Posted on 03/21/2005 1:10:14 PM PST by TruthSetsUFree
Sunday, March 20, 2005 6:51 p.m. EST
Jeb Secret Mover Behind Schiavo Bill
If the federal legislation saves Terri Schiavo, Jeb Bush will be the unsung hero of the effort.
The Miami Herald reported Sunday that with "less than 24 hours before Terri Schiavo had her feeding tube removed, Gov. Jeb Bush knew the effort to keep her alive was slipping away."
So the Florida governor stepped up to the plate.
The paper said Jeb "called Florida's newest U.S. senator, Mel Martinez, with an urgent plea."
"I'm not sure we can get it done here in Florida," Martinez quoted Bush as saying just after a new Schiavo measure stalled in the Florida Legislature. "Do whatever you can federally."
The paper said the congressional effort to save Schiavo was a "testament to the influence of the governor and religious conservatives, and will be remembered as one of the most extraordinary moves in the halls of U.S. Congress ever seen on behalf of a single person who, until recently, was little-known to many in the country."
The effort by the president's younger brother follows an attempt by his office and the state Legislature in 2003 to pass and enforce a measure ordering Terri's feeding tube, which had been removed at the time, to be reinserted.
The Florida Supreme Court eventually ruled that lawmakers and the governor had overstepped their bounds and found "Terri's Law" null and void.
So this time, with diminishing hope that state officials can effect the reinsertion of her tube before she starves to death, Bush is looking to Washington for help.
The original plan was simple: Top congressional Republicans "hit upon the idea to stall the court-ordered removal of her feeding tube by issuing congressional subpoenas to Schiavo herself, her husband and some of her doctors and caretakers," the paper reported.
When that didn't work, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, along with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, "vowed to work through the weekend to prolong Schiavo's life," the Herald added.
The full-court press on behalf of Terri is getting the attention of long-time activists and Congress watchers.
Jayd Henricks, lobbyist for the Family Research Council - one group seeking to preserve Terri's life by challenging the court ruling ordering her tube removed - told the paper, "I've never seen anything like this in Congress over an individual case."
Jeb: Court Order of Death Is Wrong
"We know Terri Schiavo has been severely impaired since 1990," Bush says in Monday's issue of the governor's weekly newsletter, "but she made no clear directive about receiving food and water."
"A court's order of death flies in the face of government's duty to protect the weak, disabled and vulnerable," Bush continued.
"I will continue to work with [Florida lawmakers] to try to protect Terri and all Floridians from euthanasia by omission. [Bush's wife] Columba and I will keep Terri and her family in our prayers this weekend," he added.
Thanks for posting this -- I was convinced when Sen Martinez took an active role that Gov Bush was behind this. Thank God that Graham retired and Mel Martinez won!
My thoughts are that our paid reps did what they needed to, in order to try and keep Terri from being killed. These are the people paid to represent us, and they did great.
Now, if the judge in FL continues to obstruct the will of the people, it should all, in the eyes of God, be on his head, along with being on the head of those who follow his orders.
The Bush family should be very proud of the boys they raised.
yes, and the people stating he was doing nothing and Reps overall were doing nothing need to apologize.
this is not surprising. Thank heaven for Jeb and Mel
God has played significant role. Martinez did not win by much. And one of the first Hurricanes was supposed to have hit Pinellas Park/St Petersburg/Tampa, but hit the Fort Meyers area instead. What if Terri died because of problems with the Hurricane.
Maybe I read too much into this, but God has some sort of plan. I just hope we give God a way to help us save Terri.
I really admire both President Bush's and Jeb's commitment to doing what's right, not just in doing what they can in situations like this but in doing it in a way that something can be accomplished, not so they get the credit.
I think it was Reagan who had a plaque on his desk that said something like this:
"It is amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit."
It seems that the Bushes operate under the same principle. And it IS amazing what they accomplish.
"The Miami Herald reported Sunday that with 'less than 24 hours before Terri Schiavo had her feeding tube removed, Gov. Jeb Bush knew the effort to keep her alive was slipping away.'
So the Florida governor stepped up to the plate."
No, he didn't. Listen, I like Jeb. Supported him and voted for him. But I cringe a little bit at this 'behind the scenes' scramble to "oh, please, please, please mister federal judge, do this for me" when, in his role as chief executive, Jeb could and should stand up as the head of a co-equal branch and just say no.
He didn't step up to the plate, he sent in a pinch hitter.
(Whatever works but... )
isn't that why we have elected officials, to represent US and be ready and willing to carry out contituents' wishes? Consent of the governed...
See what happens when we have been of great moral character in office?
Even if they fail - I am proud that these two Bush sons have risen to the level of leaders in America. We are blessed with them.
Governor Bush fears pipsqueak judges that command neither police nor military forces, as he does. Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln feared no judges, not even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, when public necessity and their responsibility to faithfully execute the laws called them to defy judicial decrees.
Jeb Bush is no hero. He is more like a 21st Century Pontius Pilate.
But good ole Jeb, would be going to a good ole prison,if he tried to defy a court order.
I would hate to be on the side of the Marshalls or of the state police if he broke the orders and got cuffed.
Then he should get a lawyer so he can make bail after he gets arrested.
Pinellas Park, Florida and March 21, 2005 are a good place and a good time, respectively, to finally fact down the usurpation of authority by the courts.
I totally agree.
That said, I remember an earlier thread, and probably a different post, (might have regarded Judge Moore, not sure) but judges do have a control over marshalls apointed to them to use.
That also said, it would be very easy for a judge, to simply hold jeb in contempt and have him arrested.
Many freepers argued that Clinton's purjury allowed him to be arrested and cuffed.
Their is sadly no doubt that Jeb would be arrested, and the attention would then shift over to him (the media would drive it) while Schiavo would die, out of the spotlight, reducing the fight for her life to a secondary fight that would be overshadowed.
I believe there is a time and place for this battle between the branches, but not with this poor womans life in the balance, do whatever can be done now, by any means, and lest that fight go a different day.
Wrong. For one thing, law enforcement is an executive not a judicial function.
Can it be done? Just ask President Jackson and Chief Justice Marshall.
When was the last time, a executive able to flaunt a judge, I can tell you that the judges do have marshalls at their disposal, and could and would arrest Jeb Bush.
Which is the ultimate way to get the attention away from Schiavo, make it all about Jeb Bush in cuffs, and after she passes away from starvation, then we have the new battle between the 2 branches.
I'd much rather fight that fight another day after Schiavo is saved.
"When was the last time, a executive able to flaunt a judge, I can tell you that the judges do have marshalls at their disposal, and could and would arrest Jeb Bush."
The charge?
"Which is the ultimate way to get the attention away from Schiavo, make it all about Jeb Bush in cuffs, and after she passes away from starvation, then we have the new battle between the 2 branches."
Well, that's based on your contention that Jeb Bush would be in cuffs. And I disagree. And I guess we disagree on goals vs process.
"I'd much rather fight that fight another day after Schiavo is saved."
Agreed there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.