Terri Schiavo's Judge Greer vs. the Constitution

“That a question is important does not mean that it is constitutional. The Founding Fathers did not establish the United States as a democratic republic so that elected officials would decide trivia, while all great questions would be decided by the judiciary.” From comments by Judge Arthur J. Kleinfeld, in the dissenting opinion in the 9th Circuit Court “right to die” case, Compassion in Dying vs.Washington, 79 F.3d at 857, 858.

Contrast these words with the opinion of the probate court judge in Florida, who ruled that Terri Schiavo would have wanted to die and not only ordered that her feeding tube be removed and artificial nutrition stopped, but forbade, on penalty of arrest, any natural feedings. The Washington Post reports that Judge George Greer does not believe that legislators are as qualified to make law as the duly elected representatives of the people.