Blogs for Terri has been in the forefront of the effort to save Terri Schiavo’s life. But what they advocate here is just plain wrong:
This ad hoc partnership of religious and political organizations—which will gather in front of the White House and the Florida governor’s mansion—will call on President George W. Bush and Gov. Jeb Bush to use their executive powers to protect Terri Schiavo from starvation.“There are two people in the United States who can save Terri Schiavo’s life right now. The president of the United States and the governor of Florida have the authority to use the police services at their disposal to take Terri into protective custody, restore her food and hydration, and arrest anyone who would interfere,” said Dr. Paul Schenck, executive director of the National Pro-Life Action Center on Capitol Hill. “For the sake of Terri’s life, we cannot afford to wait while the courts dither over jurisdiction.” Details of D.C. Press Conference
I’m sorry to say it, but this just goes too far.
Do we turn the United States Constitution completely on its head to save one person’s life? Do we set what are demonstrably dangerous precedents to try and overturn another dangerous precedent?
There are better, more effective ways to fight Terri’s fight. Sadly, since it now appears that the opening battle of this fight has been lost and Terri will soon be free from pain, her memory will animate many of us to continue advocating for those who for whatever reason are unable to speak for themselves.
This is not the place or time to ask the President to use the federal government’s “police services” to effect a result, no matter how desirable.
Not all people who will hold the office of President will be as honorable as George Bush. And any use of the extraordinary powers available to him would set an example that could, in the future, make us rue the day that the President acted in such a high handed and anti-constitutional manner.
We can’t let our emotions override our judgment. Save Terri? Yes. Do everything within the law to accomplish that? Yes.
Run roughshod over the constitution to achieve the desirable outcome we all hope and pray for? Absolutely not.
And somehow, in the abstract, I think Terri would probably agree.
4:10 pm
Actually the courts HAVE no enforcement powers. If the appropriate executives choose to ignore them, that is their prerogative. Of course the Execs depend on the legislatures to PAY for those police, so the Legislature has it’s own checks.
The courts are supposed to be powerless. The problem is that has been ignored for so long the courts actually think they have powers, and have been treated accordingly.
‘Bout time to put the black robes down.
[I arrived via Ace]
4:23 pm
Jamie: Your passion is admirable if a little misplaced. If the constitution had been followed in the first place, we wouldn’t be talking about this case. But not opposing a President using extra-constitutional powers to effect a desired result has nightmare implications for the future.
Mr. Devore:You’re absolutely correct. It’s the President’s job to enforce judicial decisions, he being the chief executive. And it was Lincoln who, when the Supreme Court ruled some of his wartime measures unconstitutional, simply ignored the decision and kept on with what he was doing.
But this would be a different matter. A potential clash between state and federal authority (guess who’d win THAT one) not to mention as I said above, horrible precedents being set.
5:15 pm
Right Wing Nut House wonders if some of Terri’s advocates have gone a little too far with things:From the 11th Hour Coalition:This ad hoc partnership of religious and political organizations—which will gather in front of the White House and the
5:56 pm
I guess I need to agree with you Superhawk, as passionate as I am about Terri’s being denied her rights and that Michael Schiavo and his lackeys stink to high Heaven in all of this. The bottom line MUST be the Constitution.
So, Terri becomes a martyr for (a) advocates of living wills; and (b) the redoubled effort to fight the Left and it’s abhorrent moral relativism/culture of death agenda. (c) Indeed perhaps Justice shall be served if some cruel truth comes out regarding Michael Schiavo’s intentions.
Last: Raven’s blog And Rightly So! has an NRO article link and highlights that we all should read, if you have any doubt that there is a “reasonable doubt” regarding the medical issues involved.
7:47 am
Breakfast: 3/24/2005
Try one of these specials with your breakfast: Confederate Yankee knows what’s missing in Terri’s case. DevilDog6771 offers his take. Red State Rant says nothing was learned from the last fake memos. Right Wing Nut House says you can go
12:08 pm
I wholeheartedly agree with you on this.
I broke down this morning while getting dressed after hearing that the SCOTUS rejected the parent’s plea. I have felt especially touched by this case because I have been in their shoes. My son had meningitis when he was nearly a year old and we were told that he was going to die. Well, he will be turning 17 in May, so I am not so trusting of medical opinions. I know they can be wrong, as they were in my son’s case.
However, we cannot even think of asking the President or the Governor to intervene in this manner. The reason that the U.S. IS the U.S. is because of our Constitution. Otherwise, we are simply a piece of land. They both took an oath of office to uphold the Constitution and to ask them in any way to overthrow it is wrong.
1:06 pm
If Terri Schiavo is dying for the Constitution, she won’t be the first. If I had to die for something, the Constitution would be my first choice. A tough call but a good one by Superhawk.
4:22 pm
Meanwhile, the Leftie Death Eaters are cheering in the streets and on their blogs because they are winning and Bush and the Red State morons are losing this one.
S’okay, boys ‘n girls, just yuck it up…
10:19 am
Taking yesterday off has giving me a little time to back up and take stock of things, to take a deep breath and pull together some piece all in one post and see if I can come to a