Posted on 03/24/2005 6:51:21 PM PST by FairOpinion
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - It's not often Gov. Jeb Bush is frustrated pursuing his goals. He was the first governor to start a statewide school voucher program. He got rid of civil service protections for tens of thousands of state workers. He pushed through billions of dollars in tax cuts. His goal of prolonging the life of Terri Schiavo is proving much harder.
"It is frustrating for people to think that I have power that I don't, and not be able to act," Bush told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I don't have embedded special powers. I wish I did in this particular case."
Bush canceled travel plans Thursday to monitor the case of Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman who has gone without food and water since a judge ordered her feeding tube removed March 18.
He was in constant contact with his legal office, ordered staffers to e-mail and call him with developments and demanded state laws be scoured for a way to reconnect Schiavo's feeding tube.
At his office, Bush waved an affidavit from neurologist William Cheshire that questions whether Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state. The emotion in his voice rose as he detailed how the affidavit stated Schiavo made a crying sound, grimaced and pressed her eyebrows together when a doctor said he was going to turn her over.
She "signals her anticipation of pain. Just like you would, or just like I would. Now is it perfect? Is she responding with the same eloquence that you would respond to? ... No. She's severely, profoundly disabled," Bush said.
The governor's court record is mixed. He succeeded in removing affirmative action guarantees from state hiring and university admission practices, but a law requiring doctors to notify parents if they perform an abortion on minor girls was thrown out.
Still, he's been persistent. After a court threw out a law requiring tougher sentences for three-time felons, the governor went back to the Legislature and fixed the problem. Currently, he and lawmakers are working on a plan to require parents be notified before their minor daughters get abortions.
In the Schiavo case, he's running out of legal avenues — but not hope.
"You know what I hope for first and foremost? That Mr. Schiavo would say, 'I'm going to let Terri be with her parents. I'm going to move on with my life. I've made my point,'" Bush said, referring to Schiavo's husband, Michael, who insists she would not want to be kept alive artificially. "That obviously doesn't appear to be happening."
"So secondly I pray for an openness by the people who are responsible for making these decisions so we can act and allow for her to stabilize."
He says the courts appear to have turned a deaf ear to his arguments.
"For this lockdown to occur without having the ability to have an open mind, and say, 'Well, maybe there are new facts on the table, maybe there are new technologies, maybe, just maybe, we should be cautious about this' ... is very troubling," Bush said.
In 2003, when the Legislature passed a law allowing Bush to order the feeding tube reinserted after it had been removed, critics accused him of political grandstanding as his brother, President Bush (news - web sites), sought re-election.
Justin Sayfie, Bush's former communications director, said they were wrong: "He's term-limited out. His brother is term-limited out."
"Most strategists or political operatives would say 'Don't touch this,'" said GOP political strategist Geoffrey Becker, noting polls show most people don't believe government should be involved in the case. "I firmly believe that this is his personal conviction, that he believes this is the right thing to do."
Jim Robinson used his executive powers on FR to bounce a few so-called FReepers out the door regarding their Bush-bashing surrounding the topic of immigration. If you want to spout about our President and Governor Bush, please go join DU. We are here to lift them up. I trust them, as do most members here. These are praying men who are caring individuals. They have canceled appointments and vacations to pour through the laws with their teams of advisors. I'm so tired of all the negativity.
>> When I want COURAGE, I'll find a BUSH brother
When you want courage, you had best look somewhere else.
Yeah, the President showed no courage when he invaded Iraq right? He didn't have to do it you know. He could have cruised to reelection. But no, he risked his entire president and reelection and did it anyway. He and Jeb are both men of courage and conviction and I truly hope someday down the road, although not 2008 because its not politically feasible, that Jeb runs for and wins the presidency.
Yea, I guess it is our short comings. :rolleyes:
I wonder if Jeb is doing all he can, what did George Washington and others who ignored the royal decrees do? Alot more than they could?
The fact is that by bowing to this monarchy, we are denying our own nation's proud history of standing up for rights.
Was John Brown wrong? He was executed, but in eternity's eyes and history's eye he was vindicated.
John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
CHORUS:
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His soul goes marching on.
He captured Harper's Ferry with his nineteen men so true;
He frightened old Virginia 'til she trembled through and through.
They hanged him for a traitor, themselves the traitor's crew,
His soul goes marching on.
The stars above in Heaven are a-lookin' kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven are a-lookin' kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven are a-lookin' kindly down,
On the grave of old John Brown.
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
History and Eternity are both going to condemn Jeb if he doesn't act. I do understand that either way he is never going to get the Presidency, but his best hope to ever get that is to stand up to the judges. If he doesn't he will never have a base, if he does those who weren't going to vote for him still won't. He'll just have a bit better chance.
These are the times the try men's souls. It isn't that it is an easy decision, but history never immortalizes or vindicates the easy decision.
Smoke and mirrors. Smoke and mirrors.....and more smoke and mirrors!!!
TomasUSMC, good to read your words again. I believe we were in some verbal exchanges back in the last election over I don't even know what any more. I hope you're fine.
Gov Bush isn't doing squat. He has had 15 YEARS! to prepare for this situation and he blew it. He is AFRAID. Afraid of a contempt order from some two bit judge, but not caring about contempt from a higher authority.
Jeb Bush hasn't been Governor for 15 years you idiot!!
Of course, the problem with your response is that there presently ARE NO "checks and balances" as Jeb Bush makes abundantly clear by bowing down before his masters, the judges. A governor with guts would tell them to go pound sand in a case where an innocent person's life is at stake.
But if you want to indict yourself, feel free..........
I told the young woman I'd heard the governor at a press conference say he could do no more.
She said he was correcting a misunderstanding by saying the DCF petitioned to go in. She said "Judge Greer rolled out of bed and put up a block--"
I said "because Felos told him to--"
She said "It's more complicated--"
I said "Felos is the most powerful man in Florida--not Jeb--"
She said "we've had thousands of calls, we're doing everything we can--"
I said "He's not going in, Terri will die and we are not amused. I am sorry for taking up your time."
Now, we have a county probate judge who has defied the President of the United States, defied the House and Senate, defied the Governor of Florida, defied the Department of Children and Families, defied the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Ten Commandments.
But, hey, Jeb tried, and that's what counts.
Who needs a Creator endowing unalienable rights including life--we've got Oprah's Doctor Phil.
And when did he fail to do that, genius?
I suspect so, with a few armchair Freepers thrown in the mix.
Yeah? Well, I'm frustrated with Big Stupid Government every damn day, ya freakin' politician.
You didn't get to do any damn thing you wanted to do for once - you didn't get to be The Ruler.
Deal with it.
Yep. That's where I sat up and spat up.
I have this mental image of them all.........fat, bald, cigarette hanging out of their mouths, beer belly hanging out under a dirty wife beater undershirt, black curly hair all over their backs.................brave men, all. FULL of courage!
You think I'm close? ;o)
>> Please let all of us here at FR know what YOU have done to allieviate the thirst of TERRI.
I assume you mean, what would I have done to alleviate the thirst of Terri if I was the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the state of Florida (e.g., the governor), or the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the United States (e.g., the president). If not, you are wasting my bandwidth.
...our system of checks and balances and seperation of powers would crumble
Of course, the problem with your response is that there presently ARE NO "checks and balances" as Jeb Bush makes abundantly clear by bowing down before his masters, the judges. A governor with guts would tell them to go pound sand in a case where an innocent person's life is at stake.
You're idea of checks and balances is when chief executives are absolute dictators.
I think you are discounting the hoards of evil, who are just waiting to pounce on Jeb and George Bush.
I could easily imagine, if Jeb or W would send in the troops to protect Terri, some judge would issue an arrest warrant, accusing them of being dictatorial and ignoring "the rule of law" -- or did you forget Janet Reno with her declarations of "the rule of law" while she has her stormtroopers kidnap Elian. They get away with it, thought he shouldn't, but conservatives don't get away with spitting on the sidewalk.
Just think what real crisis it would create, if Jeb and W would be thrown in jail on order of some rogue judges -- and it seems to me, that is more the norm, than the exception.
You need to think things through.
Tomas thinks Jeb has been Governor for 15 years, Solomon. I don't think he's a very reliable source of information for you........
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