On Shiavo, by Dean
I care about words. This moved me.The obscene hypocrisy of this administration has reached new heights in the ghastly exploitation of Terri Schiavo and her pathetic family. A woman whose brain is largely gone, replaced by spinal fluid leaking into the void is being used by a president who himself signed in to Texas law the right of hospitals to remove life support of patients on Medicaid or Medicare against the wishes of parents, spouses or legal guardians. Just this week a six month old infant was allowed to die under this law. President Bush did not reverse himself, the national legislature did not intervene, and most of the news media did not publicize this little death.
President Bush’s budgetary gutting of the already broken VA system is leading to the removal of 5,000 indigent, helpless veterans from the veterans’ nursing homes. With no place to go, no resources, no government intervention, what will happen to them? Let the states take care of them, cries the president. What will the states do for money?
Cuts in all social programs for the poorest, the sickest and the weakest have led to deaths of people who might have been saved. Those without health care insurance, and they are in the millions, are dying because they can’t afford to treat their cancers, or even see a doctor for early intervention to prevent further deterioration. Where is the concern of the president, the federal legislature, the press?
And yet, the carrion-eaters, the right-wing talking heads on television, the right wing politicos smack their lips over this unhappy case, and wallow in the misery of the family as they play out their anguished scene in front of the cameras. And now, the ultimate cynicism and willingness of the Republicans to politicize everything; they are vomiting out the putrid spewings of their kind, trying to somehow convince the gullible public that this is a political plot by Democrats to kill off viable human life. Is there no shame?
DDean
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