NEW NEWS: DEMS blocking the SCHIAVO BILL: CNN just reported.

[capi888]

Several Dems are blocking the Bill....CNN just reported...NOW!
Woo HOO, they are not going to be able to vote on the Schiavo Bill....Dems are getting in the way to pass this legislation....Rules are blocking the ability of house Repugs to bring this up because it has become clear to all of them that there will be an objection perhaps several objections,from Dems to bring this bill at this time. Which means the House of Rep, will have to stand down, until Monday....and they are trying to get a vote at 12:01 a.m. the House of Rep have to reconvene to pass this bill, they must get 218 reps to constitute a quorum and also will require 2/3 people present to pass the bill...the house is out on recess and they have required them, where ever they are world wide, to come by bus, car, plane, any way to get to DC...to pass this bill.....OMG..


United We Stand, Devided we Fall!

[Leilani]

1. I heard Robert Wexler D-Fla

is one of those objecting.

[maddezmom]

2. CSPAN to hold a news conf with FL reps Wasserman-Shcultz & Davis

starting shortly

[wryter2000]

3. Good for the Dems

This is 100% the right thing to do. Of course, it's going to give the other side plenty to holler about, but we still have to do the right thing.

A conservative I know (and he's a good guy, voted for Kerry) was saying on Friday that CNN was reporting that Terri S. was conscious and interacted with others. No wonder folks like him are confused.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

8. I was ashamed to be a lawyer,

on Friday, when the woman who is the Schindler's attorney said, to a crowd in front of the nursing home, that "Terri said to me 'I want to live,' and I told her it was all right, that we'd protect her. The guard out in the hall heard her."

Flaming morons like that make me want to burn my law license. What a shameful, lying piece of crap she is.

Shameful and shameless.

Our Democrats have waited until the last minute, stepping in as the heroes we all want them to be. Making any noise before now would have simply fed into a bitch-slap-fest.

Maybe our cavalry really is riding into town on this one, and maybe it'll spur our Democratic representatives to further, more forceful action on shit that really matters.

Like Iraq.

[seabeyond]

11. simply fed into a bitch-slap-fest.

this is what i was feeling friday and saturday. that would be a mess if dems walked in.

i tell you, this is an ugly one republican created for everyone to have to play, whether we want to or not

[beam me up scottie]

22. What would they do if the cameras were allowed

into her room, some kind of sick ventriloquist act? Can you see someone propping her up while someone else moves her arms? I keep having flashbacks to the Re-animator movies. I may be depraved for thinking this but the lawyers, politicians and religious idiots that are supposedly "speaking" for her are 100 times worse.

[sevendogs]

25. This lawyer agrees with you

Tell me where to meet you to burn our licenses! Maybe we won't have to. Hooray for all those wonderful Dems that I am watching on CSpan right now!!!

[OldLeftieLawyer]

32. Hey

Is the Tin and Lint Company still there?

I once lived on Caroline Street. And got busted for taking off my tshirt on that wide, tree-lined road behind the Gideon Putnam.

Ah, good days.

Let's keep our licenses, and cause even more trouble..........

[sevendogs]

43. Tin and Lint

You bet it is there! And you are talking about the Avenue of the Pines. I don't live far from there.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

44. Thanks

It was a long time ago. Good to know that pretty town has people like you living there.

[rzemanfl]

26. You have got to be kidding. She really said that? That should be

the subject of a bar grievance. What's her name?

[Catchawave]

31. I so agree Leftie....

Everyone of these doctors and lawyers who have bled these families dry over the past several years, should lose their licenses.

It's my hope when Terri's allowed to pass on peacefully, there's a congressional investigation into the way this case was handled all along. That would be Terri's legacy.

Sidebar: This is Jeb's judicial system ? He should be investigated too.

[havocmom]

38. Investigate Jebbie? Nah, just remove his feeding tube.

the fucking vampire has sucked enough life out of people already.

[RevCheesehead]

48. You could remove Jeb's feeding tube...

but it'll take years for him to "waste away." :evilgrin:

[Dookus]

4. Is this news?

I thought this was always the plan - evidently they can't shove it through on a voice-vote prior to Monday - at least as far as I understand it.

But are there really Dems who will try to block it after midnight?

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Wow. They actually got some spine. What a wonderful piece of news.

[Coastie for Truth]

6. I e-mailed Boxer, Feinstein, Lofgren

Only vote for the bill if it removes the Bush Ban on Stem Cell Research.

I am a taxpaying, voting, property owning, non-druggie, person of faith, veteran DIABETIC -- a stem cell derived therapy could forestall a premature death ---why is my life less valuable then Terri Schiavo's.

[sevendogs]

27. Now THAT'S not a bad idea

Stem cell research. I, with MS, don't know why my life is less important than that of a woman, and I AM sorry for her, who has NO cerebral cortex!

[rzemanfl]

7. Was there a sudden outbreak of testicles in Washington? n/t

[undergroundpanther]

10. The Dems

Saw the eugenics,abortion rights,our healthcare freedoms,the war vets needs..all of the vast implications of this ruling. The courts deciding killing off the weak regardless of family objection.Or the courts keeping someone alive who's brain dead dispite family objection.
The courst have no jurisdiction over personal decisions once they do,than our rights and the rights of families when we are most vunerable are really toast.

[Clark2008]

9. Rep. Jim Davis of Florida:

"Congress is on the verge of telling states and courts that their decisions and rules do not matter...if we do not draw the line in the sand today, there is no limit to what rights will be trampled on."

You go!

[LeftyLizzie]

19. Yay for Jim!

He's running for governor here in Florida. I know him well, and he's a good guy - let's all wish him luck!

[madfloridian]

35. I try to forget he is an eager co-sponsor of the bankruptcy bill.

He also signed the letter which was published at TNR on this. They begged Hastert to bring it up in the house to vote on it.

[flpoljunkie]

53. Me, too.

[Clark2008]

12. THIS IS IMPORTANT

Dems getting balls is always important.

:kick:

[SpiralHawk]

13. I sure hope Bush didn't have to abandon the Imperial Pig Farm

Upon Crawford in haste to get back to DC to sign this Bill. What a terrible inconvenience that would be for him.

My liberal heart bleeds with sympathy.

[RevCheesehead]

14. Thank God.

But why did CNN break away from covering the story?

[Clark2008]

20. Because Michael Jackson got new pajamas?

Because Martha Stewart put one toe over the house-arrest line?
Because Robert Blake told someone to "shut up?"
Because Scott Peterson sneezed.

:shrug:

BECAUSE CNN SUCKS!!

[RevCheesehead]

50. :)

You're cool. :)

[seabeyond]

15. delay just starrted this game friday, dems could not

do this in reactionary fashion, dems would have been slaughtered by hype. hopefully they have sat and listened and watched to see what was happening, and now understand how to address in most profession and competent way. gotta give them a chance, we just should, really

[capi888]

28. You are right....

The rep that is a gal (sorry didn't get her name) said, they brought this up after the initial recess....Delay came up with this after Dems left for holiday...looks like Dems are flying back if possible...again they backdoored this and is working on the religious right...Debbie Wasserman Schults from Florida...she is spunky, said her family had to make the same decision recently...and this will make a total mess....

[Nite Owl]

16. Jim Moran said that they don't think

they can stop this? I hope he's wrong.

[Mass]

21. No they cannot stop that

They just forced a vote to take place. So tonight or tomorrow morning, they will have a voice vote in the House and the Bill will pass. Then it will be sent to Bush.

This said, I am happy this did not pass on unanimous consent.

[Clark2008]

24. They can't force a voice vote if they don't have a quorum, can they?

I'd suggest that most of the Dems in Congress should be "vacationing in remote areas where they don't have access to news and cell phone reception."

:evilgrin:

[Mass]

33. They have to oppose to a voice vote

Did they say if they can?

[havocmom]

40. Let's hope some of their staff watched the West Wing episode where

Santos hid everybody after pretending to leave town then blew the doors down with a march to chamber!

Let's see some life imitating art!

[OldLeftieLawyer]

34. Jim Moran

is my Congressman. A more spineless, disloyal, self-indulgent fuck I've yet to meet. Whatever he says, ignore him. He sold himself to the credit card companies years ago, and is one of the people responsible for that shameful (there's that word again) bankruptcy bill.

[Malva Zebrina]

17. Fainting--bring me some smelling salts

and fan my face with a lace trimmed hanky.

Joy--I can't wait to hear what is going on and who has led this objection.

[Clark2008]

18. This is so odd - here are liberal Democrats fighting for

A.) Limited government.
B.) An end to a Constitutional crisis; and
C.) States rights.

LOL! I thought those were the beliefs of the conservative party, who is, now, running roughshod over all those rights!

[Jon8503]

23. Thank God; This is important that the Democrats stand up for

#1) States Rights.

#2) Government Interference in personal lives of citizens.

#3) The Sanctity of Marriage of all citizens.

It seems to me that Democrats are standing up for America and all of our citizens to make their own personal decisions.

[rzemanfl]

29. Listen to my paranoia. Terri Schiavo dies while this is tied up

in " partisan procedural wrangling" and the Repugs use it as a hammer against "obstructionist tactics" in Congress (read "filibuster"). Would Rove do something like this? Of course he would. There was plenty of time before this weekend for them to have pulled this stunt, they knew when the tube was coming out.

[NVMojo]

30. no wonder Reid left for the Middle East on Friday!!! HAHAHAHA!!!

Reid, six colleagues to spend 10 days in Middle East region

It remains unclear whether senators will go into Iraq

March 19, 2005



WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., departed Friday for a 10-day trip to the Middle East where he planned to get a first-hand look at American involvement in the region.

"This is a critical time for the peace process in the Middle East, and for democratic change in several other nations. Many of the developments hang tenuously in the balance," Reid said in a statement.

"It's only appropriate for the Senate to be fully engaged at this time and express the full commitment and support of the United States," he said.

Reid's office said he would travel with six other senators to the Middle East and "several emerging democracies." A Reid spokesman declined to say whether the delegation would venture into Iraq.

Other senators on the trip include: Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Robert Bennett, R-Utah, Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo.

"The primary focus of the trip will be on security issues, and exploring ways the United States can support several developing democracies around the world," according to Reid's office.

Reid, who voted in 2002 to authorize the war in Iraq, has since been critical of the Bush administration's handling of military operations and reconstruction efforts.


more...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Mar-19-Sat-2005/news/26112099.html

[kerrygoddess]

36. Let's hope the Senate Dems do the same...

Democrats Block GOP in Schiavo Case
20 March 2005

It appears that House Dems have now decided that the legislation to prolong Schiavo’s life must go to a quorum of 218 members for a roll call vote.

Leaders of both parties agreed Saturday on legislation that they said would allow Schiavo's feeding tube, which was disconnected Friday afternoon, to be reinserted while federal courts review her case.

But when the House convened Sunday afternoon, Democrats made clear they would not let it pass on a voice vote, requiring the assembly of a quorum for a roll call vote.

MORE - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=584

[Carolab]

37. It's on C-Span right now.

I'm watching Weldon talk about how Terri is "responsive" and NOT in PVS. Isn't that practicing medicine without a license?

This clown wrote the "protection of incapacitated person" bill.

He referred to the Dem reps who just left the room as "those people". THOSE PEOPLE. What respect.

[_testify_]

39. MSNBC and CNN didn't really cover this....

Fox actually stayed with it for a little while, until Mark Lunsford held a press conference to let us know he's still upset.


No disrespect towards Mr. Lunsford, but is that really more newsworthy than the ONLY public disagreement by the Dems I have heard this week?


Wasserman-Schulz made a nice point about the party that stands for the defense of marriage trampling on the rights of Michael Schiavo.

[Gothmog]

41. 89% no

keep up the good work

[deadparrot]

42. Is there a chance?

Do the freakshows in Congress who want to dictate whether this woman "lives" or dies have a real shot? Because, if so, isn't this is just a delay of the inevitable?

Whatever you feel about this case, isn't it a bit creepy that the word of a bunch of suits in Washington who know nothing about you can dictate your fate, contrary to the wishes of a legal guardian? 1984, anyone?

[xkenx]

45. Are We Knee-Jerking Here?

I must preface by saying that I am a lifelong progressive/liberal whose political roots go back to Bobby Kennedy. (just so I don't get instantly flamed) But I am seeing a lot here of what seems like "If the RWers want Terri Schiavo maintained alive, then we should oppose those efforts and back her husband" in some sanctity-of-marriage argument. While true that the RWers have probably lumped her with their other right to life arguments in an act of pure politics, this seems to be a very personal issue within one family. Facts are that the medical community is obligated to keep people alive whenever possible unless the patient has enacted an "Advance Directive and Power of Attorney" (in writing), directing the plug to be pulled under certain circumstances. Terri Schiavo had NO such directive. Her husband claimed her VERBAL wishes were to not be resuscitated (but I seriously wonder how many 25 year olds even think about that issue, never mind make it that clear to others, and I understand that the local court has accepted the verbal claim). Her husband has been in a relationship (and 2 children) with another woman, and may or may not have Terri's interests at heart by wanting to pull the plug. However we are forgetting the other interested party--her parents. Mistakenly or not (who are we to judge them), they seem to derive some comfort in seeing their daughter and feeling that she interacts with them. In the absence of a written directive from Terri, why are her parents' wishes less important than her husband's?
The husband could get a divorce to pursue his interests, and her parents could be the ones deciding whether Terri's quality of life warranted keeping her alive. I'd suggest putting ourselves in her parents' shoes, and see how we feel.
My other concern is that the RWers will use this more as a wedge issue, claiming that Democrats "not only want to kill the unborn, but the living too." I just think that this specific case is the wrong one to be fighting them on. We can be more politically savvy
than this, especially when the issue is localized to one family.

[candy331]

46. Seems to me the bigger issue here is not her parents, nor husband

at this point but that the State of Florida's legal system has exhausted this issue and why would Congress now get involved to nullify a states rights in a family matter. The eroding of freedoms is a slithery road to take and we see just what a bunch of power hungry are willing to do to maintain that power. What will be their next political move for grabbing of even more power. Sad as well as scary times indeed for this country.

[Nikki Stone 1]

49. Great point!

n/t

[Nikki Stone 1]

47. Your post was very insightful., although

I have never understood myself why the courts ruled in Michael Schiavo's favor considering that there was no written "living will".

The one factor you did not mention--which may really explain this whole mess--is the 2 million dollar malpractice settlement (from a lawsuit on Terry's behalf) that Michael Schiavo controls as long as he is legally married to Terry. That money would pass to him as Terry's widower; were he to divorce Terry, the control of the money would pass to her next of kin, her parents in that case. The Schindlers (Terry's parents) are certainly right to be suspicious of their son-in-law's motives. There was also a post made here on DU stating that Terry's care was currently being covered by the state--this would jibe with the Schindler's claim that Michael Schiavo hasn't contributed any of the settlement money to Terry's rehabilitation.

On the other hand, one wonders if the Schindlers may be keeping up the fight to maintain Terry's feeding tube as a way to punish or get revenge on their son-in-law. I could, of course, be wrong about this, but the emotions seem to be running quite high.

Congress's involvement seems to me to be the icing on this whole mad cake. While the Jerry Springer-like family battle is raging, the right wing will find a way to use this case to further their repressive agenda against women (and terminal patients).

[w4rma]

51. She had at least one friend as a witness who had said that was her wish

Other than her husband, who also said it was her wish.

[Nikki Stone 1]

55. And it may have been, but we have no way of really knowing, and

it really doesn't matter anyway. Michael Schiavo's right to make the decision about his wife's feeding tube has been upheld in the Florida courts, and it will most likely be upheld in a Federal Court.

The parents feel powerless and I sympathize with them. But they are not the ones with the final legal say.

[w4rma]

58. We have a good idea of what she wanted. We have witnesses who testified

*under oath* and under threat of perjury. That conveying of her wishes is the basis of all of the rulings in favor of allowing her to go.

[markus]

54. Nah, the polls are on our side

Most people think that Jeb Bush and Tom Delay should stay the hell out of these people's problems.

[ProgressiveDepot.com]

56. I Wish This Had Never Come This Far

It's shameful that the GOP is using this as a political tool, but they are shameless so no surprise. I do worry that it is something the GOP will successfully use in the future to demonize particular Dems during re-election campaigns -- and that the vaguely educated masses will buy into the "so and so voted to have that woman killed" meme.

Because there is nothing in writing to solidly express her wishes, it just becomes more difficult. Which is why I wish it had never come this far.

[JiggsyJoko]

52. Any chance that it won't pass at the

12:01 am vote??? I truly, truly, truly hope so! I've e-mailed all the Florida reps.

[HarrietBrown]

57. I haven't seen anyone bring up the TX case of the Hudson child

here--maybe I missed it. But it's the hyprocrisy that's killing me--the Houston Chronicle is reporting on two cases of people being taken off life support---a 6-month old baby and a 68-year old man. The families want them to live but BECAUSE OF A BILL THAT GW SIGNED INTO LAW AS GOV--the HOSPITAL has the right to let them die because the families don't have enough money to pay for their care. I believe the baby, Sun Hudson, is dead. The man is still alive and the family is fighting. How the hell does Tom "life is sacred" DeLay explain that--let alone Bush?

[zimmer]

59. This will end up HURTING the Repukes

Can you say "backfire"?? I only wish this was happening closer to an election, that way people would have this political stunt fresh in their minds when they go out to vote.