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Robert Byrd, longest-serving member of Congress, dead at 92

I'm not sorry, and its the same reason most people dislike him as well.
 
You're asking the question, do you know the answer?

Ever hear of a rhetorical question? I am not the one making the complaint, but of course he repudiated those positions. Heck, I have had positions from when I was younger that I no longer associate with and have repudiated. So, it is ok for Byrd to repudiate past positions and get forgiveness yet Thurmond, who repudiated many of those positions DECADES AGO still gets lambasted with them... oh, it is surely because he left the Democratic Party (when he publicly held those offensive positions) and joined the Republican Party...
 
'Bout time this piece-a-**** died. Good riddance.
 
Ever hear of a rhetorical question? I am not the one making the complaint, but of course he repudiated those positions. Heck, I have had positions from when I was younger that I no longer associate with and have repudiated. So, it is ok for Byrd to repudiate past positions and get forgiveness yet Thurmond, who repudiated many of those positions DECADES AGO still gets lambasted with them... oh, it is surely because he left the Democratic Party (when he publicly held those offensive positions) and joined the Republican Party...

I have been looking online and haven't been able to find a single source where Strom Thurmond apologized or declared he regretted his earlier views. On the other hand, I've found sources claiming he never publically apologized. In contrast, Byrd flat out said that joining the Klan was the biggest mistake of his life. I will change my sig to anything you want for a week if you can find a place where Strong Thurmond publically apologized for his views during the 1948 campaign
 
i find it interesting he died when obama took office. he probably lost his will to live
 
Washington (CNN) -- West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, the self-educated son of a coal miner who became the longest-serving member of Congress, died early Monday at age 92, the senator's office said.

Byrd, a nine-term Democrat, was known as a master of the chamber's often-arcane rules and as the self-proclaimed "champion of the Constitution," a jealous guardian of congressional power.

His speeches were laced with references to poetry and the Greek and Roman classics, often punctuated by the brandishing of his pocket copy of the national charter.

He was also known as the "King of Pork," using top positions on the Senate Appropriations Committee to steer federal spending to his home state -- one of the nation's poorest.

Byrd relished the title.

"Pork, to the critic, is service to the people who enjoy some of the good things in life, and I've been happy to bring to West Virginia the projects to which they refer. I have no apology for it," he said.

Link




My condolences to his family.

The old bastard was dead on his feet along time ago, his body just finally caught up with his senile old mind. Good riddance to racist trash.
 
And publicly admits to being wrong. How often do you see politicians do that?

All the time when they have no other out. To be politically viable in the modern era he was forced to say he changed his views. He wasn't a fence sitter during the civil rights era, he was a full fledged member of the Klan and, this wasn't Barry Goldwater type opposition to the civil rights act, this was racial not Constitutional, **** him I'm glad he's dead.
 
All the time when they have no other out. To be politically viable in the modern era he was forced to say he changed his views. He wasn't a fence sitter during the civil rights era, he was a full fledged member of the Klan and, this wasn't Barry Goldwater type opposition to the civil rights act, this was racial not Constitutional, **** him I'm glad he's dead.

Back in the day, I would say the klan was pretty 'hip'. Maybe he was just trying to fit in... be cool? Ever think of that?
 
I love how the Left is trying to excuse Byrd's VOLUNTARY membership and leadership within the KKK, yet when the present Pope was FORCED to become a member of the NAZI youth and never advocated any ideology in support of Naziism, they use is as their anti-Papal gotcha!!!

Gotta love the hypocrisy of the left...
 
I love how the Left is trying to excuse Byrd's VOLUNTARY membership and leadership within the KKK, yet when the present Pope was FORCED to become a member of the NAZI youth and never advocated any ideology in support of Naziism, they use is as their anti-Papal gotcha!!!

Gotta love the hypocrisy of the left...

gotta love how the entire right always makes ridiculous generalisation, and unrelated examples, like a monkey eating fleas :mrgreen:
 
I love how the Left is trying to excuse Byrd's VOLUNTARY membership and leadership within the KKK, yet when the present Pope was FORCED to become a member of the NAZI youth and never advocated any ideology in support of Naziism, they use is as their anti-Papal gotcha!!!

Gotta love the hypocrisy of the left...

It's depending on the individual whether or not they choose to excuse him. Making an unrelated generalization on how everyone on the "left" combat on those individuals that choose to not excuse him, are usually the kind of intangible arguments those with unsufficient intelligence or lack of understanding create.

I don't care for Byrd. But I would most certainly not use his death as a method to support my agenda. Whatever that agenda of yours may be, I do see how this news can help someone of your caliber.
 
It's depending on the individual whether or not they choose to excuse him. Making an unrelated generalization on how everyone on the "left" combat on those individuals that choose to not excuse him, are usually the kind of intangible arguments those with unsufficient intelligence or lack of understanding create.

I don't care for Byrd. But I would most certainly not use his death as a method to support my agenda. Whatever that agenda of yours may be, I do see how this news can help someone of your caliber.

I have no agenda here. I am merely making an observation. The fact that it makes you and others uncomforable merely makes my point...
 
I have no agenda here. I am merely making an observation. The fact that it makes you and others uncomforable merely makes my point...
The problem is I don't see your point, It doesn't make me uncomfortable, and claiming 'hypocrisy' is not an observation. It's just that people who generalize a certain group with irrational claim bother me (Be it 'lefties' or 'righties'). It isn't helping or adding any intelligent debate to the subject.

Your idea of provoking someone does not prove your point.
 
I love how the Left is trying to excuse Byrd's VOLUNTARY membership and leadership within the KKK, yet when the present Pope was FORCED to become a member of the NAZI youth and never advocated any ideology in support of Naziism, they use is as their anti-Papal gotcha!!!

Gotta love the hypocrisy of the left...

I expected better from you. Tit-for-tat, that's how it works, eh? *shakes head*

Frankly I had no problem with his forced involvement with the Nazi party. I do have a huge problem with how he defended pedophiles, though. But I digress. You either hold Byrd's one year involvement with the KKK--to which he freely admitted that he made a huge mistake--against him or you don't. If you do, then your opinion of the Pope should be lowered.
 
I expected better from you. Tit-for-tat, that's how it works, eh? *shakes head*

Frankly I had no problem with his forced involvement with the Nazi party. I do have a huge problem with how he defended pedophiles, though. But I digress. You either hold Byrd's one year involvement with the KKK--to which he freely admitted that he made a huge mistake--against him or you don't. If you do, then your opinion of the Pope should be lowered.

He was in the Klan for more than a year, and it wasn't just involvement he recruited 150 members for the Klan. He was deeply involved in the Klan he wasn't just some inactive member for a short while.
 
He was in the Klan for more than a year, and it wasn't just involvement he recruited 150 members for the Klan. He was deeply involved in the Klan he wasn't just some inactive member for a short while.

So what. I don't care whether it was one, two, or ten. The point is, he stated that it was the biggest mistake of his life. What more do you want?
 
So what. I don't care whether it was one, two, or ten. The point is, he stated that it was the biggest mistake of his life. What more do you want?

Resignation from the senate would have been nice. Retirement from public life altogether would have been even better.
 
So what. I don't care whether it was one, two, or ten. The point is, he stated that it was the biggest mistake of his life. What more do you want?

Well, it does matter. A week is different from a decade... anyway...

Byrd could have done other things with his life, but as Clinton said... he was just trying to get elected.
A pretty pathetic defense of his behavior.
I'm sure Carter hopes Clinton won't say much at his funeral, or that Clinton goes first.

Basically Byrd's action should have disqualified him from ever holding office, and should certainly have kept him from anywhere near the helm of his party.

I believe Byrd when he said it was a mistake and he regrets it terribly, but there were other ways he could have served society if that was his desire.

.
 
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Resignation from the senate would have been nice. Retirement from public life altogether would have been even better.

So then, you'd agree that Bush should never have been President because he was a coke addict and alcoholic and his wife killed someone because she can't drive worth a crap. Oh, lest not forget grand pops Prescott who was a Nazi lover.
 
Well, it does matter. A week is different from a decade... anyway...

Byrd could have done other things with his life, but as Clinton said... he was just trying to get elected.
A pretty pathetic defense of his behavior.
I'm sure Carter hopes Clinton won't say much at his funeral, or that Clinton goes first.

Basically Byrd's action should have disqualified him from ever holding office, and should certainly have kept him from anywhere near the helm of his party.

I believe Byrd when he said it was a mistake and he regrets it terribly, but there were other ways he could have served society if that was his desire.

.

So basically, is it your philosophy is once one makes a big enough mistake, they should not be permitted to run for office? That it does not mater that they have reformed and see the error of their ways?

BTW, thank you for at least acknowledging and accepting that indeed he DID regret his error.
 
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Do you think if you repeat that he was a member for 1 yr enough times it will be the truth? He was a member and a recruiter in his 20's AND 30's.
 
Do you think the Democrats would have been so understanding if Byrd had been a Republican?

If Byrd was a Republican he wouldn't have survived more than one term. The Dems would have constantly been referring to him as an example of the morals and racism of the Republican party. To be honest, I wouldn't disagree with. I would be ashamed of my party for electing such a man.
 
So then, you'd agree that Bush should never have been President because he was a coke addict and alcoholic and his wife killed someone because she can't drive worth a crap. Oh, lest not forget grand pops Prescott who was a Nazi lover.

Well, Bush should never have been president but I think there are better reasons than that.
 
If Byrd was a Republican he wouldn't have survived more than one term. The Dems would have constantly been referring to him as an example of the morals and racism of the Republican party. To be honest, I wouldn't disagree with. I would be ashamed of my party for electing such a man.

And in about 30-50 years time that generation will look back at the politicians who voted down the human rights issue of gay marriage and call them bigots.

And the beat goes on.
 
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