Posted on 03/30/2005 4:07:26 PM PST by churchillbuff
I never had any desire to run for political office, but, if I did, it would be to make a difference.
If I didn't think I could make a difference, what would be the point?
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told us last week he just didn't have the power and authority to save one innocent woman forced by court order and armed guard to starve to death in his state.
I don't believe that's true. Not for a minute do I believe it. Jeb Bush blinked. And that weakness that he showed for the whole world should represent the end of his political career.
It's unfortunate, because I believe Jeb Bush knew, deep in his convictions, it was wrong to let Terri Schiavo be murdered by a judge's order.
He even dispatched a team of state law enforcement officers to seize her hours after Judge George Greer refused to listen to his pleadings in the courtroom.
But he backed down. When local cops informed the state officers that they would enforce the judge's order, the agents of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement stopped.
That's not leadership. That's capitulation.
Gov. Jeb Bush shouldn't have merely dispatched officers to the scene to negotiate with the local cops, he should have led them. He should have personally persuaded those local officers that he was the highest law enforcement official in the state and he was ordering them to stand down.
He should have been a field general, not an armchair general.
He should have walked up to that hospice with overwhelming force behind him.
He should have done so with the whole world watching.
Jeb Bush has been talked about as a potential presidential candidate. But who is going to seriously consider a commander in chief who backs down at the first sign of resistance?
Bush may have been trying to take the safe route in this crisis, but it represents, in my estimation, the end of his political ambitions.
Jeb Bush was tested, and he was found lacking.
He allowed a terribly immoral action to take place in his state and did nothing but huff and puff about it.
And it wasn't the first time.
Say what you will about former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. I think she was a fascist. I think she was a criminal. I think she was possibly stark, raving mad. But she backed up her misguided convictions by sending armed federal agents swooping in to pick up little Elian Gonzalez and take him back to Cuba. It was wrong, but she wasn't afraid.
Back then, Gov. Jeb Bush sat by and watched his authority breached by Washington.
This time, he sat by and watched his authority breached by a puny, little county bureaucrat, a local politician, Judge George Greer.
Does the Florida governor have any authority?
If not, we shouldn't take the position seriously as a stepping stone to higher office. If it does, why didn't he use it when it counted?
I feel sorry for Jeb Bush today.
I think he knew right from wrong in this case but didn't have the courage of his convictions. I think he listened to all the wrong advisers. I think he will carry regrets about Terri Schiavo to his grave.
He could have been a hero. He could have been a leader.
Instead, he appears weak. Instead, he appears to vacillate.
My wife told me: "If Jeb Bush had done the right thing for Terri, I would have given up six months of my life to campaign for him. I would have done anything to help him."
I'm sure many people feel like that. Let me ask you today: Is anyone excited about the possibility of a third Bush administration?
Jeb has failed as a leader. I can no longer bear to look at the man. In denying Terri, he has denied Christ. He has turned his back on everything good in this country. His end will be no better than Michael's. Either you stand for what is right or you pay. We tried to warn Jeb, he wouldn't listen. Its too late now.
I absolutely agree with you. I've had enough of the Bush bashing. This is sickening. We've got people bashing them for "too much intervention". They're damned if they do and damned if they don't. These people say all of this garbage from the comfort of their home computers. I too think it is grotesque and disgusting that we have a woman starving to death by court order. What about the millions and millions of aborted babies the last 32 years? I'm sure the same people bashing the Bushes have had quite a few babies aborted in their towns and cities. Are they crying for the National Guard to come busting in the abortion clinics? Folks, if we don't change the hearts and minds of the people, this stuff will continue regardless of what the politicians and the courts say. The Constitution and our political system will only work in a moral and just society. We have drifted a long ways from that.
When good is as dim as an tiny LED, the combustibles build up.
Anyway -- Howlin -- be for a life, this one woman, please?
Let me shorten it for you....
The following states that Jeb can remove Greer:
ARTICLE IV - Executive
SECTION 7. Suspensions; filling office during suspensions.--
(a) By executive order stating the grounds and filed with the custodian of state records, the governor may suspend from office any state officer not subject to impeachment....or any county officer, for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony..."
The following says that Greer is subject to impeachment, so Jeb could act on the above:
ARTICLE III - Legislative
SECTION 17. Impeachment.--
(a) The....justices of the supreme court, judges of district courts of appeal, judges of circuit courts, and judges of county courts shall be liable to impeachment for misdemeanor in office.
One thing's for sure: you fringers leave the GOP, and you'll NEVER get what you want.
But as Governor or President the only thing they can do at this point is fight their way through the police to save her. Same option you have my friend. I guess it's easier for people to sit back and blame others for their lack of courage to do the right thing.
But I am sick of everyone sitting on their asses doing nothing and then complaining that Bush's aren't doing something. I'll bet dollar to donuts Jeb has done a thousand times more work to let Terri live than anyone on this site....but it's never good enough. He has chosen not to forcible remove Terri. The ame choice the rest of us has made. No more, no less.
Damn. For a minute, I thought you were talking about me.
I think the GOP needs the RR in order to guarantee victory. They sure can't lose them and the moderates and have any chance.
I've lost a child; I am for life; I'm just not for throwing over the laws of this country and/or inciting to riot.
George Bush, the majority of the Senate, the majority of the House are fringers? You live on a strange planet.
I don't consider you a celebritiy; you're a luminary. :-)
Peach seems to have some insight into that question ...
To: CboldtThere was some previous dialoge, as well as one followup to that post. I'm curious too. I think having facts and citations for number of feeding tubes removed, the status (terminal, end stage, diasbled) of the patient before the tube was removed, etc. would be useful to inform a reasoned discussion.Are you still seriously questioning whether hundreds of people every single day have their feeding tubes disconnected?
413 posted on 03/23/2005 11:51:14 PM EST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1369260/posts?page=413#413
Ok, so the governor can suspend those who are NOT subject to impeachment... K
The....justices of the supreme court, judges of district courts of appeal, judges of circuit courts, and judges of county courts shall be liable to impeachment
Ok, so Greer is subject to impeachment, which means Jeb cannot suspend him - it's up to the people to demand impeachment thru the legislature, yes?
:0)
That's the way I see, too. I pray that we are right.
I can only imagine how much strength it must take to perserve in the face of such a tragedy.
You are so correct.
They're all hiding.
They scare me more than the evil that's done out in the open, because they're comfortable with it being done at all!!
They're blind, foolish, or think they're going to gain by Terri's death and the ramifications of what this all means.
ABSENCE OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVE
765.401 The proxy.
765.404 Persistent vegetative state.
765.401 The proxy.--
(1) If an incapacitated or developmentally disabled patient has not executed an advance directive, or designated a surrogate to execute an advance directive, or the designated or alternate surrogate is no longer available to make health care decisions, health care decisions may be made for the patient by any of the following individuals, in the following order of priority, if no individual in a prior class is reasonably available, willing, or competent to act:
(a) The judicially appointed guardian of the patient or the guardian advocate of the person having a developmental disability as defined in s. 393.063, who has been authorized to consent to medical treatment, if such guardian has previously been appointed; however, this paragraph shall not be construed to require such appointment before a treatment decision can be made under this subsection;
(b) The patient's spouse;
(c) An adult child of the patient, or if the patient has more than one adult child, a majority of the adult children who are reasonably available for consultation;
(d) A parent of the patient;
(e) The adult sibling of the patient or, if the patient has more than one sibling, a majority of the adult siblings who are reasonably available for consultation;
(f) An adult relative of the patient who has exhibited special care and concern for the patient and who has maintained regular contact with the patient and who is familiar with the patient's activities, health, and religious or moral beliefs; or
(g) A close friend of the patient.
(h) A clinical social worker licensed pursuant to chapter 491, or who is a graduate of a court-approved guardianship program. Such a proxy must be selected by the provider's bioethics committee and must not be employed by the provider. If the provider does not have a bioethics committee, then such a proxy may be chosen through an arrangement with the bioethics committee of another provider. The proxy will be notified that, upon request, the provider shall make available a second physician, not involved in the patient's care to assist the proxy in evaluating treatment. Decisions to withhold or withdraw life-prolonging procedures will be reviewed by the facility's bioethics committee. Documentation of efforts to locate proxies from prior classes must be recorded in the patient record.
(2) Any health care decision made under this part must be based on the proxy's informed consent and on the decision the proxy reasonably believes the patient would have made under the circumstances. If there is no indication of what the patient would have chosen, the proxy may consider the patient's best interest in deciding that proposed treatments are to be withheld or that treatments currently in effect are to be withdrawn.
(3) Before exercising the incapacitated patient's rights to select or decline health care, the proxy must comply with the provisions of ss. 765.205 and 765.305, except that a proxy's decision to withhold or withdraw life-prolonging procedures must be supported by clear and convincing evidence that the decision would have been the one the patient would have chosen had the patient been competent or, if there is no indication of what the patient would have chosen, that the decision is in the patient's best interest.
(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt the designation of persons who may consent to the medical care or treatment of minors established pursuant to s. 743.0645.
History.--s. 5, ch. 92-199; s. 12, ch. 94-183; s. 32, ch. 99-331; s. 15, ch. 2000-295; s. 7, ch. 2001-250; s. 136, ch. 2001-277; s. 13, ch. 2002-195; s. 5, ch. 2003-57.
Well, ordinarily, yes, because the other party can simply file for divorce. In this case,...
So your problem is with the law.
No, the legislature attempted to remedy that with a subsequent law. But, some laws are apparently better than others.
But when you blame the judges for not enforcing your moral opinion of what the law should be, but what it is, then you're mad.
It's not a moral opinion, it's the actual nature of marriage. Otherwise, it's redefining the institution.
Everyone on this forum wants to blame the judges. They too are dealt the hands they get.
So the law says that a probate judge can order the feeding tube pulled. Fine. What about the order that she cannot be fed by mouth?
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