[billorites]

Most families have stories like this.

Or will.

[Huck]

Mine does.

[Aussie Dasher]

There is a huge difference between "allowing" someone to die, and murdering someone in cold blood. What's happening to Terri clearly falls into that second category.

[goldstategop]

There's a difference between allowing someone to die a natural death and an entirely different matter in with holding humane care from a dying person. We have a duty to keep them fed and their needs taken care of but we have no right to hasten someone's death. Only God can decide when to call us home.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[madprof98]

Most families have stories like this.

Which is exactly what the euthanasia advocates are playing on when they tell us that various people "wouldn't want to live that way." Of course, these various people do NOT have terminal illnesses, but, hey, why split hairs?

[Dane]

Yeah they do, but they don't have stories of a son-in-law stating in court that he would take care of his disabled wife if he got an award, and then when he gets the money starts the legal motions to starve his wife to death

[Bigh4u2]

"kept alive by intravenous lines and oxygen equipment"

HUGE difference between what his father's condition and Terri's was.



A lot has changed in the 16 years since Delay's father died.

[dennisw]

This passing away of Tom Delay's father has no comparison to Terri Schiavo's condition. Yet another scam propaganda piece from the LA Times. Designed to show Tom Delay is somehow a hypocrite .... which he isn't.

[mtbopfuyn]

There's a world of difference between the two cases but I'm not surprised the media would try to spin it such. Terri is not in a coma and she never was on life support. She was eating until the day hino decided it was less of a bother to put her on the feeding tube. What has been ordered by this Amerika is murder, not a passing.

[The_Victor]

The two situation aren't similar:

Doctors advised that he would "basically be a vegetable," said the congressman's aunt, JoAnne DeLay.

When his father's kidneys failed, the DeLay family decided against connecting him to a dialysis machine. "Extraordinary measures to prolong life were not initiated," said his medical report, citing "agreement with the family's wishes." His bedside chart carried the instruction: "Do not resuscitate."

On Dec. 14, 1988, the DeLay patriarch "expired with his family in attendance."

"The situation faced by the congressman's family was entirely different than Terri Schiavo's," said a spokesman for the majority leader, who declined requests for an interview.

"The only thing keeping her alive is the food and water we all need to survive. His father was on a ventilator and other machines to sustain him," said Dan Allen, DeLay's press aide.

Denying food and water to a incapacitated woman is not the same thing as shutting off a ventilator.

[The_Victor]

The two situation aren't similar:

Doctors advised that he would "basically be a vegetable," said the congressman's aunt, JoAnne DeLay.

When his father's kidneys failed, the DeLay family decided against connecting him to a dialysis machine. "Extraordinary measures to prolong life were not initiated," said his medical report, citing "agreement with the family's wishes." His bedside chart carried the instruction: "Do not resuscitate."

On Dec. 14, 1988, the DeLay patriarch "expired with his family in attendance."

"The situation faced by the congressman's family was entirely different than Terri Schiavo's," said a spokesman for the majority leader, who declined requests for an interview.

"The only thing keeping her alive is the food and water we all need to survive. His father was on a ventilator and other machines to sustain him," said Dan Allen, DeLay's press aide.

Denying food and water to a incapacitated woman is not the same thing as shutting off a ventilator.

[cripplecreek]

DeLay's father was on life support Terri is not.

[feedback doctor]

Yes most people do have stories like that, including me and my siblings who let our mom go last year. It was her stated wish infront of all of us and her doctors. She did not want to go back on a ventilator, but we did everything else to help her.

I have said, if I had no doubt about her saying she would want to go, then I would not be on the side I am. There is just too much reasonable doubt.

As far as politics, those who say someone else is making something political, are making it political. And you will not see one story from the media asking questions about Michael's motives. Anytime something like that is brought up in the media it is used to confront a Terri supporter, like, Opponents of Michael have accused her loving husband of having ulterior motives in this."

There are a many freepers who do not hold my view. I can respect their view, but I don't see a lot of that the other way. What I cannot respect is someone saying that the law is more important than those who it is meant to serve.

[DBeers]

This is a liberal hit piece -propaganda that is being used to push a sick agenda. There is a big difference between removing nutrition and water to procure death by starvation and removing extraordinary medical means to permit a natural death.

I can understand both confusion amongst people and possibly even some guilt for those that may have intentionally or ignorantly starved their loved ones to death... Regardless, death by starvation is murder...

[dennisw]

Terri Schiavo .... severely disabled and needs help feeding herself. Health is good

Tom Delay's father .... mortally wounded and on his way out of this life. The plug was pulled on a dying man to ease his suffering. I agree with the actions of the DeLay family


ZERO SIMILARITY

[Skooz]

These two situations are not even remotely similar.

But, leave it to the LA Slimes to publish this pablum to confuse the ignorant.

[Dane]

Oh BTW, LA Times I doubt that the Delay's forbid any final religious sacraments for their father.

[stopem]

We experienced this heartbreak with my 2 year old grandson who had terminal brain tumor and at the same time my mother had brain cancer, strange coincidence that the two of them had brain tumors? I had to care for my Mom at our home and than go to my daughter's to help her with my grandson.

Yes we know what it feels like to feel helpless and the enormous sorrow for years to come.

[WOSG]

The only point of this article is to somehow make DeLay out to be a hypocrite. It does nothing of the kind if you look below the surface headlines, but then, what is the point of the article ... why dont they have an article on what the Kennedy family did to Ted Kennedy's disabled sister, etc.? OTOH, why not an article on the foster children Delay has? It's a big heaping non sequitor..

... the media really will stop at nothing to undermine conservatives.

[Mark was here]

In the article the DeLay family sues Lovejoy a company from Illinois.

Lovejoy makes motor couplers. A motor coupler consists of 3 parts, a part that goes on the end of the motor shaft, a part that goes on the end of the shaft being driven, and an insert that goes between them. the insert is flexible so that if the two shafts are not perfectly in line it will absorb the difference and prevent binding or other problems, the couplers allow the two shafts to be real close, but not perfectly aligned. These items are made in many different sizes and horsepower ratings. You can choose any size you want to use right out of a catalog and they are generally instock off the shelf items in industrial supply houses.

The manufacturer has no control over how these items are used and it is up to the designer and builder to determine the proper sizing and to consider what happens if this fails. What works for hauling a load of rocks up a hill side is a far cry from what would work carrying people, with people you need to follow elevator design standards and have failsafe mechanical breaking.

No way would I hold Lovejoy liable, by design the coupler should of been able to fail.

[knuthom]

There are quite a few differences between DeLay's father and Terri. Mr. DeLay was in a coma, on a ventilator and his kidneys were failing. Terry was being fed through a tube. She was breathing on her own, brain-damaged but not in a coma and until the dehydration her kidneys worked fine.