Libertarian Librarian

While I agree with your comments regarding the problems with giving the federal government more authority, I have a problem with the overall idea that removing the 'feeding tube' from Terri Schiavo is wrong. While anyone who knows me would say that I am a liberal, I am quite conservative when it comes to money. While the Republicans in Congress and the White House claim that they are also conservative with money (my/our money), they forget that when it comes time to round up support. Right now in this country there is an attitude that everyone deserves as much health care as they can ever need. This attitude gets annoying when the same people gripe about the cost of health care in this country.
This case has cost this country thousands (if not millions) of dollars in health care costs, not to mention the countless millions in court costs, so that a brain-damaged woman who cannot respond to any stimulus can satisfy her parents Roman-Catholic beliefs on death. Are those beliefs so important that we want that money to go to this case instead of helping treat kids with cancer and no insurance? And before you say that this isn't an either or situation, ask yourself how you would feel about another tax increase. Or better yet, ask yourself how you would vote next time if the people in office raised your taxes to pay for health care.
 

Hey Nick. Friend of Andy's here, he sent me your way. and not only am I one of those cursed Libruls, but I'm a left wing radical progressive too. Owwoooo, scary, eh kiddies?

But while I understand your arguments ( and am honestly happy that Ms. Giese recovered from her disease) I think there are a couple of cogent points in the Schiavo case that are being overlooked, and should be of immediate condern to a Libertartian especially.

First, Terri and Mike Schiavo had discussed this eventuality specifically and while they didn't prepar living wills, had been quite clear in their desires- clear enough that testimony from Michael Schiavo and several friends was sufficient to convince the judge in all seven instances that HER DESIRE was not to be artificially sustained.

[As a side note, this is just the kind of thing that Conservatives and Libertarians should be fighting the Gov to stay out of, not applauding their intervention]

Secondly, the brain damage in this case is not really related to the rabies case. It is not really just significant or partial damage. It is TOTAL. the poor woman's brain has atrophied and been replaced by spinal fluid. It's like ketchup soup. there's nothing there to recover. It's not just that a miracle, or something that the doctors don't expect, might occur, it's that it can't. It's like having the engine removed from your car and expectiing a new battery to start it up on a cold morning.

Say what you will about her husband, most of the claims against him have been exaggerated or just plain fabricated; but he has stuck with it after being offered a settlement by the parents to walk away because he's trying to fulfill his wife's final wishes.

But I feel especially sorry for her parents, who have blinded themselves from reality to keep alive the faintes flicker of hope. I once read somewhere that one of the cruelest things in life is for a child to die before their parents. I hope they can recover when, for once and for all, Terri Schiavo rests.

And I like your inclusion of Gandlafs gentle chiding of Frodo in this case. I find myself wishing, though, that all the people fighting like banshees to keep this one person ostensibly alive, would also remind themselves of those words when cheering for another military intervention, or death penalty case, or the report of further atrocities in Gitmo, or....


Anyway, I'll check in now and again. Don't bother with my blog. I update pretty infrequently. Bad Blogger.
 

Nick was complaining about the lack of conservative viewpoint in these comments, so I thought I might try one. (I personally think this viewpoint is beyond conservative, but I will let everyone else decide.)
What ever happened to personal responsibility? And let's examine that on a purely health care basis. Why do we give liver transplants to alcoholics? Why do we spend tons of money on chemotherapy for smokers with lung cancer? (Not to mention the billions that they get from the tobacco companies in these dumb (liberal?) lawsuits.) There are lots of other whys, but you get the idea. People need to take responsibility for the lives that they have led and not expect that someone (the government, perhaps) will spend all the money necessary to cure them, so they can go right back to their vices. If you want to smoke, go ahead. Just don't expect me (or the government) to pay for you to get a new lung. You knew it was bad for you when you did it, so enjoy. I personally know that I need to eat healthier and not drink so much. But when I don't, I am not going to be asking for a new liver.
I'm not saying that no health care should be given, but let's be realistic about what we expect.
 

This whole thing makes me heartsick.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110006460

Peggy Noonan, as usual, says it so very well.
…
“Everyone who has written in defense of Mrs. Schiavo's right to live has received e-mail blasts full of attacks that appear to have been dictated by the unstable and typed by the unhinged. On Democratic Underground they crowed about having "kicked the sh-- out of the fascists." On Tuesday James Carville's face was swept with a sneer so convulsive you could see his gums as he damned the Republicans trying to help Mrs. Schiavo. It would have seemed demonic if he weren't a buffoon.

“Why are they so committed to this woman's death?

“They seem to have fallen half in love with death.”
…

In all the time I’ve been reading Peggy Noonan, I don’t think I’ve ever heard her call anyone a name. The fact that she called Snakehead Carville a buffoon says volumes about how this whole thing affects many of us God-fearing types.

The crux of this issue for me: we don’t defend the most innocent and the most helpless among us. The babies, the elderly, and now those who can’t speak for themselves; we now justify killing them.

Liberals kick up a fuss about protecting death row convicts, sand flies, snail darters, and beached whales. But they fight to the death to preserve the right to kill helpless and innocent humans.

I am heartsick.
 

John,
I diagree that "Liberals kick up a fuss about protecting death row convicts, sand flies, snail darters, and beached whales. But they fight to the death to preserve the right to kill helpless and innocent humans." This isn't about "killing" innocent humans, it's about human rights, and her right, as expressed to her husband, not to live this way.

To me, the tragedy, and the lesson learned for ALL of us, is to make sure you've got your wishes in writing and that your family members know where these types of items are kept. If Terri had had a document of this sort, I doubt that any of us would know her name.
 

This isn't about "killing" innocent humans, it's about human rights, and her right, as expressed to her husband, not to live this way.

Man, where is Gloria Steinham or Patricia Schroeder NOW? The very idea that liberals would support a husband’s right to chose his wife’s life or death ought to be pure heresy. Especially when there is no document to back anything up. Especially when the dude has moved on to birth children on another woman.

Pure amazing how people change their stance when it suits them.
 

That's interesting John. I didn't know you knew me at all. I find it "pure amazing" that you generalize what I might think when you don't know.

I do view myself as liberal, but I am also married, and value that decision and the bond that it creates between my spouse and myself greatly.

The most troubling thing I find with your post is exactly what Nick says that he is tired of, the thought that ALL liberals are waaaaay to the left and ALL conservatives are waaaay to the right.