The Party of Pilate

The very erudite Secret Agent Man has the most thorough debunking of the Republicans’ efforts to intervene in the Schiavo case that I’ve seen:

The federal government’s role in the American mythos is the deus ex machina, swooping down onto the stage of corrupt local politics and setting all things right. So it may be mystifying to see that government so quickly and adamantly refusing Terri Schiavo even a day’s respite from the Florida court’s order condemning her to death by starvation and thirst. I hope to take some of the mystery out of these events by explaining some things about the supposedly “heroic” passage of the federal version of “Terri’s law.” At worst, that law is a simple bit of electoral window-dressing. At best, it’s the tardy reaction of a party of foolish virgins who, despite great promises, have been caught short by events. That Party, I believe, doesn’t deserve the support of Christian voters. It does not prevent evil or do good. I sometimes wonder if its only role isn’t to distract Christians from conducting the real work of pro-life politics. But whatever its motives, I think it’s clear that the Republican Party has done its best to save Terri, and proved that it’s best isn’t good enough.

Much, much more here.