This lead editorial in the LA Times gets it ..
Republican leaders, eyeing an opportunity to appease their radical right-wing constituents, convened Congress over the weekend to shamelessly interject the federal government into the wrenching Schiavo family dispute. They brushed aside our federalist system of government, which assigns the resolution of such disputes to state law, and state judges. Even President Bush flew back from his ranch to Washington on Sunday to be in on what amounts to a constitutional coup d'etat.
Overthrow Clinton; use the Supremes to appoint Bush; lie about WMD to get legislative approval for attacking Iraq; Texas redistricting ... ... the list gets longer daily... They are, of course, hunting a much bigger role in your private life;
The case is a marker for other battles — about medical assistance in ending a terminally ill life, as in the much-fought Oregon law and a similar proposal working its way through the California Legislature. About the rights of gay couples to assume spousal rights in medical decisions. Most painfully, about abortion.
Federal judges, regarded with contempt by moral conservatives on other issues, are being dragged into another swamp. No decision they make in the Schiavo case and those certain to follow can be the right one.
Think Progress has poll results showing vast majority hate Congress and Bush for meddling in private affairs like this.. .and a good discussion ...
