JEB BUSH - Republican Dark Horse - He's More Pro-Life Than Dr. Ron Paul

People seem to have forgotten the courage of Governor Jeb Bush of Florida back in 2005, during one of the most dramatic Pro-Life controversies America has ever seen.

We have all watched Dr. Ron Paul's TV ads showing him as being pro-life and caring about babies.

But during the televised Florida Debate, Dr. Paul was asked about the famous Terri Schiavo case, and he said that if Terri had had a "living will," there would have been no issues.

Dr. Paul made a complete misstatement of fact. This is not surprising, because it was Jeb Bush, and not Dr. Ron Paul, who fought to try to save this woman's life.

The reality is that every American who was pro-life knew about this case and had to make a personal stand, one way or another, with people in their own families, churches, and communities.

Terri's parents, the Schindlers, fought for seven long years to keep her alive, 1998-2005. Terri had had a mysterious fall in her own home, resulting in cardiac arrent, in 1990. So we're talking about 15 years when Terri Schiavo hovered between life and death.

For those who insist that Congressman Dr. Ron Paul would have had nothing to do with a case in Florida, wow you have had a lobotomy lately, or you were still in grammar school in 2005. Which is it?

Even President George W. Bush got personally involved in this case, returning to Washington, D.C. to sign legislation designed to keep Terri alive.

Governor Jeb Bush of Florida came up to the plate also, as described below. Nevertheless, the federal court system upheld the original decision to remove the feeding tube, which had been first removed on April 24, 2001. Finally, it was disconnected for the last time on March 31, 2005.

Terri Schiavo was born on December 3, 1963. So at the time of her mysterious fall, she was only 27 years old. A court-appointed guardian, Richard Pearse, determined that Terry's husband Michael may have decided to file a petition to have her feeding tube removedin 1998, because of the potential that he would inherit what remained of her estate if she died. He also fathered a child with another woman.

There was no living will, which would definitely have made it easier for Michael Schiavo to claim that Terri should have been 'put to sleep' right away. Mr. Pearse also expressed questions regarding Michael's credibility.

Without a living will, a trial was held to determine what Terri's wishes would have been regarding life-prolonging procedures. The parents proved that Terri was a devout Roman Catholic who would not want to violate the Church's teachings on euthanasia by refusing nutrition and hydration. But the judge still ruled against them.

Two medical experts called by Terri's parents to testify, Drs. Maxfield and Hamnesfahr, maintained that Terri was in a minimally conscious state, and there were six video clips of Terri interacting with people which the parents claimed showed reactions and emotions on the part of their daughter -- signs that parents would recognize more readily than strangers.

Nurse Carla Sauer Iyer asserted that she was able to feed Terri orally, but that Michael Schiabo ordered her not to do so, characterizing her actions as unauthorized "therapy."

She also quoted Michael as saying: "What is that bitch gonna die?"

Bringing all this close to home today, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida also got involved in the case. And he is being discussed as the Republican nominee for President, if there is a stalemate at the Convention.

Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature passed "Terri's Law," giving Governor Jeb Bush the authority to intervene in the case. He did so, and ordered the feeding tube to be re-inserted. He also sent Florida law enforcement officers to remove Schiavo from the hospice, to go to a rehabilitation center in Clearwater, Florida.

Michael Schiavo opposed Governor Bush's intervention, and the ACLU came on board with Michael Schiavo.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled "Terri's Law" was unconstitutional in Florida. The parents had 33 affidavits from doctors in several specialties, speech-language pathologists and therapists, and also neuropsychologists, all urging new tests be undertaken to determine whether a swallowing therapy called "VitalStim" should be commenced for their daughter.

However, Judge Greer, who had ruled against the parents time after time, in spite of their winning subsequent appeals, had refused to recuse himself, and he then denied all their new motions.

At the United States Congress, Republicans subpoenaed both Michael and Terri Schiavo to testify.

Where was Dr. Ron Paul then?

On March 20, 2005, urged by President George W. Bush, The U.S. Senate, by unanimous consent, passed their version of a relief bill. The House followed by passing bill S.686, which came to be called the "Palm Sunday Compromise," which transferred jurisdiction to the federal courts and away from Judge Greer in Florida.

President George W. Bush interrupted his vacation and flew to Washington to sign the bill into law on Marcy 21st.

Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant certioari, effectively ending the parents' judicial options. Their case was moot by March 24th, when a potentially armed confrontation between the State of Florida and the U.S. government was avoided.

Terri died on March 31, approximately one week after the removal of the feeding tube.

A very detailed autopsy followed, which confirmed extensive brain damage, characteristic of a persistent vegetative state (PVS).

However, there was no evidence of heart disease which could have caused cardiac arrest at the time of Terri's "fall." Furthermore, there was no physical evidence of prior bulimia, which Michael Schiavo had claimed was a eating disorder Terri had suffered from, characterized by binge eating and purging. This disorder is common among women with low self-esteem who fear their weight makes them unattractive sex partners for their husbands.

Terri's brother Bobby Schindler, Jr., stated in an interview after the autopsy: "The fact that the medical examiner ruled out bulimia and ruled out a heart attack, without a doubt, adds more questions."

At the time of the autopsy, examination of Terri's neck structures could not determine if she had been strangled 15 years earlier.

Officially, the autopsy report stated "The manner of death will therefore be certified as undetermined."

With Governor Jeb Bush being discussed as a possible new frontrunner, the Terry Schiavo case is going to come back to haunt many people.

Back in 2005, the Republican Party leaders staked their political lives on a feeding tube.

This was a chapter in American politics that should never be forgotten.