Schiavo circus hurt the GOP [Anybody got another opinion?]

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | April 1, 2005 | by Ruben Navarrette Jr.

[johnny7]

San Diego -- NOW THAT Terri Schiavo has died, many of the questions the country has been wrestling with are moot.

It no longer matters which doctor had the right diagnosis, or whether Schiavo's husband or parents had her best interests at heart, or whether the federal government should have been involved, or whether this was a case that was best handled by doctors and family members as opposed to politicians and judges.

[Just mythoughts]

"There was no "upholding the constitution" except by the judiciary which is being attacked vehemently for it."

NOT from where I stand. The judiciary has usurped authority not given it by the constitution. Congress created these nobles and they have constitutional authority to take what they gave.

[dg62]

Sorry, but I don't think this is the kind of issue that will revile a generation of voters.

[justshutupandtakeit]

No we didn't hear any thing like this wrt elian. Nor was the GOP response to that hysterically absurd as in this one.

[AgThorn]

I expect this goes over well in Coastal California--where, as we know, GOP voters abound.

We may not be plentiful but we are keeping this state from going totally communist! ;-) ..... so far!! ;-) Don't be be-littlin' our minority!

[stevem]

I don't think it had much affect. To the extent it had any affect, I suspect most people understand that it's liberals and Democrats in the US that make up the cult of death.

[lionheart 247365]

This will only hurt the GOP if they don't follow up with solving problems that created it. If it becomes a "moot" issue to the GOP it will hurt when the Dems use it in 2008 against them..

[TXBubba]

I don't think it hurt the GOP. But Jeb, with his press conference and following inaction hurt himself. I don't think W as hurt.

[woofie]

Schiavo circus hurt the circus

[TexasTaysor]

might have hurt Jeb Bush
From what I've been reading about all this, Jeb's hands really were tied on this and he did all he could legally do, from what it looks like. Fl. passed a law specifically for this case. If Jeb would speak out publicly and tell the world but especially Florida residents, he would score big points and maybe get some changes made. I just don't understand why leaders don't tell the public the whole truth about things like this. They aren't helping the public or themselves.

[veronica]

It's never wrong to do the right thing. I don't think this will hurt the GOP at all.

[FreedomSurge]

"There was no "upholding the constitution" except by the judiciary which is being attacked vehemently for it."

Agreed. Like you say judges are infallible. However, don't you think it would be better for them to issue fatwas rather than opinions?

[zook]

The real story is how the media and some Democrats will *use* the Schiavo cast to try to hurt the GOP.

[tessalu]

The USA press totally misrepresented the Schiavo story to the public. The public was not made aware that Michael had a mistress for many years and two illegitimate children by her. He had a conflict of interest in wanting Terri dead, so Terri was not allowed to have anyone to defend her cause, when the judge refused to allow her parents to help her. The judge allowed the adultereous "husband" to kill her legally. Michael wanted Terri to be dehydrated and starved to death, which is even illegal to do to dogs and cats. And Michael did get his wish, and Terri is dead.

This is how the press got their polls slanted in favor of death for Terri Schiavo. I think that even the newspapers
should be prosecuted for this. It has been a crime against humanity.

[AgThorn]

fixin' broken tagline ...

[justshutupandtakeit]

There was NO "usurpation" in this case though you people tried to get it. Congress's action was foolish but constitutional.

Forget where you stand there is nothing to support your view.

[dg62]

See todays Wall Street Journal editorial page. There is an article called "Who Will Remember Terri?".

If anything, the GOP has hurt the Dems even more.

[dfwgator]

No we didn't hear any thing like this wrt elian. Nor was the GOP response to that hysterically absurd as in this one.

Of course we did. "How can government get in between a father and his son?" "Those Republicans are playing politics to get the Cuban vote...yadda yadda yadda." Same song, different verse.

[Noachian]

The GOP wasn't hurt at all. The biggest loser in the Terri Schiavo case was the American court system.

By chanting the "rule of law", and "separation of powers" mantra, while starving a woman to death, the courts have shown their dark political side to the American public.

The intent of the Founding Fathers was never to have a single man, let alone a judge, thumb his nose at the Congress and the President with impunity. Yet, this is what happened. This is what the people have seen.

Whether anything will come from the Terri Schiavo case that will rein in the Judiciary is as yet uncertain, but the Terri Schiavo case isn't over yet.

[COEXERJ145]

Agreed. The circus hurt the GOP and made them look like out of touch extremists.

When you have people who claim to be Republicans and conservatives standing up and screaming "Bush is a Nazi" "Bush is Hitler" "Bush is a murderer" "Bush is an executioner" then it will makes all of us look like extremists. Sadly there were many on FR who said the exact same things.

[Primetimedonna]

Somewhat off subject, but does anyone have a fairly clear, concise article explaining why the Congress was NOT out of line in visiting this issue. I literally had a liberal screaming at me last night about how inappropriate it was. Not an intelligent argument, mostly he yelled lots of "separation of powers", but I'd really like to find something to explain that there are two sides without getting into a screaming match. Perferably something he can read!!

thanks