Posted on 03/29/2005 10:35:29 AM PST by dead
WASHINGTON, D.C. It's beginning to dawn on gloating Democrats who hoped the GOP had gone too far in the Terri Schiavo case that the spectacle may turn out to be a plus, not a minus for conservatives in the larger ongoing values debate.
And in other areas, conservatives seem to be on a roll: While Dems may think they have stalled Bush's Social Security changes, the GOP now believes it has turned the corner in that debate and will win. In foreign policy, GOP backers rub their hands in glee at the very thought of the Rice-Hughes duo at State taking on Al Jazeera in an international spin war to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world.
Admittedly, Monday's Wall Street Journal savaging of Tom DeLay was a bit off-putting. The Journal said of the Christian right's point man on Schiavo: "He smells just like the Beltway itself," and warned he is betraying the "principles that brought him into office, and which, if he continues as before, sooner or later will sweep him out." Shit happens.
Did the GOP overreach in the Schiavo case? Just as soon as the Supreme Court denied Schiavo a hearing, the Republicans shifted to a new spin. "It was not a partisan issue. It was one of conscience," said Virginia Republican Eric Canter, the deputy chief whip in the House. "People will remember that the majority attempted to address a very difficult situation and did it with a real seriousness of purpose."
Schiavo has given conservative Republicans a way to raise other, wider issues: For example, what happens when the graying baby boomers hit 85? When these people get very ill, do they, as some have put it, "have a duty to die"? And, despite the advances in costly medical technology that extends longevity, will their duty to die become an even more harsh reality because Congress has refused to fix the Social Security and Medicare mess?
These end-of-life issues feed directly into the most heated partisan politics. Daniel Henninger wrote in Friday's Wall Street Journal: "Democrats and others have accused Republicans and President Bush of playing politics with the Schiavo case. Let's hope so. Unlike most, this is a necessary politics that ought to draw the whole country into the argument. . . . Republicans are said to have a pro-life litmus test for judicial nominations. Does this mean that President Hillary Clinton's litmus test would require her judicial nominees to be: pro-abortion, pro partial birth abortion, pro right-to-suicide, and pro pull the plug on medical cases deemed hopeless?"
Currently members of Congress in both houses and both parties are talking seriously of writing new laws on euthanasia issues. Florida Republican Dave Weldon's House bill would grant federal courts the right to examine cases in which a patient has left no written instructions, the family is feuding, and state courts have ordered a feeding tube removed. Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat, said on ABC's Sunday show This Week With George Stephanopoulos: "I think Congress needs to do more. Because I've spoken with a lot of disability groups who are concerned that, even where a choice is made to terminate life, it might be coerced by circumstances."
In the Senate, Tom Harkin of Iowa, who voted for the Schiavo act, wants to sponsor a similar bill to the one in the House. The Senate Health Committee is scheduled to soon debate the Schiavo case and its implications.
Interesting to see even people like Bawney Fwank and Harkin heading away from the fringes on this issue.
Gloating at their success in publicly murdering a women in front of the entire world.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE
Personally, I am far less concerned with what party gains any advantage than I am with saving the life of Terri Schiavo and the precedence this case is setting.
Sounds like Frank is back tracking a little. Why? I thought Death was a winning issue?
This is not a Rep/Dem, conserve/Lib issue. This is why people have been crossing lines when normally enemies. I can assure the MSM and Washington I'm not going to shut up about a Judiciary that orders an innocent's Death. Time to rein in the black robes.
Interesting - I will bookmark.
The problem with Democrats (among many) is that they are trying to figure out what is politically viable rather than having principles and sticking to them. Then again, they know that what they are selling (in the way of policy positions) the public in isn't buying, so they're stuck either way.
What a shame. ;)
In fairness to Harkin, he's been onboard from the start. Though not as vocal as some from our side. Franks back tracking it notable though.
They were gloating and celebrating death at the Paul Wellston memorial fundraiser. This is another celebration by the death cult. And, this time, the results will be no better than the Wellstone situation.
That's completely contrary to his ranting on the House floor the previous Sunday. Must be politically expedient if he is doing such an about-face.
"President Hillary Clinton"??? They wish!
Personally, I'd like to see treasonous liberals run out of the country.
I'm really sick papers etc. telling us how Terri's death is going to affect things...when she isn't even dead yet!!! I'm not speaking to you dead for posting this. Just to the fact that people are all writing about it. They have her autopsy planned etc. etc. She isn't even dead yet. It's just ghoulish.
First Jesse Jackson and now this -- if they had any core principles they would have been saying and doing something before this.
These people make me sick with their grandstanding. Where were they when it counted?
Wonder what all of them are going to say when a bill is submitted outlawing this practice of starving someone to death when the person has no say? Are they going to be on our side then as well.
Sounds to me as if some of the Dems are hearing from the disabled in their constituencies.
Sorry Dead. This gave me cold chills.
Don’t apologize to me! I didn’t write it.
The author, Ridgeway, is a complete liberal idiot. I just thought it was interesting that a little lightbulb went on in his head and told him, “Maybe celebrating the court-mandated, slow starvation death of a handicapped woman is not a positive, long-term, party-building strategy.”
It’s amazing to me that more of them don’t realize that. But in their feeble minds, killing Terri Schiavo will provide some sort of cosmic retribution for the Bush reelection. This woman must die a horrible death so that “compassionate” Northeastern liberal dipshits can poke a stick in the eye of the evil forces of religious fundamentalism.
It’s going to come back to haunt them in more ways than one.
The most likely occurence will be a strengthening of the roles of the medical community and the courts in cases of disable patients. With medical procedures becomming more efficient at keeping parts on a person alive, the question of when care isn't warranted will devolve even more onto the government.
Another likely outcome will be a board of ethicists, medical professionals, and lawyers to either advise or actually make life or death decisions.
You're smacking them out of the park today, dead!
I am sick to death of everything being analyzed by amoral political advisers to the complete detriment of the underlying issues. Pols (Of both stripes) who find it necessary to take a poll and meet with advisers before enunciating their stand on all issues are merely ill-controlled robots, devoid of any leadership.
Last week Ridgeway was predicting "GOP blowback" after they had a rushed Palm Sunday bill. The bottom line is that this idea of protecting innocent life, of defending life and liberty are real big ideas for them. However, with the left, they have to polticize every little thing they get their goblin like hands on.
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