NEWSFLASH: George Bush says something interesting and heartwarming:

"The essence of civilization is that the strong have a duty to protect the weak. In cases where there are serious doubts and questions, the presumption should be in favor of life."— President George W. Bush, from the statement he just made about Terri Schiavo's death.

I got this off Dawn's Blog.

As I wrote to her, I know several breeds of Republican who would spit on a statement like that. (Particularly the Rand fans.)

When it comes to providing a safety net for the absolute poorest of the poor in the world, and most ill of the ill, I'd rather err on the side of life as well and make sure there is gov't funding there for those who apply and REALLY need it to get on their feet or stop suffering (not for cheaters, of course, who are weeded out by the touch gov't application process anyway).

You can call hypocrisy on both sides using Bush's statement, if you want. Does "life" apply to unborn children, Terri Schiavo, murderers on death row, and the homeless? Certainly the last one. What is the extent of our obligation? Your basic liberal and conservative would debate all of these.

But in essence, I agree with one part of Bush's statement: If you're not sure, you have to err on the side of not hurting someone. This is the argument I have often used when conservative friends have said that they don't like gov't benefits because they might benefit "Welfare mothers with 13 kids" or cheaters, or alcoholics. But what about the 13 kids? Who speaks for them? Yes, these programs have to be kept in control, and not work AGAINST people getting off the dole. But liberals are for positive social programs that "teach a man to fish" as much as conservatives are. Wasn't Welfare to Work pursued during Clinton? No party is for laziness or cheating. But really, it's not as if being on gov't benefits or being homeless is so attractive that an otherwise able-bodied person would choose it over sitting in front of a computer as you are right now.

Socialists are a different breed, as are anarchists and libertarians and Randians (I know of one who would hate the Bush quote above. ;)