Politically Correct Emergency

Dear editor:

Congress has been held over for a special session just before the Easter break. The president has cut short his Easter vacation at his ranch in Texas to rush back to Washington so he can sign a highly important bill that Congress has just passed.

Does this bill bring our troops home from the war in Iraq that has killed over 1,500 soldiers and marines? No! Does this dramatically important bill deal with our overwhelming deficit? No! Does this emergency bill deal with the burgeoning cost of healthcare in this country? No! Does it deal with Social Security? Of course not! This bill deals with the sad case of a young woman in Florida, Terri Schiavo, who has been brain dead for many years and who’s case has already been settled by the Supreme Court of the United States. Not only has this matter been appealed many times over to the courts, but is in fact a local matter that fits neatly in the area long heralded by the Conservatives of this country as being “States Rights” and not in the purview of the federal government.

So why are Republicans and their conservative base being in such a rush to take a stand on this matter, by passing emergency legislation and having the president fly back to Washington? It is because, as they have been quoted as saying, “Good politics.” The country can go to hell, our soldiers and marines can continue to die, our healthcare costs can spiral out of control, our Social Security can be in danger, while our Congress and president act “politically correct” and fight for one woman’s life. For once, the Congress and president should stick to the nation’s business and true needs.