Monday, March 28, 2005

Ann Coulter Vomits Another Beauty

Ann Couter's
latest column is probably no more nauseating or virulent than her past abominations of the keystroke, but March 24's gives us a special look into how dishonest and shallowly educated the right has become on the Schiavo issue. To wit, in her last column, Ann treats us to a double-barreled helping of her wisdom. First:

"Greer has refused to order the most basic medical tests for brain damage before condemning a woman to death. Despite all those years of important, searching litigation we keep hearing about, Terri has yet to receive either an MRI or a PET scan — although she may be allowed to join a support group for women whose husbands are trying to kill them."
Unfortunately, Ann's medical expertise seems to have been glommed directly from the solitary doctor to have dissented during the sum total of all of Terri's trials, Dr. William Hammesfahr. The good Doctor Hammesfahr (who is still lying about a nomination for the Nobel Prize in Physiology) has made the same argument as the one Ann parrots above. The problem lies in whether an MRI or a PET scan are "better" or more reliable than the disappointing CT scans and EEG's that WERE administered on numerous occasions from 1990 - 2002. Ann is implying that they are. Exactly why, Ms. Coulter? Because Sean Hannity's unnamed yet "infamous" brother-in-law, supposedly says so? Or rather, is it just your opinion that indigent Medicaid and Medicare patients should be given unlimited access to (not just 2, but all) of the most expensive diagnostic apparatuses? Can a correct prognosis be finally assured if a "faith based" healer fingers her cranium?

Subsequently (and in obedient lockstep fashion) Ann joins the chorus of right wing bleating about the newest demons in our "culture of life": the judiciary. Nevermind that Judge Greer is a Republican. Nevermind that the Atlanta Federal Court decision carried on the assent of a Bush 41 appointee. Nevermind that Ann owes her entire career to working in the Federal Judiciary. Nevermind that Ann is a lawyer and has never renounced her life's work or licenses. Ann has tightened her hypocrisy chinstrap and jumped onto the "blame the lawyers and judges" bandwagon:

"What was supposed to be the "least dangerous" branch has become the most dangerous — literally to the point of ordering an innocent American woman to die, and willfully disregarding congressional subpoenas. They can't be stopped — solely because the entire country has agreed to treat the pronouncements of former ambulance-chasers as the word of God....President Andrew Jackson is supposed to have said of a Supreme Court ruling he opposed: "Well, John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." The court's ruling was ignored. And yet, somehow, the republic survived."
You may be wondering what that particular Supreme Court ruling that Jackson opposed was. So, also, did I. I researched and found a commencement speech by Supreme Court Justice Breyer in 2003 that described this incident. Gee, I wonder what part of Worcester v. Georgia Ann found the most supportive of her argument:

"Now let me mention one characteristic of our society that I hope will not change. Every day in my job I see how this Nation over time has gradually made real the Constitution's promise of a rule of law. In 1832 the Cherokee Indian tribe lived on land guaranteed them by treaty. They found gold on that land. Georgia tried to seize the land. The Cherokees sued. And eventually the Supreme Court, in Worcester v. Georgia, held in favor of the Cherokees. Georgia then refused to obey the Court. President Andrew Jackson reportedly said, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it." And Jackson sent troops to evict the Cherokees, who traveled the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma, thousands dying along the way."
Yes, somehow the republic DID survive this incident. Shame on you, Ann. That is, if perfect diabolical arrogance is capable of shame.

Friday, March 25, 2005

Friday: Too busy to post

In Tampa this morning, Ben kept me up too latelast night..no time to rant....weird but intereting band from across the pond if you're into stuff like that.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Ann Coulter Links of The Day and Selected Quotes

Ann Coulter Sticks Entire Leg in Verbal Diarrhea Aperture

Ann Coulter's Sordid Past

"[Clinton] masturbates in the sinks."---Rivera Live 8/2/99

"God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, 'Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It's yours.'"---Hannity & Colmes, 6/20/01

The "backbone of the Democratic Party" is a "typical fat, implacable welfare recipient"---syndicated column 10/29/99

To a disabled Vietnam vet: "People like you caused us to lose that war."---MSNBC

"Women like Pamela Harriman and Patricia Duff are basically Anna Nicole Smith from the waist down. Let's just call it for what it is. They're whores."---Salon.com 11/16/00

Juan Gonzales is "Cuba's answer to Joey Buttafuoco," a "miscreant," "sperm-donor," and a "poor man's Hugh Hefner."---Rivera Live 5/1/00

"I think there should be a literacy test and a poll tax for people to vote."---Hannity & Colmes, 8/17/99

"I think [women] should be armed but should not [be allowed to] vote."---Politically Incorrect, 2/26/01

"If you don't hate Clinton and the people who labored to keep him in office, you don't love your country."---George, 7/99

"Clinton is in love with the erect penis."---This Evening with Judith Regan, Fox News Channel 2/6/00

"I think we had enough laws about the turn-of-the-century. We don't need any more." Asked how far back would she go to repeal laws, she replied, "Well, before the New Deal...[The Emancipation Proclamation] would be a good start."---Politically Incorrect 5/7/97

"If those kids had been carrying guns they would have gunned down this one [child] gunman. ... Don't pray. Learn to use guns."---Politically Incorrect, 12/18/97

"I am emboldened by my looks to say things Republican men wouldn't."---TV Guide 8/97

"Let's say I go out every night, I meet a guy and have sex with him. Good for me. I'm not married."---Rivera Live 6/7/00

"I think [Whitewater]'s going to prevent the First Lady from running for Senate."---Rivera Live 3/12/99
AND
"My track record is pretty good on predictions."---Rivera Live 12/8/98

"The thing I like about Bush is I think he hates liberals."---Washington Post 8/1/00

With thanks to The Washington Monthly

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

How Much is Life Worth? (Read Now! The Dollar is Plummeting)

sanc·ti·ty Audio pronunciation of "sanctity" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (sngkt-t)
n. pl. sanc·ti·ties

1. Holiness of life or disposition; saintliness.
2. The quality or condition of being considered sacred; inviolability.
3. Something considered sacred.

American Heritage

Evidently Michael Schiavo understands the word inviolability. Recently, a number of our nation's private citizens in the "overly taxed" category have been lining up to throw money at the Schiavo problem. So far, Michael Schiavo has rejected these lagniappes as "offensive." But these offers do beg the question: What IS the going rate for life according to the foaming at the mouth "right to lifers?"

Offers to Michael Schiavo as a ransom for Terri's life:

  • Robert Herring of California had made a (temporary) offer of 1 million (US). The offer expired on March 14th. (I find it odd that her life was only valuable to Herring for a few days.)
  • Freepers report that a radio talk show host on Washington's WMAL has offered 10 million (US) for Terri's life. Though a google search for Michael+Schiavo+million+WMAL returns a result for a WMAL webpage that says, "... Terry Schiavo's husband has turned down an offer of $10 Million -- and a ...of our listeners who contributed over $1.8 Million to 630 WMAL's "Operation ..." clicking on that link makes it obvious that any related statement has since been removed.
The Schindlers were understandably happy about Herring's offer saying, "Mr. Herring's generous offer is surely one of the most incredible we've seen, but it is also illustrative of how good people can not sit idle when a grave injustice such as this is taking place." One of the most incredible we've seen? Are we to understand that even more offers have been made for Terri's life? I could find no comment on the dubious 10 million dollar offer from the Schindlers or Michael Schiavo.

Excepting the unfunded offers from radio blowhards it seems we only are able to find one substantiated offer from a "benefactor" who felt the need to publicize the offer made directly to Michael Schiavo through a press conference. So we are left with a question. Should we value Terri's life at 1 million or Herring's reputation at 1 million?

At long last, what price hipocrisy?