The Terri Schiavo case is a perfect example of how the religious right and the conservative Republicans will do almost anything to get their way. I for one favor allowing the parents of this woman to care for her if they so chose. That is not the issue at hand.
The Republican conservatives see this as another opportunity to gain political advantage with people who believe as they do. The Republican “talking points” clearly show how the Republican leadership considered this case an opportunity to enhance their political power. Among the points in this memo that was circulated among Republican Senators are the " pro-life base will be excited" and it is a "great political issue--this is a tough issue for the Democrats". The "talking points" were only disavowed AFTER they became public knowledge and developed into an embarrassment for the GOP.
There’s almost no principal that the Republican right will not trample to get their way. For as long as I can remember the conservatives have argued states rights. This is an issue that has always been in the purview of state courts. When the state courts , after seven years of litigation, did not produce the answer that the conservatives wanted they said the "hell with states rights will put it in the federal courts for another try at getting the answer we want". This is the very same tactic that was used in the 2000 election. When the Florida Supreme Court did not produce the ruling the conservative right wanted they took the issue from the state of Florida to the Supreme Court.
Let me end by saying I wish the Florida courts had allowed Terri’s parents to care for her. There is no one, not state courts, not federal courts, not Congress nor anyone else that knows for sure what this young woman would want to do. So no matter how many courts look at this case we can never be sure the answer they render will be what she wanted for herself. It is shameful however that the Republican right will go to any length to get what they want.