DUNCAN HUNTER

I don’t want to discuss politics on this page because I don’t feel that has a lot to do with why I am blogging.

But may I just identify a disturbing item relating to last weeks’ Republican Presidential Debate. I specifically want to mention a quote made by Duncan Hunter. Who is Duncan Hunter you ask? He’s the congressional representative from San Diego, CA. He is a Vietnam veteran who served his country in the 173rd airborne. He also, apparently, is a douchebag.

Why do I say this? Well, it has nothing to do with his great initiatives, including his idea that somehow a big “fence” can keep out Mexican immigrants, or that abortion is a no-no against human life. No, I don’t want to discuss these things.

I do want to discuss his response to Chris Matthews’ question about having a Clinton in the White House again. Here’s his response:

HUNTER: You know, Bill Clinton cut the U.S. army by almost 50 percent. In this war against terror, he's the wrong guy to have in there. And incidentally, on the Schiavo case, you know, Ronald Reagan said, on the question of life, "When there's a question, err on the side of life." I think Congress did the right thing.

This is an unambiguous statement. He is basically saying “Despite what doctors think about brain death, and even though we were clearly wrong when we intervened on the Schiavo case, (which we know after autopsy which proved her brain was a soupy mess) Congress should make decisions regarding end of life issues, because as we all know, Congress is all-wise and all-knowing about everything”

Is this what doctors have to choose between? Either Democrats who want universal health care, or Republicans who want to control doctors’ decision making? Talk about a rock and a hard place.