The foul stench of hypocrisy

I feel sorry for Terry Schiavo's parents. They don't want to let go of their daughter, and who can blame them. Still, how can they watch their child languish for 15 years and seek to prolong her misery?

Now that the pandering right-wing Congress and president have weighed in, I'm again struck by the hypocrisy of our so-called leaders. More than 45 million Americans don't have health insurance, yet these meddlers legislate that someone be kept alive against her will at what must be a tremendous daily cost. They piously rushed to Washington from their Easter vactions, so they could insert themselves into this intensely personal decision. I wonder where they stand on the right to life of 30,000 Iraqis killed in their deceptive war. Or how they feel about gutting Medicaid and food stamps for the legions of poor children while giving tax breaks to rich people and corporations.

Nothing surprises me anymore. With each passing day I become more ashamed of our country.