President Bush and congressional members hanging by a rope in the Schiavo case.

I’ve given a lot of thought to the recent bill passed by congress and signed by President Bush regarding the Schiavo case. The only conclusion I’ve come to was that Bush and a number of congressional members have “screwed the proverbial pooch” on this one.

The Schiavo case made its way through the court system, going all the way up to the Florida Supreme Court. Since the issue was one of legal guardianship over her, the State of Florida used the guidance of Florida State Law in order to render a decision.

Although federal law would state that legal guardianship must be established, it’s up to individual states to determine what constitutes such guardianship. Had federal law established who would receive guardianship, then that law would apply to all states and have to be enforced uniformly throughout the country. That’s why there are no federal laws detailing specifically who has guardianship. Instead, it’s up to individual states to determine, just so long as their laws do not violate federal law or the constitution. Any law so precise at the federal level would constitute a violation of civil rights, giving to much power to the federal government allowing them to dictate to the people

By signing the bill regarding the Shiavo case and moving it out of the state’s jurisdiction into federal jurisdiction where there are no laws that address such specifics, Bush has set aside the U.S. Constitution, completely undermining the very foundation on which our government and judicial system has been built. Not only have they violated the civil rights of Terri Schiavo, her parents, and her husband, but they’ve also violated of the civil rights of every U. S. citizen. Bush may now face the possibility of being sued in federal court for the violation of U.S. civil rights and every member of congress that voted in favor of the bill may now also face similar charges.

Also, given Bush’s recent statements regarding the sanctity of life regarding the Schiavo case and the recent death of a sixth-month old infant who was removed from life-support against his mother’s wishes and done so under a Texas law that he signed as governor in 1999 allowing hospitals to do so if a patient is deemed terminal and the legal guardian cannot pay for care, the state of Texas and Bush may also be facing charges in a wrongful death suit, should the child’s mother choose to pursue it.

Should a civil rights case go to court, and Bush and members of congress are found guilty, Congress would have no choice but to impeach Bush and any congressional members involved in passing the bill on the charges of Treason. If no civil charges are filed in federal court, yet criminal wrongful death charges are filed and he’s found guilty, Bush may be the only president in U.S. history to sit in office not from the Whitehouse but from a jail cell.

Additionally, Michael Schiavo could also file charges of slander and defamation of character against Tom Delay for his negative on-the-record remarks concerning him during the congressional debates and interviews with the press. Other members of congress who may have also slandered him during the debates and interviews may also face similar charges.

I guess it’s true what they say, “if you give someone enough rope, they’ll hang themselves”. Well these people have been given plenty. And given their actions, their end may be coming soon at the end of their own rope.

Copyright 2005. J. Ryan. All rights reserved.