TERRI SCHIAVO PLUS TEN

3/21/2015 | Self

[Nextrush]

It was in the early morning hours of Monday March 21st, 2005 that a Republican controlled Congress wrapped up a weekend series of sessions to pass legislation related to Terri Schiavo's case to allow federal courts to consider her right of due process.

Final Senate passage of House Bill 203 came at 12:41 am and shortly thereafter President George W. Bush stepped out of his bedroom at the White House to sign the bill in a hallway.

There was hope and fear surrounding the legislation. Hope from lawyers trying to save Terri's life and fear from Michael Schiavo.

An emotional Michael Schiavo would face reporters flanked by his lawyer George Felos in the aftermath of the bill's passage saying: 'where are the Democrats'.

The Democrats had offered only token resistance, perhaps because the Republican bill was also a token. The legislation would end up doing nothing with efforts in federal courts to save her life hitting a brick wall.

After Terri died, the Democrats would release a Republican memo urging GOP members to pass the bill so they would look good with grassroots voters.

The Pro-Life issue as Dr. Francis Schaeffer pointed out to people like me who listened to him in the 1980's was about more than abortion, it was also about infanticide and euthanasia.

But to the inside the beltway crowd including the National Right To Life Committee and the Republican Party leaders, it was always about abortion.

It was about some aspect of abortion that would be dramatized into status as something vitally important like abortions at military bases, aid to pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood, minors being taken across state lines for abortions, Partial Birth Abortion and so on.

The purpose of these "emotional wedge issues" was to help raise support for NRL and promote established politicians in each election cycle, mostly Republicans who voted for this legislation.

When Terri Schiavo's fight for life became a national issue, the Republican political machine was forced to act.

Just like the emotional legislation being promoted on abortion didn't stop millions from dying, the emotionally charged legislation passed by Congress while Terri Schiavo was being starved to death would do nothing to save her life.

More was required of Republican leaders than their usual symbolic political posturing. I found this situation to be both eye opening and deeply disappointing.

[demshateGod]

I remember. I too learned a lot about Republicans back then. I thought, “someone just order someone to stop them from murdering her!” No one did. Jeb even took her into state custody: purely symbolic. One judge ordered her death, now she's dead. God remembers too.

[grania]

We can NEVER forget that when Jeb was faced with a life and death decision that involved some risk on his part, he chose death for Teri.

Voting for a moral coward is not an option.

[pke]

I will never forget how Terri’s brother said that until he became involved in an effort to save his sister’s life he had never realized how large and powerful the Culture of Death was in our Nation.

[MichaelCorleone]

Not giving Jeb a pass, but most reprehensible is Michael Schiavo. How callous and utterly selfish.

He is a two-timing, no good lying coward. Hopefully justice will be served, both in this life and in the next.

[BykrBayb]

I often wonder how Jody is doing these days. Abusive spouses don’t magically become docile. Especially after they’ve already gotten away with murdering their former spouse.

Since Jody’s mother died under mysterious circumstances in Michael’s house, Jody may feel she has nowhere to turn.

And since she laid down in the murdered woman’s marriage bed, and tacitly supported the murder, she may feel she’s just getting what’s coming to her.

It can be very difficult to leave an abusive relationship, especially when children are involved, but she should consider how the abuse is affecting her children.

[Nextrush]

Jeb had a responsibility to do something, twist the legislature’s arms to get another bill, take some extraordinary executive action, whatever.

I don’t want to be angry with Jeb Bush, but his performance in this situation is just another minus on his resume regarding his readiness to be POTUS.

[trisham]

Agreed.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

It was his chance to rocket to the top. This is why I would never vote for Jeb Bush. Not even against Hillary or Elizabeth Warren. Jeb can put his RINO lips to my ass.