"remind me of another instance in which the congress met to enact a law that focused on the situation of a single person rather than addressing the issue affecting others in identical situations (other than addressing issues of citizenship)."

You must be kidding. Perhaps you could refresh my memory as to where in the Constitution it says Congress can't enact a law concerning one person?

The Legislative branch directs legislation at individuals all the time, whether it be condemnation or praise or actual acts effecting them. They have the right to convene all sorts of investigations and hearings, we saw one this week about Baseball.

In this case there is simply no time to agree on broad legislation. She will die in a few days with no liquids. Once she is dead, she no longer has "rights", and the opportunity to have this hashed out in Federal court will be lost until someone else decides they want to discard an unwanted handicapped person.

This leglislation puts her case in the perview of the Federal Courts, enabling Federal courts to review her situation in light of Federal civil rights laws.

" wolfson--the attorney ad litem for ms schiavo--agrees with the courts that it's not unreasonable to believe that her husband is acting in accordance with her instructions and that her parents are acting in opposition to them"

It isn't unreasonable to believe that there is a Santa Claus, considering all the attention the character gets once a year. Children believe it, industries are built around it. Why not. Plausibility isn't fact.

It may be plausable that the situation is as M. Schiavo is dictating it. If he can't prove it, however, it is simply a hearsay statement recalled years after the fact.

It may be plausable that the situation is as M. Schiavo is dictating it. If he can't prove it, however, it is simply a hearsay statement recalled years after the fact

two other people have backed his statement with sworn testimony that supports his claim.  it's terribly presumptive for the federal government to intervene whether or not that was the case.

" it's terribly presumptive for the federal government to intervene whether or not that was the case."

People believed that Federal civil rights laws were terribly presumptive. The South thought that Federal impositions were terribly presumptive. Most recently, folks scoffed at the idea that states should be able to decide whether homosexuals can marry.

Welcome to the world that the great social concience hath made. Time and again we are told that states don't have the right to decide. Now, Florida may be told they don't have the right to decide this one. Make all the semantic arguments you want, but this is a sword forged by Liberalism. Don't get pissed when other people use it.

To me, this isn't about "fake conservatives"...

... it is about Liberals getting really, really mad that their heavy-handed toys are being used to serve Conservative causes.

Most recently, folks scoffed at the idea that states should be able to decide whether homosexuals can marry.

not states...the state.  the question there is whether the state is able to define ritual. 

 

... it is about Liberals getting really, really mad that their heavy-handed toys are being used to serve Conservative causes

 and what do you call a surgeon who regularly employs axes?

The "humanity" argument is silly at best, if he truly believes she is already brain dead.

this is excerpted from jay wolfson's report as guardian ad litem: link

Theresa's neurological tests and CT scans indicate objective measures of the persistent vegetative state. These data indicate that Theresa's cerebral cortex is principally liquid, having shrunken due to the severe anoxic trauma experienced thirteen years ago. The initial oxygen deprivation caused damage that could not be repaired, and the brain tissue in that area continued to devolve. It is noteworthy to recall that from the time of her collapse, and for more than three years, Theresa did receive active physical, occupational, speech and even recreational therapy. There is evidence early in her records of care that she said "no" during physical therapy session. That behavior did not recur and was not further referenced.

heavy-handed toys are being used to serve Conservative causes

shonuff are.  only which conservative cause is really being served by this talking point list?

This is an exact, full copy of the document obtained exclusively by ABC News and first reported Friday, March 18, 2005, by Linda Douglass on "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings."

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.

nawwww. yall have convinced me they're out to turn this into the united socialist states of america so i expect it from them.

That is a healthy admission. The first step of the 12 step plan.

"not states...the state. the question there is whether the state is able to define ritual. "

OH no, how quickly they forget. When state after state voted to ban homosexual marraige, it was met by calls for Federal civil rights laws to be applied, and the drum of Constitutionality to be banged on. We can't let the people in these backwards little states to make such a decision, can we?

"Theresa's neurological tests and CT scans indicate objective measures of the persistent vegetative state."

Basically immaterial. As I have said, this hinges on two questions. Is she suffering, and who gets to decide. The more damage you show, the less believable the "suffering" arguement is. As for his "guardianship", I think I made myself pretty clear what a sham that is.

It is now 2:45 P.M. EST. A woman who was apparantely a former nurse of Terri's was just on CNN. She said that she and other nurses would give Terri physical therapy and Terri was able to move her limbs afterwards. The nurse heard Terri speak. Then Michael would come in and say, "Stop that. It's therapy." He would also say things like, "When is that bitch going to die?" And "Isn't she dead yet?" Michael would void the therapy orders. The nurse says she believes that with just a little more therapy, Terri could recover. She said Terri is brain dead. She is not PVS. The nurse said she was fired for not giving Terri correct care

It is now 2:45 P.M. EST. A woman who was apparantely a former nurse of Terri's was just on CNN. She said that she and other nurses would give Terri physical therapy and Terri was able to move her limbs afterwards. The nurse heard Terri speak. Then Michael would come in and say, "Stop that. It's therapy." He would also say things like, "When is that bitch going to die?" And "Isn't she dead yet?" The nurse says she believes that with just a little more therapy, Terri could recover. She said Terri is brain dead. She is not PVS. The nurse said she was fired for not giving Terri correct care

What's important to note is, these things are documented in SWORN DEPOSITIONS (read: admissible in court).

She said that she and other nurses would give Terri physical therapy and Terri was able to move her limbs afterwards. The nurse heard Terri speak. Then Michael would come in and say, "Stop that. It's therapy." He would also say things like, "When is that bitch going to die?" And "Isn't she dead yet?" Michael would void the therapy orders. The nurse says she believes that with just a little more therapy, Terri could recover. She said Terri is brain dead. She is not PVS. The nurse said she was fired for not giving Terri correct care

as much as i respect nurses--and hospice nurses in particular--nothing this woman has told cnn sound even vaguely reliable.

What's important to note is, these things are documented in SWORN DEPOSITIONS (read: admissible in court

have you ever been deposed?  or been involved in litigation involving a great deal of deposed testimony?  if such a depostion exists, it wouldnt be just now surfacing.

Re: #33 "Talking Points"

It's looking like those talking points were a "Rather" situation. Oops. Maybe instead of sticking "(sic)" in the points, they should have thought that the overt flaws were a sign that the memo was a fake.

That's what thinking people are stupid gets you. No doubt the reporter that happened upon that just thought that Republicans couldn't spell or keep the facts of the legislation straight.

"as much as i respect nurses--and hospice nurses in particular--nothing this woman has told cnn sound even vaguely reliable."

As much as I respect husbands, nothing Mr. Schiavo told the courts sounds vaguely reliable. And not only do I have a single statement to judge, but all the other behavior that was documented in the legal actions previously...

Gotta love the left doing their damm best to let this woman die.....

Here's and interesting question...lets take another person in exactly the same condition and have them at Gitmo...the person is a terrorist. Would the left still be singing the praises of letting them die?I wonder.....

Why is it that the husband, after a 7 year lapse in memory, afirms that his wife didnt want life support(of course life support isnt a feeding tube...but shh dont tell the left that)?