Posted on 02/27/2005 6:11:45 PM PST by DHRLI
Jeb's patients don't include Terri Schiavo By Randy Schultz
Palm Beach Post Editor of the Editorial Page
Sunday, February 27, 2005
In Florida, about 30,000 children are in the foster care system. Some have been there for years, waiting for a permanent home. They are Gov. Bush's responsibility. But last week, they didn't have his attention.
In Florida, tens of thousands of boys and girls are in the juvenile justice system. From the incorrigible to the misguided, they are supervised by people who don't make much more than the minimum wage. Those juveniles are Gov. Bush's responsibility. But last week, they didn't have his attention.
In Florida, nearly 36,000 adults are in the Medically Needy program. It provides care for those who are too young for Medicare and too sick to qualify for Medicaid or get affordable insurance. They are Gov. Bush's responsibility. But he wants to cut the Medically Needy budget by $400 million, while cutting taxes. Last week, he wasn't looking for a way to make up the money for those people whose lives depend on what the state provides.
No, last week, Gov. Bush was worrying about a woman who is not his responsibility — Terri Schiavo.
Government where it doesn't belong.
The governor already broke the law in exploiting this poor woman's case. In October 2003, after a five-year court review had determined that she did not want to be kept alive artificially and her feeding tube was removed, Gov. Bush signed "Terri's Law." It was unconstitutional, the Florida Supreme Court ruled unanimously, because — as the governor knew — the executive and legislative branches can't invent a law to get around the judicial branch.
It was more evidence of Gov. Bush's tendency to ignore the government he is paid to run and to insert that government in places where it doesn't belong, such as the Schiavo family dispute. The governor was at it again last week, as the Department of Children and Families asked for more time to investigate claims that someone — meaning her husband — had abused Ms. Schiavo. DCF reports to the governor. If he had wanted DCF to stay out, DCF would have stayed out.
The politics are as clear as the basic facts of the case. Many people who oppose abortion oppose removal of the feeding tube. An e-mail campaign demands that Gov. Bush, who also opposes abortion, take action. In 1998, Michael Schiavo petitioned to have his wife taken off life support. Her parents wanted to continue her non-life. Since she left no document to reveal her wishes, the case went to the courts, which found "clear and convincing evidence" that Ms. Schiavo did not want her life prolonged. In 2001, her feeding tube came out for two days. In 2003, it came out for six days. On Tuesday, the 2nd District Court of Appeal again cleared the way for removal. On Friday, Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George Greer ruled that the tube can be removed on March 18.
Worrying about one, not millions
For obvious reasons, there is no satisfactory conclusion. For equally obvious reasons, politics don't belong in the middle of it. Some have compared this to a death penalty case, with all the public emotion and the last-minute frenzy of court motions. The key difference, though, is that Terri Schiavo is not in the state's care.
For him to suggest that by worrying about Terri Schiavo’s well being, Governor Bush is interjecting “government where government doesn’t belong” reveals a fundamental flaw in his reasoning. On the contrary, Gov. Bush is courageously upholding governments greatest responsibility, that of protecting an individuals right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For those of us observing Mrs. Schiavo’s situation from afar on the evening news, her face certainly seems to reflect happiness when her parents are present at her bedside.
And lets be clear, Mrs. Schiavo is not on life support . Life support implies heroic mechanical intervention for patients who cannot breath or maintain a heart beat on their own. Terri, not unlike an infant, simply requires food and water.
The sad horrifying truth is that Mr. Schultz, and all those who would subject this poor defenseless woman to the slow agonizing death by starvation and de-hydration, have determined that her “non-life” is not worth continuing. Her unfortunate state doesn’t meet the subjective measure of the secular good life. Who the hell is Mr. Shultz to make such a judgment?
Randy Schultz is as dopey as the judge. There is no credible evidence that Terri would not want to live in her current condition. Considering the number of adulterous husbands who kill their wives it shouldn't be surprising that Michael would claim his wife would prefer to be dead.
The Florida Department of Children and Families should be supervising patients like Terri instead of judges who have no training for the job.
Liberals like Randy Schultz are the epitome of evil. Absolutely deceitful and dangerous.
I agree, and I believe that Bush has got a lot on his plate and worries about it all and is doing what he can to clean it all up.
Michael testified in his phony malpractice suit that he was devoted to keeping Terri alive, and that he needed the millions he was suing for to give rehabilitation, foreseeing a long life for Terri.
But, Thanks to FR:
Gov. Bush is courageously upholding governments greatest responsibility, that of protecting an individuals right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For those of us observing Mrs. Schiavo's situation from afar on the evening news, her face certainly seems to reflect happiness when her parents are present at her bedside. #1 by DHRLI
Terri IS in prison! She is imprisoned in hospice.
Just wondering, Does this guy have a history of bashing Jeb Bush?
This article coming from Palm Beach, Fl..or Chad land as some people call it. Better that he write articles on the proper use a voting machine or counting chads. He calls Terri's life a non-life. Hopfully he will never have a feeding tube or he can end up like Hugh Finn.
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