Alright, so I have a couple of things to say about the Terri Shiavo situation and then hopefully I will tie that in with a sweeping observation about the present state of politics.

First the miscellaneous complaints: One thing that I find ridiculous is how a number of people have been caught sneaking into the hospice holding Shiavo. First of all, this has to upset everyone else in the hospice and those wishing the visit the hospice. Even though Terri's parents are doing all this for a cause they obviously believe in, you have to wonder whether they may feel a tad bit guilty about how out of control it has become. But second of all, the people that have been caught sneaking in are attempting to give her water and food, which is ridiculous. If they actually put the food or water into her mouth it would kill her. It would just sit in her mouth until she breathed it into her lungs. So obviously they are doing it just for the effect, to garner more and more media attention to a worthless topic.

But I think a second issue is important. I have found that Democratic response has been one of two courses of action. Either they have half-heartedly jumped on the bandwagon or they have decided we ought to kill her, especially because Tom DeLay pulled the plug on his dad. Of course the DeLay situation is very different, medically and familally, but this is just a classic example of the new emerging Democratic strategy. Which is to either pretend to be Republican or be Republican-lite or to just be purely reactionary, decide that, well Tom DeLay feels this way, and is being slightly hypocritical, so lets lynch him and the girl.

The Democrats seem to be testing the effectiveness in both simultaneously which is doing wonders for the coherency of their message. They will appoint Howard Dean as the DNC chief and then appoint pro-life Harry Reid to Senate Minority Leader. John Kerry was great because he attempted to combine both of these ideas into his "persona." He was a tough war hero who would be even tougher on terror and in fighting the war in Iraq, while simultaneously he would launch into reactionary assaults against Bush and his foreign policy (this was the contradiction that was so obvious in his foreign policy stance throughout the debate, there was a way to link them into a coherent strategy but he never did).

Last, I think the Democrats should just lay low on this as some are. It is a worthless story, especially with other, much more important things going on (anyone notice during all this noise, Wolfowitz was appointed head of the World Bank). Tom DeLay is going to get what is coming to him, regardless of how long he can distract people. The Democrats are not culpable for any of what has happened, the court rulings have been uniform and no claims of activist rulings have occurred (though I am sure a lot of Republicans would love some activist judges right now). Letting the hype die down is the best course of action, that or maybe encouraging everybody to make a living will.

I am probably going to do another post of judges soon and economics is coming, soon.

-Mr. Alec

PS Yes I am aware familially is not a word, but live with it.