Rest In Peace, Terri Schiavo

George W. Bush, Tom DeLay and Bill Frist are probably the only people in the country more relieved today than Michael Schiavo and Terri herself.

Obviously, the Republicans want this issue to fade away as quickly as possible.

The bill hasn’t come due yet on the administration’s failure to carry out the Evangelical right’s social agenda. Bush and company really thought this was the big down payment. On paper, it had everything: symbolism and substance. They still can’t believe it didn’t work out that way.

Social conservatives, who have been very upset over Bush’s foot-dragging on abortion and gay marriage, and who were encouraged by his midnight flight to save poor Terri, were let down by his subsequent silence as the matter stretched on. They will continue to be upset. They will be ignored and marginalized by the powers-that-be, who want the public to forget about their politically motivated interference in what was, fundamentally, a family matter. Social conservatives' anger will continue to smolder.

The professional-class GOP will make no attempt to link Democrats with Schiavo’s death. Limbaugh will shriek about it all day today. Hannity will blather about it through Friday’s show. Scarborough is probably stupid enough to still be talking about it next week. But, DeLay, Frist and their little buddies won’t even be visible the rest of the week. They want the news cycle to move past this as soon as it can.

The really big loser in all of this is Brother Jeb. He made everybody mad. He angered liberals and conscientious conservatives by getting involved in the first place. He infuriated the wingnuts by refusing to send the National Guard to “storm the Bastille.” The only thing those people hate more than a liberal is a luke-warm conservative. They consider him no better than Pontius Pilate or, worse, Judas. Whatever his plans are for 2008, I hope they don't include moving into the White House.