Flippity-FLOP

All of the sudden poor Terry Schiavo, the woman in Florida whose family disagrees on whether or not to let her pass on, is the cause du jour to keep people from noticing how corrupt Tom Delay and friends are. Bush signed a bill that ignores the past seven years of litigation. His remarks from CNN (full story here)

Today, I signed into law a bill that will allow Federal courts to hear a claim by or on behalf of Terri Schiavo for violation of her rights relating to the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain her life," a statement from the president said.

"In cases like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life.

It is a good thing Terry Schiavo wasn't a Texan back in 1999 when then Governor Bush pushed the law below (thanks to Think Progress for the story and Daily Kos for picking it up, too):

Check out Section 166.046, Subsection (e):

If the patient or the person responsible for the health care decisions of the patient is requesting life-sustaining treatment that the attending physician has decided and the review process has affirmed is inappropriate treatment, the patient shall be given available life-sustaining treatment pending transfer under Subsection (d). The patient is responsible for any costs incurred in transferring the patient to another facility. The physician and the health care facility are not obligated to provide life-sustaining treatment after the 10th day after the written decision required under Subsection (b) is provided to the patient or the person responsible for the health care decisions of the patient …

Here's a new Republican slogan: "Life and death...it's all about timing."