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Although the nationwide debate over whether a feeding tube should be reinserted for Terri Schiavo, a severely brain-damaged Florida woman who has been in a vegetative state for 15 years, seems to epitomize the "polarized" state of U.S. politics, some lawmakers on both sides of the abortion issue say the case could lead to

"common ground" on issues such as capital punishment and abortion, the Wall Street Journal reports. Although many Democrats oppose the death penalty and support abortion rights and many Republicans support capital punishment but oppose abortion, politicians in both parties lately "have seen more incentives for striking a different tone," the Journal reports. Since the November 2004 elections, the Democratic Party has been looking for ways to project a "more moderate message about their values," including abortion rights, according to the Journal. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who opposes abortion rights, said that linking a reduction in the number of abortions with a reduction in the number of prisoners executed "would be a great discussion to have" (Wall Street Journal, 3/29)..

29 Mar 2005
http://medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=21940