The Tease of Things I Don't Need

Whose Decision?

Over on H's blog (go here and scroll down to "A Last Crusade") he took a little time to note the Terri Schiavo case.

(Here's a timeline on the events to look through if you're unfamiliar.)

What follows is most of my comment left there, changed mostly to correct some date-related issues and add some links. It's a big enough issue both socially and politically to warrant making sure everyone is taking some time to think about it and discuss it with friends and especially family. It's certainly a far more important issue than all of the fuss being raised over steroid and other performance-enhancing drugs in major league baseball.

The Terri Schiavo case has been at national news level off and on for a long time, so most are likely familiar with it. Obviously this weekend is the most recent and perhaps highest profile aspect of it, as not only is the Senate set with legislation to sign once something comes from the GOP-controlled House, but Dubya has flown back to the White House early from Texas specifically so he's there and ready to sign it as soon as someone gets it on his desk. That signature would put a feeding tube into Terri for what, if I've counted correctly, will be the third time. I suspect that if it goes back in then the next time it comes out will be the final one, whether it's due to a new and final court decision, her death, or an unespected recovery.

Divorcing it from the politics, I have great reservations about right to die/euthenasia laws, because once they're in place they set a precedent that could lead to a gradual social shift towards "solving" the financial problems caused by an increased number of senior citizens many of whose lives may reach a point where their primary preoccupation is beating back death with phamaceuticals and a little surgery.

In Schiavo's case we're left with someone who's been in this state for some 15 years since an approximately 5 minute interruption of the flow of oxygen to her brain caused brain damage. The body's moving around to some degree, with reportedly far less cognizant function than a generic movie zombie.

Not knowing Terri -- knowing whoever she was in 1990 -- I'm not in a position to say whether or not she would want to be kept in this condition. I don't know how much of this is driven by a sincere evaluation of what Terri would have wanted, and how much by a husband Michael who's given up hope and after 13 years is well past the point of emotionally needing to get on with his own life. As the parents and husband are described as having had a "falling out" in 1993, I'm presuming that was the point when the husband openly gave up hope and wanted to close the book on his wife.

I know that my wife and I have discussed similar matters over the years, and I'm very clear that she does not want any such extraordinary measures used. I'm a more hopeful sort at my core, and have been much less helpful in defining how far I'd like it to go. You'll know I've given up when I'm dead, but until then keep it coming.

At... one bottom line, so to speak, if we're going to have the government stepping in to keep feeding her then in my view the government is stepping in and taking responsibility. Their pro-life stance is going to have to include covering the financial aspects, too, or else it's as hollow as Dubya's drastically under-funded "No Child Left Behind" legislation. I have no idea how well the early '90s settlement of $700,000 (promptly put into a trust fund to pay for her care) has been holding out, but even if that has we have to keep the broader implications of such policies in mind.

The GOP, whether it's for reasons of moral principle or political leverage (a gray area, to be sure, as it is almost certainly a mix of both, the percentages varying from politician to politician) is taking the moral high ground. The Democrats in opposition need to get their story straight on why they're doing what they're doing, and even then they're going to come out of this painted in the minds of many (nearly all of whom had voted for Bush anyway, so probably it'll be a net alliance change of close to nil) as Godless and immoral. In Bush country, it's little surprise, Democrats have been recast as the new Commies. This would be an easier sell if the Bush administration had any sense of fiscal restraint aside from a move towards axing social programs, but apparently it's being sold well enough among the Fox News (sic) crowd.

As of the last update the House Democrats have used one of their only tools to delay a quick GOP voice vote by demanding a quorum, so everyone's being asked to speed back to Washington for a vote. There will almost certainly be a session and a vote shortly after midnight, and almost as certainly the legislation will pass, be sent over to the Senate, where they seem all prepped to quickly pass it on to the White House. Expect a montage of clips to demonstrate the GOP's "tireless" defense of Life. I'm waiting to see how many ruffle their hair and roll up their shirt sleeves before stepping in front of the cameras.

I expect to see them, all the way up to Dubya, trying to look as shopworn and sleepless as possible for the cameras as each declares they've fought and won the good fight... which will simply be the reinsertion of the feeding tube until a federal court reviews the case.

The GOP will almost certainly win this case both in the short term of votes and in the longer term court of public opinion... and if a miracle cure is found, well, the only way that'll hurt the GOP is if it involves the use of embryonic stem cells.

If after all of the above you want some slanted, almost evil satire based on it, then I suppose you'd head here.