I got this via email yesterday, and gee, I hope the media covers this one (.pdf link to application for media credentials). Because there are all kinds of implications: Does the Catholic Church get to decide that, government health insurance will pay for the indefinite maintenance of someone in a persistent vegetative state because they've suddenly decided to up the ante?

And do Catholic hospital officials intend to override advance directives or medical powers of attorney? Remember, many people live in a community that has only a Catholic hospital. (While my father was dying from excruciatingly painful pancreatic cancer, he was denied a morphine drip by his Catholic pro-life doctor. The Saint said it might make dad might die a few hours sooner than he was "supposed" to, so this is more than a theoretical issue to me.)

I'd just like to remind everyone that the Catholic Church continues to make disapproving noises about unjust war and the death penalty, but I never see any public denouncements of the politicians who support them them. Instead, they throw their weight behind issues like this.

What would Jesus do? I'm guessing not this.

WASHINGTON-The full body of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will take into account the most recent Catholic teaching on care for the chronically ill and dying when they vote on a proposed revision of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services at their November 16-19 general assembly in Baltimore. The proposed revision states more definitively the moral obligation to provide medically assisted nutrition and hydration to patients in a "persistent vegetative state."

[...] "It would be useful to update the Ethical and Religious Directives by inclusion of references to these authoritative documents as well as byincorporation of some of their language and distinctions," said Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Doctrine. "It is particularly appropriate to do so since the recent clarifications by the Holy See have rendered untenable certain positions that have been defended by some Catholic ethicists."

The current Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services says, "There should be a presumption in favor of providing nutrition and hydration to all patients, including patients who require medically assisted nutrition and hydration, as long as this is of sufficient benefit to outweigh the burdens involved to the patient."

Along with other changes, the proposed revision says, "As a general rule, there is an obligation to provide patients with food and water, including medically assisted nutrition and hydration for those who cannot take food orally. This obligation extends to patients in chronic conditions (e.g., the 'persistent vegetative state') who can reasonably be expected to live indefinitely if given such care."

To be adopted, the proposed revision must be approved by a majority of bishops present and voting at the November meeting.

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Amanda Turkel:

Conservatives are now brushing off the Schiavo case to use it against Thomas Perrelli, President-elect Obama’s pick for the no. 3 spot at the Justice Department. Right-wing websites are outraged at Obama’s association with Perrelli, since he was one of the lawyers who represented Michael Schiavo, who wanted his wife’s feeding tube removed. The Washington Times today reports that these conservatives are now gearing up to fight Perrelli’s nomination:

Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition, derided Mr. Perrelli’s selection as “just another death-peddler Obama has added to his list of nominees.” She said he’s earned the nickname among pro-lifers of “Piranha Perrelli” for his work on the case.

Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council, said several end-of-life issues could make their way to the federal level in the next four years and having Mr. Perrelli at the department means pro-life causes would have a tougher time winning those debates.

“If the Justice Department isn’t going to do anything about it, the states, what’s to stop them from cases like Schiavo and even worse cases,” Mr. McClusky said...read on

If I remember correctly, the Terri Schiavo story was one of the first times the conservative movement was really exposed for the extremely insane positions they hold dear to the American people and they were as horrified as I was. Tom Delay and his crew were so drunk with power that they even threatened the Republican judges involved in making the right decision. (Above video from the C&L vault in 2005)

Delay: Mrs. Schiavo’s death is a moral poverty and a legal tragedy. This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change. The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today. Today we grieve, we pray, and we hope to God this fate never befalls another. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schindlers and with Terri Schiavo’s friends in this time of deep sorrow.

John McCain even got into the act. And they even played the Terry Randle card. America was horrified. And so the conservative movement began to crumble because the media couldn't waffle their way through it. Bill Frist's political career never survived his video tape diagnosis.

"I question it based on a review of the video footage which I spent an hour or so looking at last night in my office," he said in a lengthy speech in which he quoted medical texts and standards. "She certainly seems to respond to visual stimuli."

His comments raised eyebrows in medical and political circles alike. It is not every day that a high-profile physician relies on family videotapes to challenge the diagnosis of doctors who examined a severely brain-damaged patient in person.

When you have Sean Hannity camped out in front of Terry's hospice, well, it was truly a disturbing time indeed. I had to stop searching my data base because it was nauseating. Let them bring this case up if they want. I have all the video we'll ever need to expose this once more. I wish they would let Terry rest in peace?

Randall Terry vs Jeb Bush

Randall Terry levied some harsh threats against conservatives and Jeb Bush today

 via Anderson Cooper 360

                        Video-QT

WorldOC  has much more:

With the Supreme Court refusing to hear the Schindler's case, Obi-Wan Jeb is the wingnuts only hope.  (They hope that he will team up with some young idealists, some mercenaries, and a wookie, and break into the Death Star and rescue Princess Terri.)  And so they're reminding him, "We made you and your brother, and we can break you if you don't do what we want." 

Here's Randall Terry:

Terry, the spokesman for Schiavo's parents and the former leader of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, threatened political retribution on those who didn't support them.

"I promise you, if she dies, there's going to be hell to pay with pro-life, pro-family, Republican people of various legislative levels, both statewide and federally, who have used pro-life, pro-family, conservative rhetoric to get into power, and then when they have the power, they refuse to use it," he said.

The hostility also shifted toward the governor. Increasingly, supporters of Schiavo's parents decried what they called Bush's unwillingness to act independently of the courts.

"Do you think there's anyone here who doesn't feel let down?" Terry said. "He can still redeem himself and his memory on this planet for generations to come if he intervenes."

And, of course, if Jeb doesn't order the police (or the National Guard, or a bunch of armed social workers) to seize Terri from her hospice, he will be remembered for generations to come as Jeb "667" Bush, the wimpy Brother of the Beast. read on

McCain and The Shiavo Case

MCCAIN: We're not trying to involve ourselves in Mr. Schiavo's
private and personal life. We're trying to save a life.

This young woman has a loving family, a mother and siblings that
want to take care of her for the rest of her life. I would hope that
Mr. Schiavo would allow them to do that, without having to go through
all this.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But, sir, isn't this a classic case of states'
rights? It's been looked at by six courts; I think, 19 judges; the
state courts have ruled; the state legislature has ruled; it's been
reviewed by the federal courts, even the Supreme Court of the United
States.

Isn't this a states' rights issue?

MCCAIN: I don't think so.

Video

I guess the husband has no rights according to Mr McCain. On the one hand you have many Republicans---especially Santorum who criticize the destruction of the family through divorce; then attacking Michael Shiavo for not having one, so that he can fulfill the wishes of his wife.(transcript)

Keep the Frist away from my body!

Bill Frist revisited: from Dec 5th from This Week      

                                                   Video

George: You're a doctor. Do you think tears and sweat can transmit HIV"
Frist; I don't know...I can tell you..
George: You don't know?
Frist; I can tell you things like,like..condoms..
George: You believe that tears and sweat might be able to transmit aids?

This is the man who is sticking his nose in our personal/family decisions. I thought conservatives were for limited government. Peggy Noonan talks about the political implications if the republicans do nothing:  It is not at all in the political interests of senators and congressmen to earn the wrath of the pro-Schiavo group and the gratitude of the anti-Schiavo husband, by doing nothing."A human life isn't a political game.  Where were they a year ago, six months ago, two months ago, one month ago? This is a tragic story anyway one looks at it.

Direland has more: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist--in it, he made explicit a threat against Shiavo's doctors to have them prosecuted if they "obstructed" a Senate "investigation" of the Schiavo case by precluding her responding to an "invitation" to testify before a Senate committee...read on