A Closer Look at How Americans Actually Feel About Terri Schaivo

I made it back safely from skiing in Colorado. For those of you who didn't hear about the storm, click here . At least we were there on a ski trip.

While I was gone, I received a great heads up from Mister Bling. Fortunately, the media feeding frenzy surrounding Terri Schaivo has died down, no pun intended. Mister Bling pointed out in his message that The Polling Report has some stellar polls from a variety of sources concerning public opinions about Schaivo's fate. The results give me confidence that the vast majority of Americans are compassionate, caring and reasonable people. I am tired of the media and many conservative blogs presenting Schaivo's case from only their perspective, as though the vast majority of Americans disagreed with Michael Schaivo's wishes to disconnect his wife's feeding tube.

In reality, the majority of Americans feel that President Bush and Congress overstepped their authority by circumventing judicial process. More Americans would have sided with Michael Schaivo than the Schindler family when presented with similar decisions in their own lives. To hear the media and the conservative echo chambers on the web explain it, you would think that this was not the case. But, it appears there is hope out there after all.

The most interesting point I have heard made regarding the political turn of events surrounding Schaivo's medical care was an explanation from a good friend who said "Conservatives were completely in favor of a small federal government with limited powers, until they were able to control the federal government." I couldn't have stated it better myself.