Soapbox

Political Gain from their Pain

Yesterday, in a naked grab for political capital, the congress of the United States enacted emergency legislation to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, the woman in Florida whose feeding tube was removed over the weekend to allow her to die at last.

I am at a loss to explain yesterday’s action by Congress in this case. Why has congress been silent for 15 years while ump-teen judges ruled on this case? Does Dennis Hastert, who insists that Terri is not in a persistent vegetative state suddenly know more about medicine than the doctors who have run test after test and all the judges who painstakingly reviewed the evidence?

It is completely hypocritical for the President to be so eager to sign this bill to keep Terri alive. You see, when he was governor of Texas, ( in addition to executing more prisoners than any governor in U.S. history) George Bush also signed a little bill called the Texas Futile Care law. Ever heard of it? It allows hospitals to terminate life support in patients with no hope of revival if they are poor and cannot pay for their care. Just last week, against its mothers wishes, a baby in Texas was removed from life support under this law. Can the President explain why Terri matters and that baby and others like it do not?

Surely it couldn’t have anything to do with their ability to pay? Because under the tort reform champoined by the president and fellow republicans, families like the Schiavos would no longer be able to file malpractice claims like the one whose award is paying for Terri’s care, the care they want to continue. And under the bankruptcy bill just passed, families who can’t get a malpractice award to pay their staggering medical bills would be unable to file for bankruptcy protection to keep from losing the shirts off their backs to pay those bills.

The sad truth is that people in this country have their feeding tubes removed and are allowed to die peacefully every week. Why have congress and the president never cared about any of them? Because there was never political hay to be made from careing. A memo leaked to the Washington Post reminds Republicans that intervention on this issue will please their religious base and put the democrats in a tough spot. Indeed, 47 Democrats in the house voted for the bill, rather than be painted “pro-death” by George the baby killer.

If congress is so concerned with questions of life and death, why did they refuse to investigate the 107 prisoners who have died in U.S. custody since the war began? Many of their deaths would make Terri Schiavo’s seem like a walk in the park!
I empathize with the family members on both sides of this tragic case and they are in my prayers. I also find it hypocritical and inappropriate for Congress to act so intrusively and exploit this suffering for political gain.

Some good can still come of this tragedy if it reminds us all to sign a living will today!