Michael Schiavo starts PAC to combat fundie Pukes

[PDittie]

This is excellent news:

In Terri (Schiavo)'s name, President George Bush interrupted his vacation, Sen. Bill Frist played doctor from the Senate floor, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush launched a flimsy criminal investigation, and Rep. Tom DeLay issued ominous political threats to the judiciary. The religious right had turned Terri into a symbolic beachhead in the battle for a "culture of life," and the Republican Party had answered the call.

...

But now, as the one-year anniversary of Terri Schiavo's death approaches, Michael Schiavo is changing his approach and preparing to enter the political fray. Terri's fate has already been decided. Now her husband wants to claim her legacy. "For 15 years, I have been watching the politicians working their ways into my case. I felt I needed to do something when this was all said and done," Schiavo told Salon on Tuesday. "I didn't ask for this fight, but now I am ready."

This week Schiavo will roll out a new political action committee, called Terri PAC, with the hope of raising money to defeat the politicians who tried to intervene in the legal battle between Schiavo and Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. "Whatever I can do, I am going to do," says Schiavo, who works as a nurse in the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Fla. Starting in January, he plans to change his work hours to three 12-hour shifts a week, allowing him more time to work on politics.

...

In the interview, Schiavo mentioned Rep. DeLay, R-Texas, Sen. Frist, R-Tenn., and Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., as primary targets of the effort. He also said he wanted to be involved in the upcoming Florida governor's race. "We are going to focus on holding these people accountable," Schiavo said.

[azmouse]

1. I wish him much success.

And I'll make a contribution to get those politicians out of our lives!

[Bluzmann57]

2. We do need to keep this in the forefront

It was shameful and the people who forced their way into Mr. and Mrs. Schiavo's personal tragedies need to be held accountable, as he said.

[ourbluenation]

3. k and r...give em hell Mike!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. good news

I think it is a good idea to hold these bozos accountable for that disgraceful interference in a family's decision-it will remind folks that the people in power now have no compunctions about having the government invade family privacy.

[Ilsa]

5. Good for him. I hope he is able to raise enough money

to keep this issue going.

[AmericanDream]

6. Great... he has my support!

[Catherine Vincent]

7. Well, he should know he'll get the support.

Thanks for the news.

[Perky]

8. I wish he wouldn't and I could not disagree more.

Look he couched this as agreat perosnal tragedy that should not be politicized. 70% of the public booed and hissed when Congress tried to pull a fast one.

Now he is turning it around and using it to start a PAC? Sorry I think its hypocricaitcal and I think we are hypocritical if we support those efforts.


Its not that he is not right about the issue.It isno that he does not have the right to say what he thinks.



I justthink its inappropriate leverage for a fight over "values". Is hr not using the same tragedy to raise money? Isn't that the real reason the GOP did it?

[mondo joe]

9. It's not hypocritical because the PAC is NOT about his personal tragedy

but about real political issues.

[AmericanDream]

10. So having a publicized personal tragedy means you can't start a PAC?

His public battle over Terri has inspired him to get involved in politics and take a stance... it is not what the PAC is about. Sitting on the sidelines and watching injustice is worse than participating in it. Michael is doing the right thing by standing up for what he believes is going wrong with this country.

Do you feel the same way about Cindy Sheehan, who has used her own personal tragedy as the inspiration to join politics?

[Perky]

12. Sheehan and Shiavo are not even close to same thing.

The GOP was exploiting someone else's tragic situation to raise money and rally the base.

Cindy is using her personal loss to galvanize the public about an unwinnable war.

Is Michael was using the circumstance to rally support for Euthanais issues it would be more comparable.

[AmericanDream]

14. Yes it is comparable...

Cindy is using her pesonal loss to do what she thinks is right: that is build an anti-war movement because she thinks this war is useless. And that means fighting the politicians who support the war.

Michael is using his personal loss to do what he thinks is right: that is hold the politicians accountable who use the language of family values to encroach on people's privacy.

The issue in Terry's case was not just about Euthanasia (btw, it wasn't euthanasia that would be described as what happened to Terri.. they did not deliberately give her medicine/substance to kill her or anything)... it was also about how far is too far when the gov't starts meddling with private affairs? And, he wants to rally a movement to stop this gov't interference in private matters... and that means fighting the politicians who use such abhorable political techniques to content their small base.

[Perky]

16. To me the cause and effects are the key difference

Sheehan:

Cindy's son went off to a war and was killed. She is greived by the loss and is taking the President to account and calling for thye withdrawal of troops. She picked the fight.


Schiavo:

Terry fell into an irreversible coma, Michael wanted to end her suffering, Her parent objected for religious reasons and that is what parents do. Bush, Delay, Frist got involved to score points with the base and raise money. They picked a fight with a private citizen.



Michael told them and told the world to butt out; he very clearly saw what they were up to and said they were wrong to do so with such ulterior motives.


I would honestly feel better about it if he ran for office against his COngressman. But instead it appears to me that he created a PAC to raise money and I would assume take a salary and pick a new fight against "meddlers". I would be ok if he was asked to sit on some board and even be a spokesman,

Its starting the PAC itself that is troubling. Unless he is running for office. Is he?

[mondo joe]

21. Why is starting a PAC troubling? Isn't that a standard way of

politicking in the United States????

[Perky]

23. DId Cindy Start a PAC?

There is a difference between a crusade based on personal tragedy and starting a PAC to confront people who exploited your personal tragedy by using those same images and issues they used in the first place. Terri PAC?

Would we think it improper for the Schindlere to start a PAC or start a defense fund to Tom Delay? Of Course we would. We would be outraged.

[mondo joe]

24. Different people have different strengths and interests.

I can't imagine why you'd think Cindy's is the only appropriate response.

And I'd expect many careers in service to begin with a personal experience -- the death of a sibling, the loss of a friend, work done in other countries.

The Schindlers would be wrong for the same reasons they've always been wrong. But Michael Schiavo would be a force for good.

[Perky]

27. I never said CIndy's was the only appropriate response

I do not even bring her up... My only point was that the parallel is not a good one.

Regrads the Schindlers. I can't imagine the pain they went through over those many years and while I disgree with them, I have nothing but compassion for thier pain.

I think the parallel I draw is an accurate one. If the Schindlers created a "friends of Tom" fund anc called it Terri PAC and taking salaries out of it. we would be disgusted

I think its a little bit disingnous to say an "enemies of Tom" Fund would be be any different solely on the basis of who is using the image.

It can not be right for him but wrong for them. Can it?

[mondo joe]

31. Taking a salary out of a PAC is no more disgusting than taking

a salary as a Senator -- like John Kerry, let's say, who moved into politics in many ways as an outcome of his personal experiences.

If the Schindlers are wrong it's for the same reasons they've always been wrong: allying themselves with corrupt politicians and fascists for personal gain and to deny others their rights.

I don't see Michael Schiavo doing that.

And I don't see why his forming a PAC in response to his personal POLITICAL experience is any different than lecturing, protesting or running for office. They're all just different possible responses.

[Perky]

35. Wow

You really think the Schindlers fought that fight for personal gain?

I think the mom was desperate and sadly deluded about the daughter that she dearly loved and could not let go. The court case are what fot the GOP involved vultures that they are.

[mondo joe]

38. I know they did it for personal gain.

That may have been in addition to their other issues. But it was there.

[LostinVA]

56. The father certainly did -- it's documented

That the fight began AFTER Mr. Schiavo received the court-ordered monetary judgment, and Schindler has admitted he thought he deserved a cut of it. They've also made money off of selling the illegally taped video of Ms. Schivo.

Any real sympathy I had for him and her siblings left a long time ago. I still have a teeny bit for Ms. Schiavo's mother.

[AmericanDream]

28. No, it would not be improper for the Schindlers to start a PAC...

anyone can do that. I disagree with their ideology and the way they behaved during the whole Terri saga; but I'm not going to condemn their right to get involved in politics in any way possible.

Yes, most of us here will be outraged. But we will be outraged about the content of their stance; not because of the fact that they are taking a stance. You on the other hand seem to be outraged about the fact that Michael is putting his time and energy where his mouth is and is taking a stance in the political debate over this issue. Sorry, but I don't see any merit in your argument.

[MessiahRp]

29. I don't think it would be a jump at all for them to do it either...

They basically aligned themselves with so many wingnut special interests to raise money for them that they already have the connections. The Schindlers laid in bed with the Devil to help their daughter, if they wanted to start a PAC they'd already know how to get the money for it. And probably would raise more than Michael. After all the Devil is connected you know.

Rp

[FreedomAngel82]

34. For all you know

he could be interested in politics and helping other canidates after his experience and want to make a difference. I would say the same thing with Cindy if she decided to start a PAC.

[converted_democrat]

25. I don't agree with that at all.....

Shiavo knows better than anyone what hellish wrath the GOP can unleash when they decide to mess in personal matters. The government has no business in matters like this. None. Micheal Shiavo is just one of many examples of where they are trying to push their values and beliefs on other people, and it needs to be stopped. He didn't start this battle, but he should have every right to finish it, if he so chooses. The GOP has no right to push their beliefs on other people, and I applaud Mr. Shiavo, and anyone else that stands up to them.

[xchrom]

11. you're missing the point.

the right MADE it a political fight -- they've been making it a political fight.

and now he's going to do something about it.

and he's the cindy sheehan of this particular moment.

i wish him well.

[hyphenate]

26. It sounds more like he is trying

to help prevent the same shit from happening to others. By doing what he can to raise awareness of the level of intrusion that these particular politicians made into his life, he can help oust them from their roosts.

You can't always see that truth unless you're in the middle of it, which he was.

[Festivito]

30. Terri was alive then. She died.

Her life and death were being politicized, and should not have been politicized.

Now it is clearly the STORY ABOUT her life and death struggle and decisioning being politicized, but, better, here, politicization means discussed. Whereas, while alive, it meant to affect the life and death decisioning.

Combining discussion of life and death with politics is good.
Combining life and death decisioning with politics is bad.

Good for Mr. Schaivo.

[mondo joe]

33. Also, THEY politicized it - not him. He's now responding to the

attacks by politicians and other forces.

He's not politicizing his family tragedy. He's responding TO the politicization.

[Perky]

36. Then why call it Terri PAC?

If it is about punishing meddling politicians, why invoke her name and memory?

Again its his right to do it. I am just saying I think it is an inappropriate method. IMO

[Kashka-Kat]

37. PRetty dmn tacky if you ask me-- let the woman rest already...

Poor woman and her body was fought over by 2 sets of control freaks and here he is still asserting ownership of her... give it up already.

[mondo joe]

40. 2 sets of control freaks? Ownership? Very uninformed.

Michael Schiavio in fact asked the court to decide Terri's case, and they did. He carried out that decision, which was appealed well over a dozen times without success.

[Kashka-Kat]

41. oh come on, I read what you read- my world just does not divide so

neatly into good guys/ bad guys sometimes...

The whole thing was sad and pathetic. If he's got somethign to say he should say it and take ownership of it himself.

[mondo joe]

42. Please own up to what you wrote.

You said there were 2 patries of control freaks who thought they owned Terri Schiavo.

In actual fact, Michael Schiavo did not try to control Terri nor did he think he owned her - he asked the COURT to decide, even though he would have had presumptive legal authority to do so himself.

You may not appreciate what it means to be married, nor what it means to have to struggle for over a decade to carry out the wish of a loved one. So I don't expect you to get it.

[Perky]

43. Yes and as a parent of a two-year old

I can't imagine the agony of a persistive vegetative state. I would have let her go...but I can certainly appreciate a parent's hearflet hope. I pray that I never have the ability to empathiose.


For anyone to suggest they were miling the situation for personal gain is just stupefyingly insensitive. when no proof is provided.

[mondo joe]

46. Of course they were in it for personal gain - they were even

selling their mailing list. The whole dispute came down when they started demanding money from her settlement.

For goodness' sakes.

[Perky]

48. Where did the money go

Were they pocketing it? Were they trying to raise money for Terri's legal fund?

I suspect that was more about retribution against Michael then it was about the money....but I do not know for sure and I seriously doubt you do either.

[Perky]

49. Where did the money go

Were they pocketing it? Were they trying to raise money for Terri's legal fund?

I suspect that was more about retribution against Michael then it was about the money....but I do not know for sure and I seriously doubt you do either.

[Perky]

50. Where did the money go

Were they pocketing it? Were they trying to raise money for Terri's legal fund?

I suspect that was more about retribution against Michael then it was about the money....but I do not know for sure and I seriously doubt you do either.

[mondo joe]

52. Where did it go? You'd have to ask their wealthy republican

backers.

Incidentally, they couldn't have funded Terri's legal fund because they were not her custodians or guardians.

[Perky]

53. so in other words....you have no idea

so get off this bit about personal gain until you have somehting a little more concrete.


I think they, particularly the mom were blinded by a false hope and the GOP took advantage and that she she threw in withthem because it put it front and center and helped defray their legal costs.


But I can not believe they were in it for personal gain (I.e., making a killing financially) which is what I meant by personal gain.

[mondo joe]

54. Gee, I guess they sold the list for profit out of sheer love.

[Perky]

55. or perhaps as a way of offsetting

what I imagine were pretty hefty legal bills based on their love for their daughter.


Now...On the otherhand, if they are still gathering names and selling mailing lists, I think your point would be completely valid. but as a one-off deal to raise cash to appeal a decision by a lower court then I think that is not to terribly unreasonable. Althought were I a supporter of their cause on theological grounds and they sold my informations to GOP fundraisers... I would be pissed.

But the Schindlers have apparently gone back to being private citizens again.

[Perky]

44. Yes and as a parent of a two-year old

I can't imagine the agony of a persistive vegetative state. I would have let her go...but I can certainly appreciate a parent's hearflet hope. I pray that I never have the ability to empathiose.


For anyone to suggest they were miling the situation for personal gain is just stupefyingly insensitive. when no proof is provided.

[mondo joe]

39. Why not? Her plight was his life's work. Ever hear of the Amber Alert?

Or The Brady Bill?

He's carrying on the fight he fought for her, and it will be her lasting legacy.

[Perky]

45. No that is not what he is fighting for

If it was a Terri it would be about care and loving of the brain dead or about a persistive vegetivative states. It would be about Euthanasia or mercy killing or assisted suicide or living wills.

But he has made her legacy about political retailiation.

[mondo joe]

47. Wrong - he is fighting what was done to her and to them both.

Had their case been left a private matter it would have ended long ago and none of these other issues would BE issues for them.

Her legacy will be about PRIVACY - the thing they were robbed of.

It's astonishing that you feel you're the arbiter of what is an acceptable emotional response for an intensely personal matter.

[bluedawg12]

13. What the RW did to this husband was nauseating.

They made his life hell never giving him the benefit of the doubt that he was indeed carrying out the wishes of his wife.

What ever happened to those who lied that poor Terri was communicating? Didn't the path show that her cerebral cortex had atrophied to nothing and that she could not have been acting with any intent?

What about the smears that he choked her?

What about those media ho's, especially " the good friar's" who decked out in there frock's minced in front of the camera and mugged their way into 15 minutes of fame?

What about the rest of us that reserve the right to make decisions about our loved ones with out the shameless exploitation of radicalRW political flunkies and hacks using a private family dispute over a tragedy as a way to shore up their base?

Good for Mike- he was calm, articulate even when persecuted.

[Horse with no Name]

15. I think this is a great idea

The government doesn't have any business in anyone's end of life decisions.
It is despicable that they turned this into a sideshow for the entire world.
The elected officials who attempted to force their will for political points need to be held accountable.
You have to face reality, with ALL of the criminal scandals that this administration is involved in...if Michael doesn't force people to remember what the Republican Fundies did to his wife...it will be permanently down the memory hole because of everything else.
And it needs to be remembered. It will make a difference to quite a few voters who are trying to keep up with the latest scandals.
Good job Michael.:thumbsup:

[UTUSN]

17. Kick/Rec n/t

[kevinbgoode]

18. Good for him ! ! !

We need to remind the American people just how these fundamentalists REALLY view the "sanctity" of marriage. . .and how much they wanted the STATE to intervene at their manufactured whim to dissolve the Schiavo relationship.

This reaches into the very heart and soul of the American family.

[europegirl4jfk]

19. I wish him luck

"I didn't ask for this fight, but now I am ready."
I guess that's what's driving these Iraq veterans who seek political office now too.

BTW, Terri Schiavo's brother was on a German TV show a few days ago and spread his lies there. I can't believe they invited this guy! My parents who didn't know the case very well believed him and I had to explain the whole story in all its sad details to show them that Schindler is a hypocrite and a liar.

[slackmaster]

20. Kudos to him - Recommended

:kick:

[janx]

22. kick

This is important!

[FreedomAngel82]

32. Yep!

Perfect revenge!!

[Quixote1818]

51. The way to help this PAC be effective is to donate money!!!! nt