Thursday, March 31, 2005

Honor Terri Schiavo by Restoring Budget Cuts for Feeding Tubes

Terri Schiavo, the severely disabled woman who was the subject of a fierce right-to-life battle, died this morning.

Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) fought passionately to have Terri's feeding tube reinserted, even marshalling a questionable midnight bill through Congress that was signed by President Bush. Both men went strangely silent once they saw political polls indicating voter base unhappiness at their meddling in the judicial process. So much for deeply-held pro-life sentiments....politics clearly trumped their pro-life posturing.

As the Rev. Jesse Jackson said this morning to CNN, Congress was oddly preoccupied with interfering with the judicial system, which was just doing its job. The job of Congress is to pass legislation, not second-guess the courts.

Congress and the President now have a golden opportunity to honor the life of Terri Schiavo by restoring to the 2006 budget the Traumatic Brain Injury Program that has helped thousands of Terri Schiavos in 49 states since 1997, as well as restoring 13 other programs for the disabled, children and families that were entirely cut by President Bush.

Terri's medications were paid for the Medicaid, which the President also plans for huge, life-altering decreases. Before its Easter break. the Senate delivered a stinging rebuke to the mean-spirited Bush/Delay 2006 budget by entirely restoring all Republican cuts to Medicaid, which provides health services for 50 million disabled, children and low-income families.

To honor the legacy and lessons of Terri Schiavo, the 2006 budget should entirely reinstate all budgets cuts to Health & Human Services programs planned by President Bush and blessed by Tom DeLay.

To do less would make it painfully crystal that Republican pro-life words are merely cheap political rhetoric.

And it would clearly show that the Democrats, who are actively championing lifeline programs for the disabled, children, elderly and low-income families,are the party that celebrates life in deeds, not just words. This is the pro-life ethic in deeds, not just faith.

"...faith without deeds is dead." James 2:26.

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