Dear friends:

Jeb Bush is a fine man, and a man of integrity.  I really like him.  He has been a good governor.

However, in the case of Terri Schiavo, he has not risen to the occasion of a strong historic leader and has been found wanting.

A strong leader in his position would have overruled the tinhorn state district judge in Florida by his executive power and taken Terri Schiavo into protective custody, not only to protect her Constitutional right to life, but so that alleged abuse against her could be investigated.  He would have challenged the authority of Judge Greer, as President Andrew (Old Hickory) Jackson once challenged the Supreme Court, saying, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it."   In this case, Jackson's cause was not right, but Jeb Bush's would be.

Enforcement powers belong to the executive branch.

A courageous governor, acting on principal, would have dared said to the judge, "You can take your decision and shove it.  I'm coming in after her.  Get out of my way."

So there would be a Constitutional crisis, which Jeb Bush wants to avoid.  So what?  Strong leaders do what is right and let the chips fall where they may.  The Republic would have survived.  And in view of what has happened with our judicial system, it will take a Constitutional crisis to restore needed balance to government.

The Federal Congress is also at fault.  With cowardice they failed to enforce their subpoena of Terri last week and allowed this judge to bluff them.  It was a good and well-intentioned plan, but they did not have the courage to back it up.

Where are men of real courage today, courage like our ancestors.  In Terri's case, they didn't show up, except for a handful of principled people at her bedside, such as Randall Terry and Reverend Patrick Mahoney.  God bless them both.  (He will.)

Jim