Take a Look in the Mirror (The pols confused law with theology )

Newsweek ^ | April 4, 2005 | Jonathan Alter

[repinwi]

Take a Look in the Mirror

The pols confused law with theology and allowed tabloidism to trump privacy.

When he was governor of Texas, George W. Bush presided over 152 executions, more than took place in the rest of the country combined. In at least a few of these cases, reasonable doubts about the guilt of the condemned were raised. But Bush cut his personal review time for each case from a half hour to a mere 15 minutes (most other governors spend many hours reviewing each capital case to assure themselves that there's no doubt of guilt). His explanation was that he trusted the courts to sort through the life-and-death complexities. That's right: the courts.

I bring up that story because it's just one of several ironies that have arisen in connection with the Terri Schiavo saga, in which the president said that the government "ought to err on the side of life." Fine, but whose life? The inmate who might not be guilty? The poor people across the country denied organ transplants (and thus life) because Medicaid—increasingly under the Bush budget knife—won't cover them? The poor people across the world starving to death because we won't go along with Tony Blair when it comes to addressing global poverty?....

[VOYAGER]

But Bush cut his personal review time for each case from a half hour to a mere 15 minutes (most other governors spend many hours reviewing each capital case to assure themselves that there's no doubt of guilt). His explanation...

This is hogwash and is nothing more complicated than another agenda of "get Bush at any cost"!

[alloysteel]

If there is "reasonable doubt" about the soundness of the verdict, send the case back to the courts for review. The only reason for the case to be appealed to the governor is for "clemency" or "pardon", which are both acts of mercy, and have nothing whatsoever to do with the administration of justice.

[Maria S]

"Should Terri Schiavo have the right to die?"

What kind of question is that? We ALL have the “right” to die….or at least I thought so. An amazing 80-something percent answered yes, and I guess we’re to assume that means 80-something percent of those polled thought Terri was rightfully being starved. The question was either poorly framed…or maybe it WAS framed exactly as Newsweek intended.

How many of those polled actually thought through this question at all, I wonder?

[patj]

At least these people got a jury trial.

[Anti-Bubba182]

The Racial McCarthyism of Jonathan Alter

[sure_fine]

But Bush cut his personal review time for each case from a half hour to a mere 15 minutes (most other governors spend many hours reviewing each capital case to assure themselves that there's no doubt of guilt).

and the problem would be????

note my tag line

[repinwi]

I think this whole article stinks! But I had to post it as it was sent to me for my reaction. I just thought I'd pass on the fun. LOL

The article states "Or how about Sun Hudson? On March 14, Sun, a 6-month-old baby with a fatal form of dwarfism, was allowed to die in a Texas hospital over his mother Wanda's objection."

The key word is "fatal."

The baby was going to die a terrible death anyways and the hospital called over 40 other hospitals to see if they would take him. None would.

[stopem]

His explanation was that he trusted the courts to sort through the life-and-death complexities. That's right: the courts.

Does President Bush still "trust the courts"?

[AmericanChef]

Savvy criminals have a saying: Don't get caught in Texas. What does that tell you?

[Hardastarboard]

The poor people across the country denied organ transplants (and thus life) because Medicaid—increasingly under the Bush budget knife—won't cover them?

Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan. Give up this Democrat talking point. You guys are getting NO traction with trying to equate "short" funding of Medicaid with allowing Terri Schiavo to starve. Even a blind man can see through that one.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Violent criminals in Texas are convicted by JURORS.....not pro-euthanasia prosecutors and a single judge in a backwater courthouse who refuse to allow defense evidence into the procedure.

Jonathon Alter is a political hack, nothing more.

[JoJo Gunn]

I will not give the bedwetters one nanosecond to speak. Murderers and baby rapers get three squares a day at our expense, instead of being left to die a "natural and peaceful and serene" death without food or water.

I've had enough of being "humane".

[sockmonkey]

Unless the law has changed in TX, the governor can grant only one thirty day stay of execution. No pardon, No clemency.

[repinwi]

That would be interesting to find out. No Pardon? No Clemency? I will have to take a look into that. Interesting, Thanks!

[DCPatriot]

The baby was going to die a terrible death anyways and the hospital called over 40 other hospitals to see if they would take him. None would.

The fact that the mother had no insurance coverage might have had something to do with it.

Be very careful. Socialized medicine is trying to rear it's ugly head again. Hillary will grab on to the issue again for her 06 and 08 runs.

She will use our penchant for tabloid journalism (Simpson, Peterson, Blake, Schiavo) against us.

Who wants to bet there will be more Terri Schiavo sagas in time for the 2008 Prez campaign?

I'm afraid the GOP majority better sit on Frisk and DeLay if they want to stay in that position.

[chainsaw]

This is hogwash and is nothing more complicated than another agenda of "get Bush at any cost"!

Right on. Each case was prosecuted and was judged to be guilty by a jury of his/her peers. I'm sure each case took more than 15 minutes to prosecute, and was reviewed many times by appeals courts. These liberal socialist never give up do they.

[repinwi]

I'm not quite sure if that was the reason the baby was allowed to die, although I agree the mother probably didn't have insurance. There were quite a few factors involving the decision. I found this article very informative and helped me understand the situation. GW did sign a law which passed in 1999 which allowed hospitals to take action without ever having to go to court. Different circumstances than the Schiavo case.

The author of the Newsweek article is clumping several negatives to try and make a point. I think he failed miserably looking into each of the subjects he uses and it's reasoning. Each one can be debunked and given a greater understanding if people took the time to inform themselves rather than jump on the bandwagon. I agree with you, Hillary will use every issue she can to appeal to the masses.

[rdb3]

His explanation was that he trusted the courts to sort through the life-and-death complexities. That's right: the courts.

Under Texas State law, the then Governor Bush had no choice.

Unlike some States with the death penalty where the power of clemency lies with the governor, Texas has a Board of Pardons and Paroles that, according to the Constitution of the State of Texas, trumps gubernatorial powers in these cases.

[Gunrunner2]

"But Bush cut his personal review time for each case from a half hour to a mere 15 minutes. . "

And their source for this is. . . . .?


Anyway, the Texas Governor does not have the power to grant a stay, all he can do is request one 30-day stay. That's it. Nothing more.

There is no last-second-call-from-the-governor stuff in Texas.