No rights of your own?

Kevin Drum takes a closer look at some of the rhetoric coming out of the Schiavo business, and concludes that the extremists have the rather scary position that we shouldn't even be able to make our own decisions, let alone leave them to those we trust. Anybody who hasn't picked up on the message that these guys think they're more qualified than you are to run your life need to start paying attention.

(via Medley)

Civil war, law enforcement-style

Not getting coverage amidst the circus is some scary action in the Schiavo case:

Hours after a judge ordered that Terri Schiavo was not to be removed from her hospice, a team of state agents were en route to seize her and have her feeding tube reinserted -- but they stopped short when local police told them they would enforce the judge's order, The Herald has learned.

Jeez, things are pretty bad when it's not just crazed citizens threatening to storm the citadel, but an actual show-down over who's willing to uphold the legal system. Shades of George Wallace over this kind of thing, but here the local police (in a tiny and beleagured town) appear to have been the heroes.

(via Talking Points Memo)

Welcome to the club

Mainstream conservatives claim shock at disregard for the rules:

"My party is demonstrating that they are for states' rights unless they don't like what states are doing," said Representative Christopher Shays of Connecticut, one of five House Republicans who voted against the [Schiavo] bill. "This couldn't be a more classic case of a state responsibility."

Good morning, sane Republicans. Your party has lost its mind and doesn't believe in any law, theory, or other restriction whenever it leads to outcomes they disagree with. Guess you just noticed.

The devil is in the details

Is this right? That this crazy legislation about the Schiavo case was passed at a time of night when only a handful of legislators were actually present? The question is raised of whether such legislation is even legitimate -- the Constitution rather likes a quorum, presumably to prevent revolutions staged by a couple of busybodies...

I get through the day in hopes that someday all of this Gogol-worthy craziness will be fodder for humor and wonderment. Please let it be so.

Have they no shame?

I find myself sickened by the circus being made around the end-of-life decisions of the Schiavo family, however internally divided -- it reminds me of the hunger of a gladiatorial crowd more than of an ethical debate. But XOverboard really finds the grim politically craven heart of the matter with his excerpts here... Get a grip, guys!

Update: full Republican talking points on the issue here.

Update 2: and it looks like they've misjudged the whole issue badly!