Governor Bush: It’s time for bold, brave ideas

Pensacola News Journal | March 9, 2005 | Paige St. John

[grassboots.org]

With a united Republican Legislature amassed behind him, Gov. Jeb Bush pledged Tuesday to make his last two years in office as focused on conservative change as his first six.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush delivers his State of the State address to members of the Florida Legislature on Tuesday in Tallahassee. AP Photo/Phil Coale "This is not a time for timid tweaks to the status quo. This is the time for bold, brave ideas in Florida that will shape our future and define us as dreamers, builders and problem solvers,"...

Among Republicans, there appeared to be sentiment that Bush faces little opposition, although there will be some debate on reforms.

"With the unity that you see with both houses and the governor, you can look for great changes in the next two years," said Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker.

Bush's agenda encompasses "some of the most controversial and complicated things we do in state government," said Rep. Stan Mayfield, R-Vero Beach. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if it takes a couple of years before everyone is comfortable with reform."

[grassboots.org]

Any comments on Gov Bush's bold, brave ideas on behalf of Terri Schiavo and also whether he has shown himself to be a problem solver.

[My2Cents]

Message to Gov. Bush: We're tired of lipservice.

[Vicomte13]

Shakes dust from soles of his shoes.

There's my comment.

[the invisib1e hand]

wonder what the, "sorry, can't help ya" memo looked like.

[lonevoice]

Yes. My comment is that I hope this gets pulled out of breaking news PDQ

[El_Doctor]

He could be prepping us for a very big move on his part.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

If I were the governor I'd be sure to confer with every two-bit justice of the peace in the State of Florida, to see just how much of this bold agenda is going to be okay to implement.

[sarah_f]

LOL.

One only has to look at the Elian case to see what chance Terri had.

[traviskicks]

Gov Bush is one of the best governors, if not the best governor in the entire United States. He has, as Cato recently illustrated consistently cut spending and taxes almost very year as Governor and as a result has overseen dramatic economic growth in florida. Most importantly, he has enabled Charter schools to grow and develop and (still limitingly) challenge the failed public school system.

Florida has also passed (semi) strict laws on mal practice and lawyer fees for trial lawyers.

I think Floridians can look forward to a good economy, good health, and good education for years to come.

Those of you that attempt to damn him for this Schivo thing have a very skewed set of priorities...

[SENTINEL]

My support for the Bushes will die with Terri Shiavo.

[grassboots.org]

Gov Bush is one of the best governors, if not the best governor in the entire United States.

Agreed.

I think Floridians can look forward to a good economy, good health, and good education for years to come.

This only applies to those of you who can manage to get a drink of water, which ought not to be a priority, anyways.

[coconutt2000]

Y'all can give up on Jeb if you want...

But the truth is, nothing short of a maniacal, half-crazed person would've gone up against the courts for Schiavo.

In all likelihood the cops, the state troopers, and the national guard would've disobeyed his orders to the contrary.

We need to change the perception of the general public in regards to the actual powers endowed to the courts before we can expect others to shoulder all of the risk.

We can sit here and say "yada yada yada yada" all we want, but if we don't fall behind and continue to push for Jeb's conservative agenda for Florida, we run the very real risk of letting the liberals have the real victory in killing Terri Schiavo... and that is the driving of a wedge between the various conservative factions.

If you want to go around blaming Jeb, be my guest, but if you're going to blame him, go and join the hundreds of thousands of liberals who are trashing him as a tyrannical, despot. They're claims as to his character would be about as true as yours, and as deconstructive too.

[B.O. Plenty]

I do not live in Florida, but it occurs to me that Gov Bush has demonstrated that he will not fight for what he believes in...(if you believe him when he said that he was in favor of not killing Terri.)....so why would you all in Fla. believe that he will wage a make or break fight for anything else? If some judge disagrees with him, or if a bunch of liberals oppose his plans, will he cave in and abandon all of you once again?

If Gov Bush will not make a move to determine the true facts of a life and death situation, then it is my opinion that it will be easy for him to abandon any other "belief" he has.

[TigersEye]

The Governor has the power to act. Only the Legislature has the power to take him to task for acting and only then after the fact.

[TigersEye]

You think money, health and school is more important than life and you think we've got skewed priorities? LOL

[My2Cents]

I have no doubt that Jeb Bush is one of the nation's best governors, and I would have supported him in a run for Prez in '08. I also recognize that in the Terri Schiavo case, he's in an impossible situation. That said, I'm disappointed he went to the same corrupt courts in Florida that have brought us to this point to ask their *permission* to take Terri into protective custody. Had it been Andrew Jackson, or perhaps LBJ, I think they would have simply put her into state protective custody, and told the courts, "If you don't like it, impeach me!"

We have a crisis with the judiciary in this country. It requires someone in the position to do something to stand up to them, defy them if necessary, to bring this crisis to a head. We didn't need someone still playing their game, by their rules, only to be slapped down, and having to slink away. He didn't show leadership; he showed cowardice.

This said, there's so much gutlessness and fecklessness on this issue, there's enough to share with everyone, not simply pile on Jeb.

Those of you that attempt to damn him for this Schivo thing have a very skewed set of priorities...

Was it too much to hope that someone would have shown some political courage in this situation?

[SweetCaroline]

With the unity that you see with both houses and the governor, you can look for ....MORE INNOCENT PEOPLE LIKE TERRI BEING KILLED!

[B.O. Plenty]

In all likelihood the cops, the state troopers, and the national guard would've disobeyed his orders to the contrary.What? This don't make any sense to me. You can't tell me that if Gov Bush issued an order for the national guard and state troopers to stand down, the order would not be obeyed. If you are right, then we are in bigger trouble than I think we are. Your statement describes a military dictatorship to me.....and I don't think we are one yet. Congress is still kind of in charge...they control the money.

[TigersEye]

Brother Jeb handed it to the Feds. Where is the President now that the Bill he signed has been summarily dismissed by the courts? Where is Congress when their subpoenas have been ignored and defied? Is the U.S. Attorney impotent in the face of judicial lawlessness? Where are the people who were hopping mad at Congressional panels for filibustering judicial nominees?

"I'm not sure we can get it done here in Florida," Martinez quoted (Gov.) Bush as saying just after a new Schiavo measure stalled in the Florida Legislature. "Do whatever you can federally."

[My2Cents]

Is the U.S. Attorney impotent in the face of judicial lawlessness?

Apparently so.