One life to save, many to squander

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2005/03/27/a1e_versteeg_0327.html

3/27/05, By Jac Wilder VerSteeg, Palm Beach Post

The lazy Mexican, vodka-swilling Russian, hyperpassionate Italian, complaining Frenchman, haughty German, naive American and primitive African have something in common with the headline-grabbing effort to "save" Terri Schiavo. Rather than the embodiment of a culture, they are caricatures of a culture. Rather than a parody of national attributes, actions in the Terri Schiavo case are a caricature of what her self-appointed rescuers claim is "the culture of life."

In the past two weeks, President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Gov. Bush and every other politician draping himself or herself across Ms. Schiavo's body have cast themselves as defenders of the "culture of life." In too many cases, their understanding of that culture, as demonstrated by their other political actions, is so narrow as to nullify their claims to revere life.

While they are vociferous on two or three issues — Terri Schiavo, abortion and perhaps stem-cell research — other issues of vital importance to life are ignored or denigrated by these supposed crusaders in the culture of life.

Do they really think that if they pass misguided laws to require extraordinary medical care for Terri Schiavo, no one will notice their attempts to gut medical programs for the nation's needy? Medicaid, which provides for Terri Schiavo's care, is facing cuts from both Washington and Tallahassee.

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can understand this, why not someone from the NYTimes or WPost? How about Time? Newsweek?

.....they try to pass themselves off as caring sharing people concerned about the Nation and its citizens.....

The enormous evidence points otherwise....They care only for themselves....and it shows.....

The fact is, those who are facing the effects of the financial, mental, social destruction and disaster that the republican party (state and national) is forcing them into may not be capable of recognizing what's going on and may not be voters, but their family members and guardians do recognize it and they ARE voters.

states rove and company ripped of Pope John Paul's words but not the spirit of his meaning of 'culture of life'.

Pope also talked about waging peace not war and the inequity of very wealthy versus poor and policies that don't help that situation.

we get safire, will and parker along with ivins, dowd and pitts. sometimes (but rarely) the righties even make sense. best of all, we have don wright.

ellen fl