Below is the memo in which the GOP political strategists “sold” the Save Schiavo bill to Republican members of Congress.

It’s all politics as usual, mobilize the base, that kind of stuff.

Even though the Save Schiavo bill is anti-Republican, anti-conservative, and unconstitutional, it still serves one good purpose: The bill highlights that we probably need a national consensus on how to deal with the personal and familial tragedies imposed by dealing with persons in a persistent vegetative state (but there is intense debate about whether Schiavo is in such a medical state).

I personally am mortified at the thought that we as a society can starve such patients to death, but we can’t put them to sleep peacefully. If we can kill them, mercy killing let’s say, why must we starve them to death?

The talking points memo is not too far over the top when it says that the bill will help treat Terry Schiavo at least as well as we treat convicted murderers.

Politicians can have valild debate about the “role of the Federal government”, and people of goodwill can disagree about whether it is proper, under our system of government, for the Federal government to be getting involved in decisions traditionally made under state law by state officials.

TIM CALLS FOR A MODEL LAW
But we can probably all agree on one thing: The Congress and the President have the bully pulpit. If the national leaders chose to push things, they could create a “model law” regarding Schiavo-like situations and ask each state to pass the model law (this is commonly done in the law, for many areas of law — Uniform Commerical Code, etc). In this way, the Congress is exerting its moral leadership, without taking official actions that might tread upon our federal system of government.

WHO PAYS? GEORGE BUSH SAID IN 1999 THAT IT’S OK TO KILL THOSE WHO CAN’T PAY FOR THEIR LIFETIME OF CARE
By the way: Who is going to PAY for Schiavo’s care if the Republicans do not want her to die? Will the Republicans vote to reduce the tax cut for the rich in order to provide a fund to allow the Feds to house and care for Schiavo-like patients nationwide?

LINKS FOR MORE INFO AND CONFIRMATION
George Bush signed a law in Texas in 1999 alllowing hospitals to kill patients against the wishes of the family, when care would be futile and the family could not pay —- unbelievable.

And a hospital recently killed a baby under Bush’s 1999 law against the wishes of its parents.

FYI I blogged about Bush’s hypocrisy on the Schiavo issue and killing patients the other day.

ABC News: GOP Talking Points on Terri Schiavo:

“S. 529, The Incapacitated Person’s Legal Protection Act

Teri (sic) Schiavo is subject to an order that her feeding tubes will be disconnected on March 18, 2005 at 1p.m.

The Senate needs to act this week, before the Budget Act is pending business, or Terri’s family will not have a remedy in federal court.

This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue.

This is a great political issue, because Senator Nelson of Florida has already refused to become a cosponsor and this is a tough issue for Democrats.

The bill is very limited and defines custody as ‘those parties authorized or directed by a court order to withdraw or withhold food, fluids, or medical treatment.’

There is an exemption for a proceeding ‘which no party disputes, and the court finds, that the incapacitated person while having capacity, had executed a written advance directive valid under applicably law that clearly authorized the withholding or or (sic) withdrawl (sic) of food and fluids or medical treatment in the applicable circumstances.’

Incapacitated persons are defined as those ‘presently incapable of making relevant decisions concerning the provision, withholding or withdrawl (sic) of food fluids or medical treatment under applicable state law.’

This legislation ensures that individuals like Terri Schiavo are guaranteed the same legal protections as convicted murderers like Ted Bundy.