use "heroic measures" for him, and that includes artificial nutrition and hydration. We had talked about it before he became comatose, and even before his last hospitalization. I decided "no" as that is what he had told me that he had wanted. During that last 4+ months, he woke up boths times from his coma, and he re-confirmed his choice both times. So, HE chose hospice, and as much as it can be, his death was "peaceful" for him, but it was still agony for me.

I cannot believe how many well meaning family menbers and friends -- not to mention the busy bodies who always have to share their opinions with us -- that wanted me to give up being Pete's guardian. Just let the courts do it, a so-called public guardian, they said. I refused, as emotionally and physically difficult as it was to keeping doing it for someone like Pete. He was legally and mentally disabled, and he was also an alcoholic, and could be very verbally abusive.

Still, he was my brother, and we were a total of 12 children at one point. But with Pete's death, 2 have already died at age 44 and another at age 45. If being a part of a large family taught me nothing else -- and believe me, you learn an awful lot growing up in that "school of hard knocks" -- it taught me to be unrelenting when it comes to defending and protecting family.

I cannot tell you of all the outrages Pete and I had to endure when fighting with medicaid, HMOs, doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, insurance companies, and mental health agencies. This was an ongoing, at time perplexing and always frustrating process, and I'm a fairly competent lawyer (1st in my law school class, so I have a few marbles with which to play).

If for some reason it was my brother that Bush and the Congress were trying to hijack for their political gain, I would go fucking balistic. I am appalled at their intrusion into this intensely emotional and personal family tragedy. And now we have idiots like Pat Mahoney calling for a constitutional crisis so that they can substitute their will for that of this poor woman, her husband as her legal guardian, and a myriad number of courts that have considered this for more than 7+ years.

Thanks for letting me spout off. Two last thoughts now that the end appears to mercifully be near:

1. What did Jesus say to his Father just before his death on the Cross? "Not my will, but Thy will, be done." Wouldn't it be nice if these extremists who call themselves "Christian" would remember that -- and I am an eastern orthodox catholic christian [if you don't know what that is, think of our college Western Civilization classes, of the Great Schism when Rome split from Constantinople in 1054 A.D., and also check out the Nicean Creed for the meaning of "catholic" with a small "c", as it means "universal"]. And,

2. Once this is over, do you think that George W or any other Repug leader will pull a "Gore Moment" and say, as Gore did after the SCOTUS action in the 2000 election, "the Courts have spoken, it time to come together as a nation and move forward"? Some how I doubt it. Instead of putting out the fire they started, I would bet my last (increasingly shrinking) dollar that they will continue to pour more (increasingly expensive) gasoline on it.

The Noble Experiment

Sept. 17, 1787 Dec. 12, 2000

R.I.P.

It's an experiment, but not a noble one. Rove's done his math and has decided that if sufficiently worked up, 100% of 35% of the electorate will keep an election close enough to steal.

Too bad the Democrats who either endorsed the Right's position or who refused to speak against this piece of "legislation" cannot now enjoy any political benefits. Apparently, the Dems are failing to lead even when the people are ahead of them.

bullshit, stephen. this issue will be hung around the necks of republicans, notably delay, jeb and frist. a freakin trifecta.

It would apear Republicans care about life when it can not speak, in utero and comatose, but don't care about the actual living until they make enough money to pay too many taxes. Hey maybe money really does talk in a voice the GOP can hear.

Regan said Government was the problem, but I forgot what the solution was.

Too bad the Democrats who either endorsed the Right's position or who refused to speak against this piece of "legislation" cannot now enjoy any political benefits.

Nah. Nobody thinks of Congress's intervention as bipartisan.

What we need to be emphasizing is just how bipartisan the courts were that came to these conclusions. The rest will take care of itself.

Here across the pond they only show FOX news. Weep for me. However, I watched the whole decision thing unfold. It was a circus. They flaunted this woman who was in a coma extolling how she felt the pangs of hunger and was oh so thirsty when they removed her feeding tube, stating she was dx'd with no chance of recovery. $5 will get you $20 that half the Mericun people don't know the difference between a coma and a PVS. The most basic and animalistic part of her brain is working. The autonomous system. She feels no pain. She feels nothing. She has no consciousness. Not like a coma where there is some brain activity. TS has none. Will not have any EVER. Her brain is full of holes. Brain tissue does not regenerate. This is NOT like a long nap people.

Lets not forget the INTRUSION on this man's life. People make life or death decisions damn near monthly. Why is this case sensationalized? Why are these people camping in front of a hospice? Note... A Hospice is where people GO TO DIE. If I was an employer, I'd fire all those fcukers I saw in front of a camera. One chick had the nerve to say she's on a hunger strike. But she is drinking water. Here's your freakin sign.

This is between a husband, wife, doc, and God. That's all. JB and GW have no right to interfere in this man's life. None. Congress has no right to interfere in this man's life either. Who the fcuk is Bill Frist? A heart surgeon making a neuro call? How freakin laughable. They even interviewed Robert Bork. Damn where did they dust him off from?

They bit the big one on this. The repub party. The penultimate big brother. We know whats right for you and we'll beat it into you for your own good. A pox on all their houses. A special place in hell for the Religious Right, the Republican Party, GW and JB awaits.

Amen anthony- AMEN AND CAN I GET A HALLELUJAHHHH!!!!!!

Fuckers...

While I would like to breathe a sigh of relief that Frist, DeLay, Bu$h, and the remainder of their supporters (obviously in the persistant vegetative state it would take to agree with their views..) have shot themselves in the foot, I hesitate to do so. Unfortunately, the public has an amazingly short memory. Bu$h will divert the pubic's attention to some manufactured threat to national security and away from the travesty of justice the Party is currently committing, and it will all go away. Americans will relax back into their easy chairs, secure in their belief that all is Right with the world. Call me cynical.

"There are reasons that we execute people: for the sake of protecting society and exacting justice" and as a deterrent, he said. "This is not the taking of innocent human life. ... In many respects, you could look at the death penalty as self-defense." -Sen. Rick Santorum on the death penalty.

Was this all a major Republican miscalculation or was it a variation on the marketing principle known as the "loss leader"? You know: something intended to be unprofitable in itself, but which draws in the customers to reap an even bigger profit on other issues?

One thing is for sure: the importance of the Schiavo Case cannot be overstated. This isn't some unjustified media event, but a huge gamble for greater Government intervention that deserves the greatest possible scrutiny ---and, in my view, absolute condemnation.

One thing is for sure: the importance of the Schiavo Case cannot be overstated. This isn't some unjustified media event, but a huge gamble for greater Government intervention that deserves the greatest possible scrutiny ---and, in my view, absolute condemnation.

For once, I finally can agree with TP. So, do you stand with your bretheren or denounce the politization of a truly personal and intimate decision?

I am sick at heart that this affair reached this level. This is SO NOT news. This is a travesty: abuse of power, and should be portrayed as such.

The repubs in this matter prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I have known many individuals with severe brain damage, and Terri's smiles are NOT reflexes only. She is still able to experience pleasure, pain and love. I am a liberal lesbian Democrat, and I don't appreciate what Bush, DeLay, et. al. are doing and how they are doing it. I would like to see the law address withdrawing food and water (that is NOT life support--a respirator is life support), but as a general change of law, not around a specific individual. As this case drags on, there are hundreds of other disabled people around the country whose families are withdrawing nourishment so they will die, and they are in no way benefiting from what the neo-cons are doing right now. Frankly, I wish Terri's husband would let her parents take her home and care for her. If she were my relative, I'd get her out of a "facility" where doctors and lawyers would be the decision-makers, and take her home. Our society has come to devalue life that does not fit the ideal of "able-bodied," "intelligent" and "competent." I moved my mom, who has Alzheimer's, in with me nearly a year ago. As a result, she is doing so much better than she was for the two months she was in an Alzheimer's unit. I will care for her at home, whatever her condition, until she dies. People in a state like Terri's can still relate to those they love, and Americans need to move back in the direction of caring for our elderly, chronically ill and disabled family members and away from the tendency to institutionalize--which was only the alternative we chose over euthanasia because of Hitler's atrocities toward those groups, anyway.

With all due respect Ms. Galyn, how can you equate this with the Holocaust? I'm not sure I am following your logic. I respect your caring for your mother. I agree, not enough of us care for our elderly. However, that was a personal decision you made. No one is castigating you for it. On the same premise, no one should castigate Mr. Schiavo for doing what he is doing. He did not make a media circus out of this. He wanted this personal and within his home. If I read correctly, the family tried to care for Terri and they could not. I may be mistaken, but I doubt it. He also took nursing courses so he could care for her.

Your heart seems to be in the right place, but please, don't equate this situation with the Holocaust. There is no comparison. I wish you and your mother well.

Our society has come to devalue life that does not fit the ideal of "able-bodied," "intelligent" and "competent."

This societal trait was especially strong in Terri Schiavo, a woman who not only puked herself thin, but puked herself into a heart attack that laid waste to her brain.

Roci - Have you personally examined Mrs. Schiavo? I don't trust Bill Frist to diagnose via video so I really don't believe you can, either. As for whether food/water given through a feeding tube = life support, you need to contact the Florida legislature on that - they defined it that way.

Comes the day that anyone in the Republican Party gives a shit about anyone else going hungry in this country, I will be surprised. They care so much for this one woman but want to cut the very program - Medicaid - that has paid for Terri's care over the years. Don't you understand that this is all one big culture war issue to deflect attention from everything else?

Michael Schiavo and Terri's parents tried to care for her at home and they were not able to. That is not what they are asking for and not something that they can do. She is not disabled, she is braindead. HUGE difference.

Frankly, the more I think about this, the more I get steamed. Everyone is damning the husband, saying he's an abuser and is only in it for the money. He's done everything a lovely husband would do in this horribly tragic situation. He sought therapy and even had implants installed in Terri's brain in hopes that they could rehabilitate her. he made sure she was bathed, dressed, groomed and turned. She never had a single bed sore which is unheard of for someone in Terri's conditin. He tried everything for eight years and finally accepted that she was not coming back and that he should respect her wishes to not be kept alive on tubes.

The parents reportedly asked for some of the money from the malpractic suit and were angry that they did not get a share - this is when the rift between them and Michael began. Michael has spent the majority of this money on therapy for Terri and then legal costs to let her die on her terms. He will get next to nothing when all is said and done. There's still the hospice to settle up with after all these years. And court costs.

The parents set up an organization and website to accept donations from individuals. They could not establish the fund as a non-profit because it only benefited one person: Terri. Usually when this situation happens, donations are made through a third party, like the individual's church so that the money can be properly accounted for and so the donors can take a tax deduction. The parents were fined by the State of Florida because they never filed with the State to accept donations. Frankly, I think they set up the fund the way they did so they could financially benefit from the donations. Since it's not a non-profit, it's not public record. Who knows where the money went.

While I would like to breathe a sigh of relief that Frist, DeLay, Bu$h, and the remainder of their supporters (obviously in the persistant vegetative state it would take to agree with their views..) have shot themselves in the foot,

83% of Americans polled are unhappy with this...and blame congress and the admin.

68% of evangelicals do the same.

They overreached and they are going to get bitch-slapped for it.

I have known many individuals with severe brain damage, and Terri's smiles are NOT reflexes only.

Sorry, but you have no standing in this case. I can cite you chapter and verse about smiling as a physiological response. You're on the edge of making an ass of yourself.

Frankly, I wish Terri's husband would let her parents take her home and care for her.

He let them try this in the 90's. They couldn't handle it and chunked her back in a nursing home. What makes you think they'll be any happier with changing her diapers this time around?

I will care for her at home, whatever her condition, until she dies.

No one can fault your concern or care for your mother. Nursing homes are accustomed to taking in Alzheimer's patients whose family members cared for them and had to stop.

I'm sure you must recognize that Schiavo does not have Alzheimer's. She has no cerebral cortex, and is essentially a brain stem. Your mother's disease will progress to an end point. Terri's will not. When your mother draws into a fetal position and you have to use a feeding tube you'll know the end is close. This is not the case for Terri.

Somebody should re-draw Michelangelo's depictions of Dante's Hell. In the revised scene, the devil is beating the shit out of Bush(both brothers), Cheney, Robertson, Falwell, Frist, and Delay.

Irony - as a bulimic and/or anorexic, the question must be asked.
If Terri Schiavo were conscious today, would her diet be any different?

Somebody should re-draw Michelangelo's depictions of Dante's Hell.

They did. The devil is hydra-headed with Bush(both brothers), Cheney, Robertson, Falwell, Frist, Delay, et al as the snakes heads...and they are beating the shit out of us.

If Terri Schiavo were conscious today, would her diet be any different?

I'm sure the tube does not supply a 5,000 calorie binge followed by a purge and a quart of laxative.

George T, well done bro. Great post.

I didn't graduate anywhere near 1st in my law school class, but I'd like to think that I'm smart enough to know the law. For those Repubs out there, if you believe in our Constitution and the rule of law, you must speak out and condemn this attack on the Constitution.

i don't remember exactly where i saw it, but i liked the posting that showed a ton of people praying for her "speedy recovery" and over it were the words "guess this proves god doesn't exist".

i'm sorry she had this accident, but exactly who the fuck is terri schiavo and why does she deserve all this individualized attention? bitter i know, but this is insane.

The GOP graspsed at a Jeb Bush straw on the Schiavo case, trying to throw a bone to the Religious Nut Wing of the GOP (and thats a lot of voters), get Jeb some air-time, and get the Nation's attention off the continuing military failure in Iraq and the brutal drubbing Bush is taking on Social Security...from his own party!!. From the *rest* of the country he's faring much worse on the SS scam.
But, they screwed up. Bush himself was forced to crawfish away in Crawford from his support of Terry- "we've done all we could do" and is now trying to hide from the whole episode as the polls show the country overwhelmingly against his position. And Jeb has come off as a suck-up to the RaptureNuts, and a governor who can't even fix a vote by is own FLA state Juciciary (imagine, Jeb Bush can't fix a vote in FLA!).
But in the end, the GOP Controlled Media will gloss over this episode of tawdry pure politics by the GOP, and turn their attention to some obscure murder case in Outer Mongolia. Or, will the worms turn.....? Is the Free Media blogosphere starting to work, is truth too easy to see....and too hard to hide...? We may be about to find out. As the Beach Boys said - "wouldn't it be nice".

I really think that if Terri had a chance it was Jeb who could give it to her. But he failed. He failed God's mission. He failed Terri, he failed his supporters, and he failed the people. Most of all, he failed those of religion who trusted him to do God's will. How can we ever trust him in any elected office again?

Pastor Rod Spangler
Deerlick Assembly of God Chuch
Just a piece up from Sulfur Creek

I think I made an observation this week, but I am not holding my breath. I have been watching MSM this week (which I generally do not watch) and there seems to be a minor shift in their reporting (Fox not included). Then tonight on NBC there was a report on Bush's Faith Based Initiatives. The story was really negative in it's content, and against Bush for not fulfilling a campaign promise to fund this program. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, since the MSM goes out of it's way to not report on anything negative pertaining to GW.

I was just watching Scarborough on MSNBC it was great to see one Republican attacking another Republican with a vengence. Alan Keyes attacking Jeb Bush. This whole thing, we just might see the Republicans implode over this.

Posted by phidip....Pastor Rod at March 24, 2005 06:55 PM

Oh ho, you must be way out there pastor!

Posted by Powerhouse Church of the Presumtpious Assumption

Is that you, Pastor Rod? My brother in the cloth, Pastor Rod Flash, of the Powerhouse Church of the Blinding Light of the Presumptuous Assumption? Last I heard, you were high on the good things in life: Powerful gasoline and clean underwear. The Lord is a great and mighty powerful hotdog! Hmmm...let's eat!

Pastor Rod Spangler
Deerlick Assembly of God Chuch
Just a piece up from Sulfur Creek

One virtue of the Schiavo case is that it demonstrates what an abomination the supremes committed in deciding Bush v Gore as they did. Stare decisis for the FL courts now, overturn the FL courts then: the supremes just undercut their 2000 decision.

The deception of bush & ASSociates:

This can be clearly seen in the arguments that they've used very recently which diametrically oppose each other. Remember back a few weeks ago, when the Supreme Court decided 5-4 that in the case where those who'd committed murder ect... as a legal juvenile states couldn't use death penalty.

I listened to the Right that day. The one who calls herself "Laura" said something to the effect that it made her sick to see such an abrogation of the Constitution, in that it is clearly a case of STATE'S RIGHTS. The federal system, in this case, the judicial branch, had absolutely no standing whatsoever to tell the states' system what to do. Especially on such an issue of life or death. That's up to the states to decide.

Now. Congress tries to intervene in Florida in an attempt to change that state's right to make a ruling on a life or death matter. Okay, yes, in this case, the life in question is "innocent" and the intervention was attempted by a different branch of the federal government, but the effect is the opposite of the one that the right wanted to defend last month!

On issues of life or death, these conned-servatives will grasp at whatever argument they can with NO consistency, no integrity and no internal guiding prinicples, other than what they believe will be most advantageous to gaining more power at the moment.

What are normal people supposed to do when confronted with this lack of consistency? Oh, that's right; chance the channel.

I just want someone to know that I was paying attention, and this game that they're playing involves life; something that they claim to value above all else. What life? Whose life? What about the baby in Texas who died Monday because her feeding tube was too expensive?

Well, what do we do with this information? Should we form the Politically Apoplectic Society? Is this what they're after? To make us so crazy with rage that we can't even express ourselves?

Whether it's an issue of life or death, death penalty or removing life support; the effect is the same. The federal system has stepped in to tell the states what they are allowed to do. So, which is correct, Mr. DeLie? Delay. Mr. DeLay. Oh, that's right; we're not supposed to pay attention. Close your eyes and go back to sleep. Or, just watch one of those super shows that they have on the Fox network; that'll help ease the pain and erase any memory or care of the inconsistent events...

President Bush jumps to the aid of Terri Shiavo’s family in a move that contradicts his history in his home state of Texas. I have a possible reason. Despite the fact that I believe that the country has lost its collective sense of morals, I do not believe that President Bush is a good spokesman for the country, on any level. Regardless of his ability, intelligence, desires, intentions, or the intensity of his convictions, the man is not well spoken. When he opens his mouth, he is not a good representative of this country. He stammers, loses his focus, and allows his eyes to drift off into space. He doesn’t even look like he’s trying to find the right words. He looks lost. Almost like …. his brain has ceased functioning.

Right or wrong, I suddenly can imagine how Terri Shiavo’s husband could feel the way he does. After all of this time, you begin to believe that the small things aren’t signs of life. No matter what anyone else feels, you know, from this moment forward, things aren’t going to get better.

I think that President Bush was advised to jump into action. If Terri Shiavo’s family does not win their case, then President Bush might lose a similar battle. If anyone can make the case that he is actually in a persistent vegetative state and that his actions do not truly indicate a functioning reality, they can petition to withhold his food until complete biological shutdown is certain.

I don’t have a firm stance, one way or the other, regarding Terri Shiavo’s situation. This is a horrible and tragic time for her and her family. There are valid points on either side. Within my own family, I have faced a very similar situation. There is still no resolve in this matter.

I do not know what the resolution for the Shiavo family will be. I wish upon both sides of this matter, grace and peace. I am sorry for both sides that President Bush has gotten involved in this matter. The fact that he is involved complicates matters for Terri Shiavo’s husband. The fact that he is involved does not help matters for her parents. It is sad that when we need concrete answers, we can’t get him to give us any. When we need him to be calming and smooth, he isn’t.

To his defense, the liberals are not helping matters. This should not be a political matter. The family has enlisted the aid of various branches of the government for help; they are doing what any parent would do for their child. They are using any means necessary to do what they believe is right for their child. This issue is disastrous. Not only is this a highly emotional topic, it is the political game. Sadly, both families are being used to fight a much larger battle. It is like watching my children fight. They don’t need to have strong feelings about anything in particular in order to have a good fight. They simply need to not like each other for that point in time. The fight can be about anything. The topic, whatever it may be, is simply an excuse to get after one another. The scariest part of all of this is that the issues that the politicians are fighting about have real consequences for real people. Sometimes, I truly believe that they couldn’t care less. As long as they are on the record for doing something, they are, “fighting the good fight.”

gofigure

Good job George T.

It's the media. It's the US television media. The so-called news stations are what will bring our democracy down.

And the only way we are going to stop this insane sensationalistic, tabloid "journalism" is to demand cable & satellite operators offer a la cart packages.

And request a Congressional Investigation into the state of the US television media.

This site continues using polls as the final authority on America's heartbeat. One would think after the embarrassing spectacle this site made of itself demonizing the Gallup poll's sampling methods week after week cause it usually had GW leading this site would have learned its lesson.
CBS Poll?? LOL What a credible source.
DEMS point to Polls....GOP make laws...LOL

gofigure,

To his defense, the liberals are not helping matters. This should not be a political matter.

How does that statement lead into your next sentence;

The family has enlisted the aid of various branches of the government for help; they are doing what any parent would do for their child.

What does that have to do with Liberals?

The only branch of government that has any legitimate place in this whole unfortunate situation is the judiciary. When all the parent's (let's stick with parents rather than family because her husband is also her family and he wants no part of this circus) legal options had been exhausted they went to the legislature to try and circumvent a legitimate impartial judicial decision.

That's what made this political. A Liberal pointing out the hypocricy of the "states rights" federalist GOP inserting itself into what is clearly a state issue is not the problem here.

GOP make laws...LOL

That Schiavo law did engender many laughs.

cali said

i don't remember exactly where i saw it, but i liked the posting that showed a ton of people praying for her "speedy recovery" and over it were the words "guess this proves god doesn't exist".

I say no, but this proves there is a hell and we are living in it.

Why can't the Religious Right trust in God on the Schiavo situation? God has left her unable to eat....who are we as mere humans to intervene?

Thanks for everyone's comments. In no way did I intend to liken this situation to the Holocaust. I can't even imagine how anyone could. I was just making the point that until Hitler came along, people in Terri's condition were either kept at home by their families or euthanized. America then changed to long-term care (medicaid) in institutions because of Hitler's use of euthanasia, to be more humane here in the US. Hope that clears that up.

You guys are right that no one can diagnose via a video. I have just known a lot of folks who shared Terri's state--alternating between unresponsive and responsive. And so I was extrapolating from that. People without that experience make assumptions about people so severly disabled that aren't always true; as an advocate, I tend to react to that. But no, I can't accurately evaluate her condition just from the news.

As to this whole issue, it is a personal decision, and I don't condemn the husband nor the parents. This kind of injury is a tragedy for everyone involved, and none of us can judge.

I do believe the right wing is suffering a blow from how they have handled this and hope good things ensue as a result...more media balance, etc. And I will continue to advocate for better resources/incentives for people who care for disabled family members at home. As it is, people have to become destitute to qualify for Medicaid, and then it only covers institutional care. The system needs to change so that supplemental assistance is available to families who make the commitment and extend themselves, as well as to those who cannot provide in-home care.

I very much appreciate the respectful exchanges on this blog.

emal, i like yours even better. :-)

Is that you, Pastor Rod?

It is I and I'm down, safe and sound.
Trailing clouds of glory I'm down, safe and sound and hungry.

phid.,

I have been a Firesign Theatre fan scince high school. We're a rare breed but I have turned on a few friends over the years. Their comedy was decades ahead of its time. God, I miss the 70's gas was high then too but people we're more laid back then.