3.20.2005 | Save a life

It is coming down to this. So-called conservatives want to use the Federal Congressional machinery to save a life. So-called liberals are now saying that it's a local matter. At issue is the life of Terri Schiavo, and it is really not that strange for roles to be reversed. It comes down to the central issue, which is protection of life.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Republicans remain the party of liberty and of life. Democrats remain the party of abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide -- the party of death. It this seems too harsh, provide another explanation for why it is that virtually all those who would kill Terri Schiavo are Democrats; virtually all who would keep her alive are Republicans. Oh, there's the usual snarky references to "Christian conservatives." For example, the ever-lefty Washington Post soviet collective of writers on the Schiavo gave us this irrelevant bit in their story today:

In a memo distributed only to Republican senators, the Schiavo case was characterized as "a great political issue" that could pay dividends with Christian conservatives, whose support is essential in midterm elections such as those coming up in 2006.

Perhaps due to projection, liberals just can't seem to understand that conservatives are not simply doing this for political advantage. "This" being trying to keep an incapacitated woman alive, because it is the moral thing to do. The essence of what this is about is in a joint statement made yesterday by Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist:

We’re pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement on legislation which provides an opportunity to save Mrs. Schiavo’s life.

Both Denny Hastert and Bill Frist would normally side with state and local authorities. Except in a case that involves the most important civil liberty -- the right to life.

Update: as I was saying, the Donks are born-again states'-righters. From this update:

A handful of Democrats -- including several from Florida -- held a news conference today denouncing the bill as an inappropriate intervention into a private family matter by federal officials.

The bill in question would save the life of Terri Schiavo. Do you suppose that these Donks would be quite so zealous against federal intervention if a county in Florida voted to ban all abortions? No. They would be consistent -- consistent as the pro-death party.