Of course, people bitch about these legal reviews all the time. I suspect you’re one of them. And yet investigating still finds numerous people on death row who shouldn’t be there in the first place. There hasn’t been any dispute about this; the medical work hasn’t uncovered anything new and nothing has changed since day one: the woman is still a vegetable.
And of course, totally unlike your standard Death Row case, the government has stepped in to try and change the outcome numerous times. How would you like it if they did that in criminal cases?
No doubt. If it was, certain people would be thrilled shitless that another appeal was going to be had. Funny how that works, huh?
I’m not saying she should be kept alive forever and ever and ever. Nor am I saying that we should be starving the ‘plush toy’ or ‘muppet’ (or whatever charming word is being used to describe her.) I just don’t see anything inherently wrong with giving those who want to keep her alive another chance to prove their case.
Yes, it’s a funny difference between saving a conscious life when there’s room for doubt and prolonging one that barely exists when there isn’t. I guess these are subtleties for you.
How many more chances do they want, Brutus? What about you? Fifteen years of waiting and seven years of suits isn’t enough? What’s better, 20? 30? As long as they can file appeals? They’ve shown they’ll file appeals for anything they can think up regardless of irrelevance, and the judge in the case knows that too.
So, you’re saying Republicans cared more about this than Dems? Yeah, I know they spearheaded it and pushed for it, but they didn’t set the rules on whom could show up to vote or debate. With the typically rabid GOP bashing here, I didn’t expect THE MAJORITY of the Democrats to be so apathetic to not even fucking show up to vote on it.
I think your anger would be better directed towards a different party if you think the GOP is so ahem Eeeeevvviiiiillllll ahem
I so want to write this headline this morning: Man who has ordered more executions than any other president, won election because of family values coalition, says country needs to create “culture of life”, signs bill authorizing judge to skull-fuck family rights.
This is just pandering, and the great thing is that the more people hear about this case, the more they recognize it as Republicans pandering to the Christian right. I’ve read a bunch of polls this weekend, and the number of people who would pull Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube is going up.
The problem is, between this case and the hard-core pro-lifers who believe abortion should be illegal even when the woman’s life is in danger, I’m starting to feel like, when push comes to shove, what I want to do with my body is irrelevant. The government has the ultimate say over whether I live or die.
Terry Schiavo made her wishes clear to her husband and others. She can’t swallow on her own; placing actual food in her mouth would cause her to choke. Her cerebral cortex is gone. There is no life left to save, only parents who are unwilling to face reality and politicians who see a chance to play to the crowd. Someone who was once a woman who, presumably, laughed, loved, and wanted to be beautiful has become a mere political pawn in the hands of those who value power and control, and that includes her parents. She’s now no more than a puppet, destined to live or die at the state’s whim. I can’t think of a more nightmarish fate.
Dunno. At least one more, it appears. Of course, if she had a living will, this whole affair wouldn’t be an issue, but like too many young people, she didn’t. In the meanwhile, take a deep breath and relax. If she remain on a feeding tube for another year, I don’t see the tragedy. If she is as far gone as some claim, then no harm done. If not, then no harm done.
That’s just stupid. You know that Congress isn’t in session, right? That’s why most of the Democrats weren’t there. I wouldn’t be surprised if Republican leadership told the Reps and Senators “don’t leave town Friday.”
Still, duffer, there’s nothing wrong with being angry at the Republicans here. A Republican Florida Congress and a Republican Governor of Florida passed the unconstitutional ‘Terri’s Law,’ and a Republican Congress and President passed this law this evening, and it’s equally a law ‘for Terri’ and it’s equally unconstitutional, and you know that in a year or two, the courts will finish finding the same. Democrats have been cowed here, but at least they’re not actively trying to circumvent the court system and the Separation of Powers doctrine to please their religious freak constituency. But I’m plenty angry about it; there’s a different beating in store for cowards.
Good to know the dems brought out their “A” games for this vote. Too friggin’ scared to cross any type of voter so they tucked tail and headed home. The repubs voted for this. How many parties does Canada have again? Brutus, I understand your shruggery but the parents should not get another chance at the expense of the courts. They’ve failed to prove their case every step of the way and have been smacked out of the courts as a result. Congress, having heard about this from lobbyists and talk radio and knowing far less then the judges and doctors involved, decided to overrule a court ruling to give the parents one more chance.
If they fail this one, do you think congress or the parents will admit defeat?
Waste of time. This has been reviewed and re-reviewed ad nauseum by the Florida courts. Just because her parents don’t like the rulings doesn’t make their claims suddenly more valid.
I am quite frankly, horrified by this whole Congress. Talk about arrogance! “Oh, you Florida judges don’t know your ass from your elbow. Obviously, despite your intimate knowledge of the case, you aren’t ruling right. We better wade in and clean up your mess.”
I intend on expressing my feelings to my representatives.
You’re becoming a respected Dem in my ledger. It’s a very exclusive list and something to rejoice!
Anyway, the fact that, in your speculation, the GOP* LEADERSHIP * was able to keep members in town for a vote should also mean that the Dem’s “leaders” weren’t able to to do the same. Again, if this is the case, apathy is the only excuse.
Did you notice there were “Nay” votes from some GOP’s? If nothing else they were at least able to take time out of their precious time off to vote against it. Where the hell were the lazy, yet outraged, Dems?
Pit your party. You knew the GOP would do what you didn’t want, but the party you trust to thwart us didn’t even show up.
My question is, why can’t Congress work on Saturdays and Sundays to reform Social Security? Surely that has a broader impact than this particular case.
Nope. I doubt Barbara Streisand would be affected by missing a check or two. But every one of us US citizens (Hey! I’m remembering to clarify! Whee!) can be affected by what happens in, well probably not this case, but a case in the near future based on the decision of this case.
That’s the point of taking time on it. I thougt “pragmatism” was the order in deciding things.
Wasn’t there a call from Dems about being “pragmatic” about Lewinski/Clinton, Iraq I and II, the 2000 election? I could be wrong, and will likely be proven so. I just remember hearing that catchphrase uttered a few years back in an attempt to convince people to be patient and not form an early opinion.
this is another agenda altogether–if you want to pit the Dems, feel free…let’s stick to the matter at hand.
IMO, both sides deserve my righteous wrath–the GOP more so, because they show a pattern of pandering to the wackos that make up the conservative “Christian” right. They stirred this shit soup for no real good and this woman and her husband must be in hell. This just plain BAD legislation, BAD governance, BAD fill in the blank. It is especially disgusting coming from the party that brays “freedom” and “smaller gment” and “keep Washington in Washington” etc.
But whoever here said it, said it best: the Reps put party before nation every single time.
Now, as to the Dems who were spineless enough to go along with this nonsense—they will hear from me. I do not take this matter lightly, but having the Dems that voted yea diminished in my eyes does NOT consequently raise the Reps in stature.
The most distressing thing for me (and the one that is the most far reaching) is that spin and propaganda brought this vote about. It has NOTHING to do with facts or established law.
How safe are any of our rights now?
Question: where do I go online to see how my Senators etc voted on this?
