FW from Chip Lupu: Schaivo

[Sanford Levinson]

Ed Harnett writes:
 
 
Howard Fink a while back noted, in evident surprise, that those resisting the state court decision in Schaivo were like death penalty opponents.  At least some of them are the same people: those who believe in a consistent ethic of life.  See, e.g., http://www.consistent-life.org/  http://www.consistent-life.org/members.html 


The lead story in today's Boston Globe is that the Catholic bishops are going to become far more assertive with regard to ending capital punishment.  If this is correct, then I wonder what impact this will have re arguments about religious arguments in the public square.  I.e., I assume that most political liberals will welcome this powerful voice, just as it is true that the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is probably among the most vigorous defenders of the welfare state.  Concomitantly, it will be interesting to see what George Bush does if Catholic bishops really start pressing the capital punishment issue.  The Church, of course, has long questioned capital punishment (to Scalia's obvious dismay), but, by and large, it has only whispered its opposition, in contrast with its position on abortion.  If it truly emphasizes "a consistent ethic of life," I think this will have interesting ramifications.  Will, for example, Catholic bishops prove equally unhappy about giving communion to death penalty proponents as to defenders of reproductive choice?  And so on.  Will it promote judicial nominees who would both overrule Roe *and* support Roper and its extension?  
 
sandy 
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