Posted on 03/24/2005 10:50:16 PM PST by Messianic Jews Net
STARVATION: DAY 8
Jeb Bush not likely to ride to rescue
Florida governor indicates he won't defy court order
Posted: March 25, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Those hoping Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will step forward to save Terri Schiavo from imminent, court-ordered starvation death are likely to be disappointed, based on his comments to a group of reporters following county court Judge George Greer's ruling against the state's effort to take custody of the brain-injured woman at the center of a worldwide euthanasia controversy.
While Bush reiterated his motivation to save Schiavo, based on new evidence that she is not in a persistent vegetative state and is, to some degree, conscious of her surroundings, the governor said "it isn't possible to remove her" from the hospice.
Earlier in the week, there were hints from the Bush administration that the Department of Children and Families might use force, if necessary, to stabilize Terri Schiavo and remove her from the facility.
"The judge is so focused on carrying out whatever decision he made years ago, that I guess the additional information he just rejected out of hand, and rejected the ability of the department to go in and stabilize her," he said. "It isn't possible right now to remove her. ... Given the fact that she's being starved to death it would be difficult to move her."
Bush downplayed the earlier reports about the possibility of action by the DCF.
"We never said that unilaterally we would do something that's against the court," he said. "I've been asked to do it by a lot of people – a lot of the advice I'm getting over the Internet and over television and the like. I know that there were lots of rumors of things that aren't accurate. I have a duty to uphold the law and I have been very consistent about that. It seemed like a big story that never was confirmed because it wasn't true. If we had that ability to do it, if there wasn't an injunction, we would do it right now. We would stabilize her by giving her hydration. We couldn't put a feeding tube in. There was already a court order in place. The opportunity we had was appealing his decision."
A prominent evangelical Christian leader yesterday urged Bush to disobey the judge's order barring the Florida governor from intervening to save the life of Terri Schiavo. In a statement shortly after Judge George Greer's decision, Rev. D. James Kennedy pointed to Bush "as the only legal authority who can save the life of Terri Schiavo."
Kennedy, president of Coral Ridge Ministries, said Bush "must act and he must act immediately on her behalf."
"He must disregard the order of Judge Greer," Kennedy said. "He has both the authority and the duty to do so under the state constitution."
Greer rejected Bush's request to grant the governor protective custody. On Wednesday he barred the Department of Children & Families from taking custody. Also yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from Terri Schiavo's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, for an emergency order allowing her feeding tube to be reinserted.
As WorldNetDaily reported, Bush appeared to be clearing the way for the possibility unilateral action when he appeared at a news conference Wednesday to confirm the DCF, under his authority, has the legal right to remove Terri Schiavo, by force if necessary, from the hospice where she has lived the past five years.
Bush said new information had come to light warranting intervention, including a review of Terri Schiavo's condition by neurologist Dr. William Cheshire, who claims she may have been misdiagnosed. Cheshire believes Schiavo to be in a "minimally conscious state," not a "persistent vegetative state" as Greer has determined.
"It is imperative that she be stabilized so the DCF team can fulfill their statute to review the facts surrounding the case," Bush said.
Kennedy said Bush should be commended for his efforts over the past two years – which include the state legislature's passage of "Terri's Law" – but he noted those efforts "thus far has proven fruitless." The law later was declared unconstitutional.
"Neither the state legislature nor the courts, state or federal, have been willing to act on behalf of this helpless woman who is now within hours of death," Kennedy said.
Kennedy points out the Florida Constitution states in Article I, Section 2, that "[a]ll natural persons, female and male alike, are equal before the law, and have inalienable rights, among which are the right to enjoy and defend life ... ." According to the Constitution, "no person shall be deprived of any right [including the right to enjoy life] because of ... physical disability."
Similar arguments were brought to Florida's capital this morning by former Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman and former presidential candidate Alan Keyes. Keyes wrote a column published yesterday by WorldNetDaily, arguing for Bush to step in and save Schiavo amid judicial abuse of the separation of powers.
"I have talked to a whole lot of people that I respect, not just now but the first time when Terri's law was passed, to make the determination of what my powers are and they are not as expansive as people would want them to be," Bush said yesterday. "And I understand, they're acting on their heart and I fully appreciate their sentiments and the emotions that go with this, but .... I've consistently said that I can't go beyond what my powers are and I'm not going to do it. There are 90,000 abortions that take place in this state every year. That troubles me more than I can ever describe, but that doesn't mean that I have some secret powers to stop that. There are a lot of things that go on in society that trouble me and this is certainly one of them. To have someone starve to death troubles me greatly and we have done everything we can and we will continue to do so within the powers that I have."
Editor's note: WorldNetDaily has been reporting on the Terri Schiavo story since 2002 – far longer than any other national news organization – and exposing the many troubling, scandalous, and possibly criminal, aspects of the case that to this day rarely surface in news reports. Read WorldNetDaily's unparalleled, in-depth coverage of the life-and-death fight over Terri Schiavo, including over 150 original stories and columns.
Jeb's "guts" are certainly harder to see these days. I've always very much liked the feel I got from Jeb, I thought he was a damn good guy, but his last public utterance looked like the words of a beaten and slightly weak man. He basically seemed to go back on the statement that he made publicly the night before when he said that he didn't need the judges OK to send DCF to rescue Terri.
I don't know all things about what's going on down there, but his last few days have been pretty lame to me. I am very disappointed in his lack of action, but maybe I'm missing something.
All I know is that anyone who has studied this fifteen year "imprisonment" of this innocent girl (And Jeb should by now have the facts on this) should come to the conclusion that this husband's activities have been at least near criminal. Jeb should have done the right thing before now, imo.
You deal with it! You make all kinds of wild accusations and then claim that you are the pure and "superior" one. LOL
I bet you voted for Ross Perot.
Yall like murder? Have at it. Enjoy.
Unfortunate choice of words. Greer is an elected judge.
Considering that a huge part of the population sees nothing wrong with killing Terri Schiavo, I think Governor Bush has gone way past what one could expect.
Remember, Terri would have been dead several years ago if it weren't for Jeb Bush.
He can't be indicted because legally speaking he's done nothing but petition a court. If removing the feeding tube is truly murder, it's Greer who signed the order. Schiavo (legally speaking) merely petitioned the court, and there is no way you'll ever make petitioning the court a crime.
How many different ways can it be explained? Because he doesn't have the authority to do so, that's why. It's that simple. I'm flabbergasted that we have so many freepers that are refusing to comprehend that Jeb can't just flip the finger and exceed the authority of his office. If you think it's the right thing to do, fine, but be up front about it and admit that you want him to go off the reservation.
Funny thing they killed and murder the profits too! And those who did not take a stand are just as wrong! Sure we could say maybe
1. God wanted all the Jews home that were killed in WWW II.
2. God wanted all the people in 911 home so we should not care or worry.
3. God took all those people in the tusami so shrug it off.
4. God will want those who will be taken in the next terror attack on America so just don't worry about it!
I mean that is such a nice and easier way out isn't it? I mean we do not bother to occupy until His sons return because hey this is His will right! Guess one day we will find out who is right won't we!
Well then Governor Bush you also have a duty to uphold the law when Judges violate it too. Why are you allowing Judge Greer and Michael to get away with refusing to give Terri water even by mouth? I believe Jeb Bush can intervene because Judge Greer has issued a clearly illegal order that no water or food can be given to Terri even by mouth. This is not just the removal of a feeding tube but this judge has denied a request by her parents to give her water and food naturally! No judge or court has this power and it does not take an attorney to figure this out. I defy anyone to find legal authorization, even in Florida law, for this order. Has anyone in Bush's office even challenged this specific aspect of Greer's order? If not then he hasn't done everything in his power.
As is stated in another thread on an article by a doctor (William Anderson) in the Weekly Standard titled "Terri's Last Chance" there is no medical, legal or moral reason to not attempt a trial of natural drinking. He argues all the outcomes of such a trial, even if it results in a quicker death, are better than refusing to allow her to attempt to take food and water on her own. Only Greer's order stops this and such an order is not within the power of a court to make or a guardian or a medical care facility to carry out.
Jeb and/or George Bush should blast Judge Greer out of the water on this illegal order and immediately give her water by mouth. This could allow time to dismiss Greer for violating her human rights by his order and overturn the guardian decision. I am afraid that Jeb's team has been focusing so much on reinserting the tube that they are neglecting to fight to give her the opportunity to take water and food on her own which evidently is her only chance now and is more humane in any event.
There is a big difference between the situations you listed and Terri.
Do you think God needs or wants to destroy the most Godly political figures this country has had in a long time?
I think God will reward them for what they have done to help save Terri.
They are men. God is God. My faith is in God.
Your faith is in men.
Funny thing they killed and murder the profits too!
That makes no sense. Do you have my post mixed up with someone else's?
May I comment on your words .....
The 'old media' regrettably is still greatly influential, still effective in molding and creating the opinions of the majority of Americans. For instance, look at the distorted and neatly fashioned polls on the Schiavo issue (ABC's for instance.) The questions were slanted, they were outright fraudulent polls and results. Terri's real condition was consciously misrepresented in the questions of these polls. Then there was the media not presenting Terri's condition from 1990 on, ill-treatment in the hospice, and the rest of the truth of the entire matter.
I've been studying media bias for close to 40 years and am quite aware of the evil power of that bias and the way, in the end, it can destroy a free nation. But media bias and the effectiveness of that bias has never been so clear and obvious than in the (non)coverage of the Terri Schiavo case. Never have I seen a citizenry more ignorant of the facts of a story -- never so incorrectly informed, and never has that bias been so maddening! Not even the citizens' recent ignorance of the real John Kerry or the realities of Rathergate could match this. No news story has made the power of bias more clear than this one.
What I'm trying to say (but saying poorly) is that the American people are so ignorant of the facts of this case, so disinformed that if it were true that Jeb were actually afraid of political ramifications from his actions, it would be easy to see why he were.
But "courage of convictions", as you mention, is another thing. In politics these days "courage of convictions" is nearly an impossibility, especially with a media constituted in the way that it still is today. With a continuing extremely influential left/liberal/socialist/anti-American old media still in place and keeping most of the people ignorant, any courageous act by a conservative to try to rescue Terri is tough to do. Because the media has so very effectively continually distorted Republicans' and others' motives to come to this girl's rescue, every courageous act will be colored in a political way. But that courageous act should be performed anyway, imo.
I think Jeb and the Republicans would win politically in the end if they did the moral thing.
But, is 'winning in the end' the most important thing today? Well, sadly I guess it is. 'Doing the right thing' may not be.
****
Have a meaningful Good Friday.
No not at all! You are attempting to justify murder stating that maybe it is Gods will! So why not justify it all!!
Your emotions have you out of control. Get some rest.
Prophets, I think
yes
plus I am not sure taking Terri would help her. Moving her now might kill her.
I agree that moving her now may have that outcome. It's extremely regrettable that it came to this unpleasant point for this innocent girl.
Considering that a huge part of the population sees nothing wrong with killing Terri Schiavo, I think Governor Bush has gone way past what one could expect.
You're so right about the population, but unhappily, I must disagree somewhat about expectations. Please see post # 72.
Remember, Terri would have been dead several years ago if it weren't for Jeb Bush.
I hear that to be true. Since I'm not real up on those details, I'll take your good word on that.
Please be well this Good Friday.
bts
This woman is not even allowed a drink of water. And our leaders tell us there is nothing they can do. When the law says it is illegal to give a dying woman a drink of water then the law is evil and no one is obligated to obey an immoral, evil law.
have you gotten anyone's attention with that article yet? I find it to be pretty damning...
Ah, thanks. That makes much better sense.
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