Posted on 03/28/2005 7:44:28 PM PST by Theodore R.
Polls Determined Actions in Schiavo Case Al Rantel Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Little wonder that so many Americans are cynical of their elected officials in every position and branch of their government. The Terri Schiavo case has once again demonstrated how many of our political leaders are leaders in name only and that their first instinct is to follow the polls for political self-preservation.
Right after the Congress and President Bush got involved in the Terri Schiavo case in Florida by passing a law aimed at getting a complete review in the federal court system, several polls were taken as the public became highly charged about the life-and-death issue. All the polls indicated that the public did not support our elected officials wading into this matter. Further, they showed that a huge majority thought politicians were getting involved for personal political gain.
Suddenly, silence befell the crowd of politicians never at a loss for words. President Bush meekly proclaimed that he hadn't talked to "my brother, the governor of Florida" about the case any more. Jeb Bush meekly proclaimed that he couldn't do any more because a big, bad circuit court judge told him not to. Congressional Republicans, who issued a subpoena for Terri and others, thus keeping anyone from ending her life, postponed their hearing, thus staying their own subpoenas that they never enforced anyway. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, last week said that Terri was sent by God to awaken the American people. But DeLay was nowhere to be seen or heard after the polls came out and he was on the wrong side of over three-quarters of the public.
That's how it is in politics. One day you are sent by God, the next day you are damaged goods whose electoral viability is threatened.
Even Senator Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., those most vocal about this case in the U.S. Senate, have fallen silent. This leaves the public with people like Randall Terry of Operation Rescue and the Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition outside the hospice with their megaphones as they take a break from calling doctors murderers who perform abortions.
The only people left taking the stand begun by Republican leaders in Florida and in Washington are 10-year-olds getting arrested after being sent to the hospice front door with water for Terri.
There is a lesson in all of this. Politicians are by instinct spineless jellyfish who rarely lead but rather line up to take the people where they think they want to go. Can there be any doubt that had the polls shown the reverse, Congress would have been up all night with new legislation and Governor Jeb Bush would be taking on the lowly circuit court judge in the name of the Sovereign People of Florida as it states in the Florida Constitution?
Ironic, too, that five years ago Attorney General Janet Reno sent in federal marshals to seize Elian Gonzalez even though there was a Florida court order preserving him with his Miami family. Reno had the young boy whisked out of the Miami home and sent back to Fidel Castro's outdoor prison known as Cuba. In that case most Americans said in polls that Elian belonged with his dad, even if it meant living in one of the world's most oppressive dictatorships.
So, for all of those who often say they don't believe in polls, well, maybe you don't, but the politicians sure do. Had the polls gone the other way, Elian would now be a high school student in Miami Dade County and Terri Schiavo's parents would still be visiting her with her feeding tube in place. Someone believes in polls, and they happen to be our elected officials at every level of our government.
Please give me an example of when W went against the polls. Even the Iraq war was popular in the polls when he launched it. I know of no decision he has made that went against the polls. I think one reason - maybe THE reason - he signed campaign finance "reform" is because he felt pressured to do so by the polls.
Perhaps you could say that he bucks the polls on illegal immigration - - taking a weak stand while the polls favor a strong stand (or at least I assume they do - I'm' not sure the usual polling agencies even poll on this subject, it's not one they want to make a big deal about, I suspect)
You aren't crazy, you have a heart and they don't. Terri's reward is waiting for her in Heaven, Divine justice awaits her murderers and their accomplices and sympatizers. Keep the faith!!!
I heard that also. IF she is just a veggie and IF she can feel no pain THEN HOW would she feel the pain of a bed sore?
These people really amaze me. The real reason why they are giving her morphene is that they know she's in pain and it causes THEM less pain if she is less likely to exhibit gestures of pain.
There is no proof in this article, merely inferance.
The only word that comes to my mind is SHAME, the entire episode is cloaked in shame. My only relief comes from knowing that there is a just G*d in heaven that can and will not overlook this injustice. He is Just, and that will be an eternal problem for those who have not sought forgiveness.
But if you read it again -- I was responding to grace522 who was talking about a tv program.
Of course there isn't but for those who are letting their emotions do the talking instead of using their brains, stuff like this just reaffirms it was some conspiracy to kill Schiavo.
Michael will not be able to rest. He will be recognized by everyone. He'll bump into people constantly who will ask him, "Aren't you the guy who got away with killing your wife?"
Thank God Almighty there are those of us left who can get this emotional in an effort to save the most helpless among us.
Terri Schiavo's death will only be the beginning of a moral backlash the likes of which has not been seen in this country.
She will be a martyr representing the weak and disabled fighting against the culture of wickedness and death spreading across this once-great country.
She has found out she can play hardball and the Republican "front runners" will cower and fall silent.
I am disgusted by our lazy press and our death enamored doctors. Shame on them all!!
Press isn't lazy - they are deliberate.> Greta/attorney
She thinks no one notices. Quite transparent.
Funny thing about polls: they are a poor and cheap step-sister of elections. It seems to me if you've married the good girl, and she's given you her trust, you don't spend time with her fickle sisters.
Please let it load -- it's 11 mb.
Have headphones or sound on.
special thanks to lafroste for generous technical and web assistance.
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