Mrs. Schiavo’s body has shuffled off this mortal coil.

May she rest in peace now that her body will join her soul.

The circus will continue for a long time to come. Dear Leader said today, feigning sorrow: “ that where there is doubt, the presumption should be in favor of life.” There was NO doubt in the minds of the court appointed professional physicians who examined Mrs. Schiavo. There was no doubt in the minds of the courts that, time after time, upheld those medical judgments. Theresa Marie Schiavo had no brain function - none. She has been dead for 15 years, her body just didn’t know it

The political whores who saw the opportunity to gain credence with their brain-dead constituents fell over each other pandering to those wackos. Even “normal” Republicans and conservatives found their behavior offensive.

An article in today’s NY Times is telling about just how offensive to the normal Republican base this recent behavior is. Here’s an excerpt:

On the Federal Appeals Court decision: The 11th Circuit court's decision, signed by Chief Judge J. L. Edmondson, was only a sentence long. But in a concurring opinion, Judge Stanley F. Birch Jr., appointed by the first President Bush in 1990, wrote that federal courts had no jurisdiction in the case and that the law enacted by Congress and President Bush allowing the Schindlers to seek a federal court review was unconstitutional.

"When the fervor of political passions moves the executive and legislative branches to act in ways inimical to basic constitutional principles, it is the duty of the judiciary to intervene," wrote Judge Birch, who has a reputation as consistently conservative. "If sacrifices to the independence of the judiciary are permitted today, precedent is established for the constitutional transgressions of tomorrow."

Judge Birch said he had not had time before now to consider the constitutionality of the law, which Congress passed and Mr. Bush signed before dawn March 21, because of "the rapid developments and sensitivities in this case.” The 11th Circuit court considered and rejected several appeals from the Schindlers last week after Judge James D. Whittemore of Federal District Court in Tampa denied their motions.

In particular, Judge Birch wrote, a provision of the new law requiring a fresh federal review of all the evidence presented in the case made it unconstitutional. Because that provision constitutes "legislative dictation of how a federal court should exercise its judicial functions," he wrote, it "invades the province of the judiciary and violates the separation of powers principle."

David J. Garrow, a legal historian at Emory University who closely follows the 11th Circuit, said Judge Birch's opinion was striking because the judge was a conservative Republican, especially regarding social issues. [emphasis added] Judge Birch wrote the ruling for a three-judge panel of the court last year unanimously upholding a Florida law that prohibits gay men and lesbians from adopting children.

Can you imagine? A conservative Republican judge going out of his way to scold the sitting President and the entire Congress of the United States - there may be hope after all. Nah, there isn’t.