Some in GOP Fear Effort May Alienate Voters

LA Times ^ | Mar. 22, 2005 | Janet Hook

[Crackingham]

The extraordinary steps taken by congressional Republicans to save the life of Terri Schiavo have won plaudits from evangelical Christians and other conservative activists, but some Republicans worry about a potential backlash among others who view the intervention as an overbearing use of government power.

Just as Congress passed and President Bush signed legislation allowing federal courts to review whether Schiavo's feeding tube should be withdrawn, a poll by ABC News found that 70% of those surveyed believed congressional intervention was inappropriate.

Though some GOP strategists have argued that the issue is a political winner for the party because it appeals to religious conservatives, other Republicans warn that the bold maneuver risks alienating swing voters as well as Republicans worried about government invasions of individual privacy.

"It goes beyond shameless politics," said Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster. "It becomes a more crystallized proof point that we are no longer the party of smaller government. We have become a party of 'It doesn't matter what size government is as long as it is imposing our set of values.' "

Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), before voting against the bill Bush later signed, asked: "How deep is this Congress going to reach into the personal lives of each and every one of us?"

snip

Some of the conservative critics of Congress' action say the issue goes to the core of what kind of party the GOP will become. They worry it will further erode the party's commitment to limiting the role of the federal government.

"Conservatives who have criticized the idea that Washington should run everything ought to be sheepish" about getting involved in the Schiavo case, said David Boaz, an analyst at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

[HitmanLV]

I believe the poll. Why not? I think it's evidence that a lot of folks don't know the details much of the case. Nothing more.

Congress came to no substantive position on the case - they were giving the case a new procedural avenue. Many Americans (and even some on FR!) can't follow that very straightforward point.

Also, I think people like to think that their spouses would have their best interests at heart, and are projecting that to the case (not knowing the details that raise some doubt as to Mr. S's character). It's difficult for a lot of people to cope with some disturbing possibilities - for example, a spouse is unfaithful or disloyal. Sometimes its easier believing the fiction than it is to broach the possibility of truth.

I raise this on the abortion issues: the incongruity of 1.4 million abortions a year, polling that suggests that most Americans are against abortion, and yet a quiet support of the status quo. One possibility that's difficult for people on both sides of the issue to cope with, which I raise, is that enough women who say that they think abortion is always wrong know that they are capable of getting into an inconvenient pregnancy. That's true of single, dating, & married women, Dems or Republicans, churchgoers or non-churchgoers.

It's hard for a lot of people to cope with the idea that their spouse could get pregnant by some other guy, or that their spouse might get another woman pregnant, for example. The appeal of 'getting rid of the problem' quietly and easily is in the back of their mind - otherwise they risk a severe disruption of their status quo. While they say one thing and have difficulty broaching this topic outwardly (for legit reasons), it remains in the back of their mind.

So it's easy to tell a pollster one thing, and also know that there is a change, for example, that they might get pregnant by some clown they meet at the gym while their fiancee is risking his life in Iraq. It's hard to talk about, but no less true.

Same thing here - it's easier to say 'its up to the spouse' and not look too closely, otherwise their perception of their status quo is threatened.

[MikeHu]

Congress can do what it has the will to do.

[planekT]

Here is the effect it will have. It's already starting.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1368338/posts

[JoeGar]

How much do the Sheeple really know about this case?

All they need to know is that twenty one court cases and sixteen different judges all reached the same conclusion.

[Politicalities]

a poll by ABC News found that 70% of those surveyed believed congressional intervention was inappropriate.

A misleading statistic at best. I think congressional intervention was inappropriate. What would have been appropriate would have been for the state courts to properly rule that Terri's wishes were not proven by clear and convincing evidence, and therefore there was no cause to starve her to death. That's the way this case should have gone.

I don't like that Congress had to intervene. But Congress had to intervene, because the Florida state courts did not do their job.

[CyberAnt]

Well .. the dems had to find some way to make the repubs look bad .. after all .. just because the dems either stayed home or voted against LIFE - they couldn't allow the repubs to look good over supporting this disabled woman.

I believe that was the motive not only for the memo - but the memo provided them with talking points to try to make the repubs seem calloused and calculating - as if the dems never did anything for political reasons - which is totally absurd.

It was a nice try .. but I'm not buying it.

[CyberAnt]

I think this is going to backfire on the dems very badly. For the first time .. I believe the repubs have done this for "the right reasons" and not for political point.

I think the public will respond to that the same way they have responded to the President when he does it. Geeeeee .. ya think they're finally getting the message ..??

[Cicero]

This entire article is a tissue of lies.

What worries the LA Times is that supporting Terri's right to life may HELP the Republicans and hurt the Democrats. They are simply trying to muddy the water, confuse their readers, and throw the Republicans a false message.

For years the media have been trying to persuade everyone, especially Republicans, that right-to-life is bad politics. Nonsense. Peddling abortions is bad politics, and it shows at the polls.

[John Lenin]

Quite the opposite. Bring on the nculear option !

[John Lenin]

Quite the opposite. Bring on the nuclear option !

[Just mythoughts]

Wonder if they were freeping for this article?

[MikeHu]

Obviously the uncomplicated thing to have done, would have been to turn her back over to her parents.

When a story gets too convoluted and complicated, I start developing reasonable doubts.

[cubreporter]

Yeah? Well, sometimes in ones life one has to step up to the bar and be counted...no matter the results. You do what you have to do and what you believe in. There is NO WAY anyone should consider one lousey vote for themselves in the midst of this heartbreaking event. It's about Terri Schiavo and her right to live NOT about dem/lib/pubbies worrying about their damned careers!

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

So you're OK with killing a non-comatose woman without a Living Will.

It's OK with you that her griefstricken mother is standing beside her watching her die & there is a policeman there to prevent her from putting a few drops of water in her daughter's mouth?

[righttackle44]

I think the phrase is:

Bring it on!

But some Republicans gotta get some
intestinal fortitude. I'm getting sick and tired
of hearing Republicans worry about having
to take a stand that requires character and
integrity. You hear 'em ringing their hands
as they speak in quivering voices to Sean
and Rush.

Let's take on the Dems and beat 'em.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

The POS abrogated all rights as care giver and of guardianship when he took to himself another (common law) wife, fathered two children and blew Terri's insurance compensation.

It is now rather well verified that she suffered many broken bones while under the POS's direct care.

[Antoninus]

Welcome to FR.

When your enemy goes out of his way to give you advice, it's usually a good bet you should do the opposite.

The LA Times is a rag and a POS.

[Antoninus]

I'd rather belong to a Minority Party that believes in Life than a Majority Party that believes in Nothing!

Amen to that. There's already one Culture of Death party in this country. Here's their seal:

[jmaroneps37]

ratmedia scum droppings designed to demoralize rank and file GOPers.

[McGavin999]

One of my bosses came in ranting about how the congress had no business getting involved in this. I explained some of the facts to him and he turned dead white. He had NO idea what the story was behind all this. By the time I was done, he was furious with the media for not telling the truth about what was involved in this case. He's very politically active too. He'll make sure that others are as informed has he is now. I gave him links to articles and when I told him she hasn't had a PET scan he couldn't believe it.