Attack on "Culture of Life"

As Terri Schiavo's life ebbs, the LATimes trumpeted GOP divisiveness and the impending failure of the "morality vote."

Drawing on polls that purport to show the vast majority of Americans don't want Congress messing with "end of life" issues, the LAT seeks comfort from sources that confirm its view: the morality vote is just another political vote, and its power won't extend much beyond abortion and stem cell research:

"It is difficult to build a culture of life that covers more than just a handful of issues," said John C. Green, a political scientist at the University of Akron who specializes in religion and politics. "And the more types of issues you try to include under that framework, the more difficult it becomes."

A couple of faults of this analysis are evident:

First, in its quest for evidence of GOP divisiveness over the morality vote and "culture of life," would the LAT have us believe that there is a rock-solid consensus among Democrats for an amorality vote and a culture of death? No, I think the deafening silence of Dem leadership in support of Terri will further turn Dem faithful against thier party.

And second, there is a difference between last-minute, weekend heorics by the GOP to save one life and the routine work of Congress. The recent Schiavo polls tell us nothing about what the public expects of its electeds during the routine bill-writing work of Congress. When the dust settles, the impact of the public seeing this poor woman starve to death will settle in, and the GOP's "culture of life" will -- please, God -- end up the winner, and the DNC, hopelessly casting itself as the "culture of death" will find even less favor.