It's not the lying as much as the hypocrisy
Terri Schiavo mania has hit a fever pitch as the the Federal Court of Appeals refused for the third time to hear the Schiavo case. I'm already overloaded on this case and I live in Britain. I can't even imagine what it must be like for people who watch American television. I don't have anything to add to my previous thoughts on the case and certainly to the gigabytes of information (is that the modern equivalent of 'spilled ink'?) used to fight for both sides.However, I am TOTALLY APPALLED by the Republican's use of this tragedy because the "pro-life base will be excited," and that it is a "great political issue -- this is a tough issue for Democrats." Since when did people become pieces of meat to be bartered with for political gain? Could we trade one Terri Schiavo for two infants on life support and a vegetable to be named later? She is a human being! She should be treated with all the respect and care we give our own family. Republican leadership have claimed that the strategy memo detailing the political gain from Terri Schiavo is disgusting and vile, but they are still acting on the advice. Hypocrisy!
Shall we turn to the idea of a "culture of life"? As readers of liberal blogs will know, in 1999 George Bush signed the Texas Futile Care Law, which allows doctors to withhold life-sustaining treatment from patients who are in an "irreversible condition". They can do this even over the objections of families. The main reason? Because of the cost of indefinite care. This law allowed a hospital to disconnect a ventilator from 6-month old Sun Hudson even over the objections of his mother. George Bush is either a recent convert to the right-to-life movement or a HUGE hypocrite for making such an entrance by ending his vacation early and flying back this weekend. The Boxing-Day tsunami killed an estimated 200,000 people and the President didn't return to Washington.
Politicians may be hypocritical and they may be slimy, but what really irks me is knock on effect this will have on Christianity and Jesus. The Right-to-Life crowd, who strongly invoke Jesus, are so tied up in the Schiavo case and the surrounding hypocrisy that Jesus will be also be hit with the hypocritical tag. Talk about putting stumbling blocks in the way of the Gospel.
Also interesting to note how Jeb Bush, Bill Frist, and Rick Santorum have all been front and center leading the charge. They are the front runners for 2008 Republican nomination. This ain't about Terri Schiavo, it is about the career ladder.
From the hmmmm interesting file: The American Street wants to know What Would Jesus do?
From the darn good question file: "Has anyone figured out how Bush’s proposed medical malpractice reform legislation might have impacted the one million dollar settlement that Michael Schiavo received in 1993, and which has paid for Terri’s care the last 12 years?"
posted by Expat Teacher @ 1:32 PM
