Posted on 03/29/2005 2:14:05 PM PST by Theodore R.
Jeb Bush Should Have Acted, Says Pat Buchanan
Republican presidential candidate, author, pundit and political analyst Pat Buchanan thinks Florida Gov. Jeb Bush should have invoked his executive authority to save Terri Schiavo, even to the point of inviting a contempt-of-court citation.
Buchanan, in an interview with top-10 radio host Don Imus, said Jeb's resolve would serve two purposes: One, it would demonstrate – agree or disagree – that he took seriously his oath of office, which calls on him to protect the lives of Florida citizens; and two, that he is prepared to use his authority to overturn an improper court decision.
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"You've got [Terri's] parents out there [Bob and Mary Schindler] who are just going through hellish agony," said Buchanan – a Roman Catholic who vehemently believes in the right to life. "I think the courts are all [divided] over it. The media is all arguing back and forth. Congress and the Legislature couldn't do anything." He says when federal lawmakers passed a bill last week requiring the reinsertion of Terri's feeding tube while she was re-examined medically, Jeb Bush "should have just gone [to the Pinellas County hospice] with the state troopers, taken Terri Schiavo, had the tube reinserted, and let [Florida Judge George Greer] hold him in contempt."
Buchanan continued: "Everything that is natural about you says, look, if a woman is dying of thirst, you go give her some water."
The I-Man has often wondered aloud on his show why Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, won't just turn her over to the custody of her parents, who obviously want to take care of her. Buchanan made that same observation.
"The parents love her and they want to keep her alive," he told Imus. "If the governor had gone in there and done it, then held a press conference and said, 'Look, this thing is an imbroglio, but I've decided to take action, and I understand that the judge is gonna hold me in contempt, and I've got contempt for his decision, but I've got a constitutional obligation to defend the right to life of the citizens of Florida. And from everything I can see, this was wrongly decided, and the judge made a wrong decision and somebody's gonna die as a consequence, so I'm asserting executive authority in place of judicial power.' Then just let the chips fall where they may."
Greer, like the judges in a number of federal courts, has ruled that Michael Schiavo has custody over his wife and in that capacity can decide to remove her feeding tube. Schiavo claims Terri once told him she did not want to be kept alive in a permanent vegetative state.
Buchanan says the judiciary is not supposed to have the kind of power over state and federal legislative processes, or executive processes, that it is asserting in Terri's case.
As to Gov. Bush, "I think he's got a good heart," Buchanan said, "but I don't know why he has not acted, or did not act, a week ago."
Said Imus, "That was my next question – why he didn't do this."
"I think ... he feels the courts are the supreme law of the land," Buchanan answered, "and in my judgment, judges have been asserting power, taking it away from executives and legislatures for a long, long time. And it's got to be recaptured. We're a democratic republic."
Back on Terri herself, Buchanan said, "I think a lot of people are saying, 'What if that were my sister? What if that were my daughter?' I think that's what's tearing folks apart, because almost all of us are going to have to deal with a situation like this. I think we don't like what we're seeing, and we're not doing anything about it."
Editor's
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Oh, now "Stay Out of WW2" Pat's a great guy again, LOL
Geez, so today we've had both Jesse Jackson and Pat Buchanan coming out in support of Terri Schiavo? Makes a person wonder if they should be in agreement with them.
He's been saying it on FOX. It's just that he is drowned out by the other fanatics jumping for facetime.
Pat never misses a chance to attack Republicans. He needs to go crawl back into his hole.
"Pat never misses a chance to attack Republicans. He needs to go crawl back into his hole."
Yep. He's pathetic, just like all the fake "conservatives" who are showing up here and attacking Jeb in an effort to separate the pro-life people from the Republican party.
The real enemy is the judicial tyrants. The real solution is the Constitutional Option, so that GWB can appoint conservative judges over the fillibuster of the Dims.
"Pat never misses a chance to attack Republicans."
Why is it that you never miss an opportunity to attack anyone critical of GWB or republicans?
It's absolutely mind-boggling that these 'small-government' folks would like to see executive tyranny in place of judicial tyranny. If either of the Bush brothers sent in the NG, gunships, Delta Force, or whatever it is that some of the people on these boards are calling for lately, it would set a completely different (yet equally dangerous) precedent.
The system of checks and balances, without a doubt, must be preserved -- our very way of life depends on this. The fact that we do not like the way judges come down on an issue does not mean that the executive and legislative branches are duty-bound to openly defy the third branch. There are other venues to pursue change at the judicial level -- but we must remember that the power is not completely out of our hands unless we choose to ignore it. Legislators hold the power to impeach -- and we hold the job security of our legislators in our hands with our ballots.
Fixing the judicial branch, a branch of our government thoroughly poisoned by leftist activists, is going to be a deliberate and drawn-out process. We need to jolt our elected officials into action -- keep in mind that judges are still bound by the rules of impeachment. Legislators and executives still rely on our votes to keep their cushy jobs; it's time to hit them where it hurts. Only then will we start to see the modernization and humanization of the courts, and bring an end to the leftist stronghold that is the courtroom.
Go to newsmax now. They're saying that they may have enough votes to sign the Terri bill.
"Oh, now "Stay Out of WW2" Pat's a great guy again, LOL"
As they say, "Politics makes for strange bedfellows".
Today, Jesse Jackson is on the scene and pulling for Terri.
The Democrats cannot be too happy about this. Terri (bless her heart!) is causing an earthquake of a shake up in the political and religious world that has not been seen in years.
Believe me, this will not be over...even when she physically dies. This will result in a fresh look at life and death, updating our laws and, especially, the so-called "separation of powers". The fight has only begun.
I was playing with a child's "Jack-in-the-Box" today and found myself literally expecting Judge Greer to pop-up...even there. The guy is everywhere!!!! He "rules" over the President, Congress, the Governor....who else?
Thanks for your fine post -- now we will see if people can read and comprehend.
What is so sickening is that these same people were calling for Reno and Clinton's heads when they took Elian but now the shoe is on the other foot, it is okay!
Yep. Everyone should focus their energies into removing the activist judges both state and federal. Also working to change the laws so such a situation can't happen again.
William Large, Deputy Chief of Staff
850-488-5603 (office)
850-922-4292 (fax)
william.large@myflorida.com
At the very least, Governor Jeb Bush should respond to Michael Schiavo's explicit public invitation, by showing up unannounced with everyone and everything he needs to make a final and sudden decision on whether he should attempt to save Terri's life right now.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/20/Tampabay/Schiavo___Come_down__.shtml
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43419
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1366624/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1367576/posts
Please SHOW GOVERNOR BUSH THE DOCUMENTS FROM ALAN KEYES AND LARRY KLAYMAN
http://www.rightmarch.com/media/JudicialReview.doc
TELL HIM TO EXERCISE HIS CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY, AND TAKE TERRI SCHIAVO INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY RIGHT AWAY
http://www.conservativealerts.com/terri-tj.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1366335/posts
CC:
Raquel Rodriguez, General Counsel
850-488-3494 (office)
850-488-9810 (fax)
raquel.rodriguez@myflorida.com
Governor Jeb Bush
850-488-4441 (office)
850-487-0801 (fax)
http://capwiz.com/sicminc/mail/?id=9483&type=GV&state=FL
Well, Pat actually went out of his way to defend GWB in the 2004 campaign.
This is very interesting dispassionate, legalistic rigamarole. Many of the people you disagree with cut through the B.S., didn't care about state's rights, big government, all the other arguments and said, Thou shalt not kill.
Put all the theories of government in the garbage can, too much education can and does separate us from our morality.
They're killing a woman who wasn't dying.
That might become a national sport if Terry dies.
Public opinion turns around and STAYS turned around on certain stories. This could be one of them.
That could be a real career killer.
Agreed. What is your opinion on the best solution as to judges blatantly ignoring laws passed by the legislative branch of government?
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