Terry Schiavo Executive Order

Governor's Office (email) | Oct 21, 2003 | Gov. Jeb Bush

[greccogirl]

That's ok - he just gained mine and our families.

[Rome2000]

There were some GOP "no" votes, too, today, including St. Sen. Nancy Argenziano, a conservative and Catholic

She's not going to be a State Senator for too much longer.

Neither are her fellow RINOS.

[Catspaw]

Can't Bush's order be stopped then?

Yes, yoni, it can.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Assuming the family continues to disagree. That's why Florida really needs a written-end-of-life-directives law. NO MORE HEARSAY!!!

[george wythe]

However it's impossible that any such bill would ever get floated on the FLongress floor. Nobody would ever want it.

It is not impossible actually.

The case that I presented to you is loosely based on a real incident that happpened in my extended family.

I remember that my family was told that laws preventing adults from refusing any medical treatment are unconstitutional.

In other words, the right for an adult to refuse medical treatment, through his guardian, has been established in our courts and could not be overturned by legislative action.

My memory is not entirely clear on this issue, so that's why I posited the question.

Of course, it can be argued that IV hydration therapy and/or a feeding tube are not medical treatments.

At least some precedent has been set... a law tailored to a particular patient will be passed if enough raucus is raised.

[lonevoice]

I myself learned of it from Glen Beck about a year ago

Me too! Bump for Glenn Beck

[Defender2]

#116. Voted in O'Reilly's Poll. So Far 60% yes to 40% no.
Thank God, Governor Bush succeeded with the Legislature!!!!:-) My prayers go out to Terri!!!!:-)

[supercat]

The Florida legisture passes a law saying that, when there is a family conflict, the governor has the right to order liquid to be drained from patients with brain injuries, in order to prevent an unnecessary death.

Do you have a problem with such law?

I probably would, in a number of ways:

1. In some patients, draining of brain fluid could be harmful, and in many, unnecessary. I don't think the governor has the medical expertise to determine when such treatment is appropriate. By contrast, if someone is being deliberately dehydrated and starved to death, resumption of of hydration and feeding is guaranteed to do no harm.
2. Refusing to drain fluid from someone's brain would not affect most people; someone from whom such fluid not critical but not drained would die of that medical condition. By contrast, refusal to resume hydration/feeding for someone who can't feed by mouth is guaranteed to cause that person's death independent of their medical condition.
3. Jeb Bush's order isn't about him ordering a procedure that would not otherwise be done, but rather about him stopping a procedure (deliberate fatal dehydration) to deliberately kill someone.

Any more hypotheticals?

[Humidston]

Yes - 60%
No - 40%

I voted! Thanks for the link.

[Chuckster]

The Legislature changed the law in response to public input. That's the way the system is supposed to work. Do you have a problem with that, or were you just hoping that she would be left to die?

[george wythe]

I have a problem with any relative who may profit from the death of a loved one being made that person's guardian

Do you think that a Christian Scientist husband with a 1-million-dollar insurance on his wife's life cannot be his wife's guardian?

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Awesome!! This is such great news! God bless Jeb and those that voted for this.

[Conservative til I die]

Difference is, this is a religious freedom issue. It's been pretty well-established that JWs and Christian Scientists shouldnt have to receive treatment they are morally against.

[wizardoz]

Being a spouse and an adult is apparently meaningless now, at least in Florida.

And what a spouse. He's got his NEW woman and his NEW family, and the old tube & chain is in the way. Oh well.

[HiTech RedNeck]

This is to allow the governor to step in on the side of survival if the adult's wishes are unclear (in a very specific context).

[shhrubbery!]

Is this good news or bad??? Is Terry OK??

I'm wondering that too. I missed an interview earlier on MSNBC with Terri's brother, who was asked how Terri was doing.

My guess is that after she's been starved and dehydrated for six days, she needs specialized care.

Thank God she's out of that hospice. It's owned and controlled by pro-euthanasia people.

[GHCubana]

Terri has been moved to a hospital in Clearwater...

I can see Terri surrounded by caring doctors and nurses who will start IV fluids, monitor her vital signs,lab values stabilize her and start feeding her again . I hope she is addmitted to an Intensive Care Unit and watched closely for a while.

And hopefully a year from now we can go to Terri's website and see more videos of her responding to her mom and trying to get out of her chair. GET WELL SOON DEAR TERRI. THANK YOU GOV. JEB BUSH !!!!

[Conservative til I die]

Jeb has not spared her life. He's granted a stay so that further clarification can be made on the law and the situation. Just like if she was sentenced to die. She may very well die in two weeks.

[Dixielander]

I'm crying with joy and thanksgiving, and I'm not a crier.

So many thanks to so many for all that you've done to bring about this miracle.