TERRI SCHINDLER SCHIAVO JANUARY 2005 Dailies: News Digest, Restating the Obvious & Thank Yous...

Free Republic & Various Sources ^ | December 30, 2004 | Floriduh Voter

[floriduh voter]

The Terri Schindler Schiavo Daily Threads are created month to month as we watch local and national news regarding Terri and her family.

Since Terri's supporters are in every time zone, you may see something FIRST. Please share news with us that you don't see here already. Now, why would you want to do that? Terri's Daily Thread for September/October of 2004 was viewed over 15,000 times. Terri's November Daily Thread was viewed over 6,000 times. December's thread is over 3,000 views.

More and more good folks are finding out about Terri and that judicial tyranny would take her life, but for lots and lots of prayer and non-stop lobbying of relatives, friends, clergy, our leaders, the media, a passerby, a cashier - ANYONE who you feel comfortable chatting with.

Folks always want to know how can this be in America or on earth for that matter? Unfortunately, this is really happening to an innocent woman who just celebrated her 41st birthday. She's not the only one but she's the one with devoted parents and siblings who knows what's in Terri's heart. Terri has a strong will to live. That's apparent. It's been 14 years.

Besides, feeding tubes have been around practically since the Civil War. They are not high tech devices. Terri is "not hooked up to machines". Her feeding tube is the diameter of a piece of spaghetti.

Talkin' about Terri is the best way to lobby for her. It is a salespitch to save her life and subsequently, many lives. If you've never sold anything in your life, START NOW. START WITH TERRI.

See Terri's flash movies if you need more information. You can see for yourself that's she's interactive and follows the doctor's instructions.

Visit: http://www.terrisfight.org

NOTE: Terri's December Dailies are noted as a source above. There are lots of important links at the very top of that thread. If you missed Terri's Celebration of Life, you can click on it from there.

[Chocolate Rose]

In uneasy campaign, judges vie for top job
The chief judge of the Pinellas-Pasco circuit is breaking custom to seek a third term. Fifty-nine judges vote in February.
By CHRIS TISCH, Times Staff Writer
Published December 31, 2004

---

The job of chief judge comes with few perks.

Though there is some prestige in overseeing other local judges, the position doesn't pay more and, if anything, brings more work than a regular judgeship. The chief judge also can face bad press or criticism if something goes haywire in the local circuit.

Next year, two veteran Pinellas-Pasco judges will vie for the position. Judge George Greer, best known recently for his rulings on the Terri Schiavo case, will run against Judge David A. Demers, who has been chief judge for two terms.

The race marks the first time in memory in the Pinellas-Pasco circuit that a chief judge is seeking a third term against a challenger. Historically, chief judges in the circuit have abided by an unofficial, self-imposed rule limiting them to two terms of two years each.

The reasons for the term limit vary. Some judges think it's wise to spread the leadership role around, while some fear a judge could accumulate too much political power by staying in the role for too long.

"We have a lot of talent on the bench, and I think it just is good to allow the role of the chief judge to be passed around and not made a quasi-permanent position," said Greer, a circuit judge since 1993.

The chief judge before Demers, Susan Schaeffer, was the first three-term chief judge in the circuit's history. Schaeffer ran unopposed for her third term.

However, Schaeffer was actively involved in Revision 7, a 1998 constitutional change that transferred the bulk of trial court funding from counties to the state. A third term may have made sense to her colleagues so she could help implement the changes.

Demers says the circuit is still adapting to Revision 7, which went into effect this year, so it makes sense for him to serve a third term as well.

"I think I have certain advantages by virtue of having been intimately involved in this process that a new chief judge wouldn't have," said Demers, who began on the county bench in 1981 and moved to the circuit bench in 1994.

The circuit's 59 judges will vote by secret ballot in February. The winner will take over in July.

The race presents an awkward situation for judges, who generally don't publicly criticize one another. Both Demers and Greer have sent letters to the other judges announcing their candidacies, but otherwise they plan to campaign subtlely.

Both said pleasant things about the other during recent interviews. In fact, both judges expressed some degree of discomfort about publicity of the race.

Past chief judges say it's somewhat uncomfortable to campaign for chief judge because you're essentially telling colleagues that you're a better choice than another colleague.

"These are all ... people that you work with, and you're asking them to make a choice," said Judge Jim Case, a chief judge in the early 1990s. "It's awkward."

As the chief administrative officer, the chief judge is responsible for managing the circuit. He or she assigns judges to criminal, civil, probate or other courts.

"It's sort of like being the CEO, for a lack of a better term, of the local court and the local court's resources," Demers said.

The chief judge usually doesn't handle a full caseload but can keep cases previously overseen. Greer said he will continue handling the Schiavo case if he is elected.

Because every judge is an independent constitutional officer, the chief judge does not hold any power to review any other judge's decisions or rulings.

Demers also says it's not the chief judge's place to micro-manage colleagues. Demers took some heat from St. Petersburg Times editorials after the newspaper reported that Judge Charles Cope was out of court for 10 weeks in one year after he was on paid leave for a year as he battled criminal charges in California.

Demers was criticized after he said that Cope's time off was not relevant to him as long as the judge didn't fall behind in his calendar, which he hadn't. Demers said judges have no set rules or laws outlining vacation time.

Demers also was criticized for how he handled Cope's departure. Demers pulled Cope from a trial to attend an emergency meeting. Cope then left the courthouse and resigned the next day. He later said he learned there were plans in the Legislature to impeach him, which prompted him to quit.

Demers would not discuss what was said in the meeting, which he considered a private talk with a colleague.

Still, Demers acknowledges some other judges were not satisfied with how he handled Cope's situation. He said he doesn't know of any other significant criticism of his tenure.

If re-elected, Demers plans to explore starting a DUI court, adding a drug court in Pasco County and expanding unified family court.

He thinks the two-term limit is inconsistent with other large circuits in the state, some of which have had longtime chief judges.

Rotating chief judges so frequently also can erode relationships a previous chief has built up with lawmakers, which could have an effect on funding for the local circuit, said Bobbi Flowers, a Stetson University College of Law professor.

"That's a cost that we as citizens bear because every time the chief judge changes, there has to be a reacquiring of that statewide influence," said Flowers, who said both Demers and Greer are "highly qualified for the position."

But former chief judge Ray "Gene" Ulmer Jr. said he subscribes to the two-term limit so politics can be kept out of the position.

"I had seen some of the other circuits ... where a single individual had become a chief judge it seemed like in perpetuity," Ulmer said. "And the ranks in the court had become very political, and the chief judge had become very powerful using his or her ability to make assignments ... as what I perceived to be a means to stay in power."

In Hillsborough County, F. Dennis Alvarez was a chief judge for 13 years, becoming an immensely powerful figure. He resigned in 2001 after a series of courthouse scandals.

Greer agrees with Ulmer. He said several colleagues encouraged him to run. He declined to discuss Demers' handling of the Cope case or other issues in detail, but said: "There's some things in the system that need to be tweaked a little bit."

In deciding between Greer and Demers, fellow judges will have to weigh the importance of their historical term limits with how well they believe either judge will perform.

"It's a balancing act," said Case, the former chief judge, "that each individual judge has to weigh in their own mind."

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/12/31/Tampabay/In_uneasy_campaign__j.shtml

[floriduh voter]

The Judges get to vote for their favorite for Chief Judge. The Chief Judge hands out all the case assignments. How can the blind Judge Greer hand out cases when he won't tell the JQC that he's got a pale optic nerve and has a driver He cannot drive because he is "legally blind."

When the question of his vision came up at a townhall forum, in the aftermath, after saying "no, he wasn't" and then to a person saying "yes, he was impaired.", Greer's wife Patricia said "What kind of question is that? It's not nice to pick on someone with a disability." ACTUAL QUOTE

FV says: ROBBING TERRI AND THEN KILLING HER TO COVER IT ALL UP IS O.K. WITH PAT GREER? Sheriff Rice said "Greer should get a medal for being steadfast in Terri's guardianship (starving her). A MEDAL. LOL How about a PERP WALK?

[floriduh voter]

Greer will only continue handling the Schiavo case because he doesn't want anyone else to discover all of his missteps that everyone already knows about. What folly! Greer would make a fine puppet Chief Judge for "the team".

[TOUGH STOUGH]

WOW!!!!!!!! 80,000? THAT is ASTOUNDING, absolutely ASTOUNDING!!!!

[TOUGH STOUGH]

"Meanwhile, others who commit the same crimes around the state and country are being prosecuted for the same or similar activities."

You don't know how many times, I have had the thought, that so many of these judges in florida and elsewhere have no right to be deciding criminal (or any other kind of case) cases, because they are so corrupt they have become criminals themselves.

[floriduh voter]

FROM ALAN KEYES WEB SITE www.renewamerica.us: 12-30-04

Efforts to save Terri Schiavo fail again Lakeland, FL, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A Florida appeals court has ruled the parents of a Tampa, Fla., woman should not get a trial in their effort to keep her alive.

The decision by the 2nd Court of Appeal in Lakeland, Fla., could leave the U.S. Supreme Court as the only recourse for the parents of Terri Schiavo, The Tampa Tribune said Thursday.

Schiavo, 40, has been in a permanent vegetative state for 14 years since suffering a chemical imbalance and cardiac arrest. Her husband wants to remove her feeding tube and allow her to die, but her parents want to keep her alive.

The appeals court issued no written opinion, meaning the state Supreme Court is not eligible to consider the case again under Florida law.

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed last year, but Florida Gov. Jeb Bush ordered it replaced under a law passed by the Legislature for that purpose.

It was reinserted, but the state Supreme Court ruled the new law was unconstitutional. Bush has now asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case.

A decision on whether to accept the case is expected by the court next month.

FV SAYS: DECISION ON WHETHER TO ACCEPT OR REFUSE TO HEAR AT SCOTUS IN MID-JANUARY, 2005.

[floriduh voter]

80,000 web sites dedicated to Terri's survival, her constitutional rights & well being and counting. That was the number before Christmastime.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

So now Greer is running for Chief Judge? He should be disbarred.

Absolutely sickening!!!!!

[floriduh voter]

MEDICAL ANALYSIS HERE. TRUTH V. PROPAGANDA RE: TERRI

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1242797/posts

[floriduh voter]

Happy New Year windchime.

[Filthy Rich Republican Fat Cat]

Floriduh Voter.

Is Judge George Greer related to actor Jeffrey Jones who starred as the principal in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and also had starring roles in such films as Howard the Duck and The Devil's Advocate?

Greer looks exactly like Jeffrey Jones.

Will you please post a picture of Jones and a picture of Greer for the rest of the forum to view for themselves?

The resemblance is uncanny!

[Filthy Rich Republican Fat Cat]

Here is a picture of actor Jeffrey Jones.
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/15/actor.arrested/

Put Jeffrey Jones in a black robe and give him the same haircut and he would look exactly like Judge George Greer.

What do you think, Floriduh Voter? Am I wrong or am I right?

[Filthy Rich Republican Fat Cat]

I would be VERY surprised if Rosalyn Carter, a member of the liberal democratic party and the wife of pro-abortion, pro-death Jimmy Carter (or as we like to call him here in Georgia..."Jimma Cotta" that peanut picking hayseed from Plains) lifted a single pinky finger to help Terri. I hope she proves me wrong but I doubt it.

Never trust a liberal democrat especially on issues of abortion and euthanasia.

James Earl Carter is an embarrassment to the state of Georgia and also to the United States of America.

The only thing worse than Jimma Cotta is one William Jefferson Blythe Clinton/Slick Willie Zipper No Pants Bill...

...but just by the slimmest of margins.

I don't want to see anyone get their hopes up by thinking Mrs. Carter, Hillary Clinton or any other liberal democrat will help Terri in her time of need.

I am praying for a miracle.

[Lauren BaRecall]

I guess no one is around to fix it during the New Year's weekend.

[Lauren BaRecall]

Ditto to your every word.

[Lauren BaRecall]

I gotta get some sleep. I have church and a party tomorrow, and just realized I have nothing to wear!

[floriduh voter]

CALL TO ACTION TO WRITE TO FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER'S WIFE ROSALYN via snail mail.

Mrs. Rosalynn Carter, THE CARTER CENTER, One Copenhill,453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30307

(put your feelings about Jimmy Carter aside) and please write to Rosalyn about Terri's need for protective custody. They will pull Terri's feeding tube by mid-January according to felos. Apparently, he's confident the US Supremes will turn down Jeb's appeal because the courts are all powerful and Judge Rehnquist's year end statement sounds like he believes he is omnipotent, even though he himself is quite ill.

[floriduh voter]

BREAKING SUNDAY NEWS. What have we been saying about the Pinellas County Clerk and the Pinellas County Courts being INCOMPTENT??? They are now crying poor mouth and the cities around here are telling the Pinellas Clerk of Courts to take a hike with their proposed parking rate increase of 141 to 145%!

HOW MUCH MONEY has our Sixth Circuit Clerk (who HAS BEEN been in a vegetative state for at least the past ten years)wasted and how many hands have been in the Pinellas County Clerk's cookie jar??? When the incompetents are in charge, this is what happens. Laugh along with me. LOL What a ship of fools.

What goes around seems to be coming around in Pinellas County, the WORST CLERK'S OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES!!! Name Change to: Puppet County instead of Pinellas County. WHO'S THE PUPPETMASTER? What kind of organized entity is running the Sixth Circuit? IMO they're running Puppet County into the ground after they take their cut.