Mercy

Attorney General John Ashcroft drew the ire of Oregon officials with one of his last official acts: Asking the U.S. Supreme Court to set aside the state's — and nation's only — assisted-suicide law.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski argued Tuesday that Oregon voters have twice endorsed the right of terminally ill patients to die more quickly and that "it's past time for this administration to focus on ways to work with Oregon — not against us."

Ashcroft's challenge had been expected since May, when a lower court ruled the federal government could not punish Oregon doctors who prescribed lethal doses of federally controlled drugs.

While not as prominent as gay marriage and abortion, the issue is an important one for conservative Christians, who helped President Bush win a second term last week.

I understand this is a controversial issue, but I personally feel that people should have the right to die when they are in such great pain, and that requires the help of doctors to perform a merciful action. But besides this, the admin has no place in trying to undermine the will of Oregon's voters on this issue and as fellow blogger Xanthipass comment to me, hypocritical. Conservatives say they don't want the Supreme Court to "make law", and they must restrict themselves to "strict interpretation" that doesn't override the will of the states. At least, when we're talking about prayer in schools or abortion that is.