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

I have mixed feelings about Byrd. He was one of those few Dixiecrats who chose to stay with the Democrats, after LBJ got the Civil Rights bill passed, but he was still racist. However, he was an ardent supporter of the military, and cared about our troops. Byrd was against wasteful spending, but was the king of pork, which was quite an enigma.

Yes, Senator Byrd, like most politicians, is a mixed bag, with both good and bad aspects. But I am quite surprised that nobody is talking about the BIG story here. While people are either trashing him or defending him, they are missing the big picture - The next Senator from West Virginia is surely going to be a Republican, thus shoring up the GOP's ability to wage war on Obama's agenda, via the filibuster. How could people miss this? This is huge.
 
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I have mixed feelings about Byrd. He was one of those few Dixiecrats who chose to stay with the Democrats, after LBJ got the Civil Rights bill passed, but he was still racist. However, he was an ardent supporter of the military, and cared about our troops. Byrd was against wasteful spending, but was the king of pork, which was quite an enigma.

Yes, Senator Byrd, like most politicians, is a mixed bag, with both good and bad aspects. But I am quite surprised that nobody is talking about the BIG story here. While people are either trashing him or defending him, they are missing the big picture - The next Senator from West Virginia is surely going to be a Republican, thus shoring up the GOP's ability to wage war on Obama's agenda, via the filibuster. How could people miss this? This is huge.

No... the next Senator from West Virginia will definitely be a Democrat. Not sure why you think a Democratic governor would appoint a Republican to Byrd's seat.
 
You're correct. Coal is not the ONLY industry left, but it dwarfs all other WV industry.

Yes, it is big, but chemical production is pretty huge. See Charleston.

And, btw... it IS considered a southern state since it's south of the Mason Dixon line.
 
hehe Yup, I've driven those roads a ton. Currently driving 250 quite a bit, over the mountains between Charlottesville and back home in WV. And I've driven 92 a ****ing ****load. BEAUTIFUL drive! It was my straightaway between my parent's place and getting back to the river.




we stay up in western md, haggerstown? And dip into the state for some epic rides at ungodly speeds. :mrgreen:
 
Didn't realize you were West Virginian Riv. How you liking Charlottesville?

And yeah, god bless WVA tourism. Snowshoe is by far the best snowboarding in the immediete Virginia area (though sadly been a few years since I've been). And with Charlestown opening up the Hollywood Casino we get a nice place to go for a weekend of gambling without having to deal with the obnoxious Jersey Turnpike.

Heading there for my bachelor party in August actually :)
 
If Byrd was a Republican all headlines would read something like "Former KKK member, Robert Byrd (R) dead at 92."
Oh well, my condolences to his family.
It takes a 'conservative' to remind us all that Byrd was once in the KKK. I am surprised that you didn't call him 'sheets' as many 'conservatives' do.

'Conservatives' continue to whine they don't get a fair shake in the media, no surprise there.
 
No... the next Senator from West Virginia will definitely be a Democrat. Not sure why you think a Democratic governor would appoint a Republican to Byrd's seat.

That would only be temporary, and the election that counts will be this fall.
 
Didn't realize you were West Virginian Riv. How you liking Charlottesville?
Actually, I love Charlottesville. It's big enough to do whatever I want, awesome bands come and play right down the street from where I work, but it's small town enough to be ... well... small town-ish. ;) I'm close enough to the ocean to go scuba diving on weekends, and to the rivers to go boogie boarding, and to Snowshoe to go snowboarding. Really, it's location is pretty fricken awesome.

And yes, I'm from WV. Though my immediate family (and I) have moved around a lot, WV is home. It's where I started elementary school, and then eventually went to high school. (all the years in between were in other states) My parent's families are from WV for as far back as we can trace. And of course that's where I worked on my rivers for a decade.

And yeah, god bless WVA tourism. Snowshoe is by far the best snowboarding in the immediete Virginia area (though sadly been a few years since I've been). And with Charlestown opening up the Hollywood Casino we get a nice place to go for a weekend of gambling without having to deal with the obnoxious Jersey Turnpike.

Heading there for my bachelor party in August actually :)

Snowshoe is where I started my Ski Patrol career. ;) It's less than an hour from my parent's place and where I went to high school. I know a couple folks with condos up there that I'm goinig to be using in... get this.. August when I'm up there for a high school reunion. :shock:
 
That would only be temporary, and the election that counts will be this fall.

Byrd's term was through 2012, so the appointment should be for the next two years.
 
Yep. I know its a tangent but its why I love Virginia. Beach within a short time away. Snowboarding within a short time away. Beautiful mountains within a short time away. Historic places within a short time away. Wonderful forests within a short time away. Amusement parks within a short time away. Big lakes within a short time away. You've got a little bit of everything.

My fiance is dieing to get out of the state but I think its cause she's lived on the border of, and now in, Northern Virginia her whole life. I would love to get back down to Roanoke, or Charlottesville really. You got a decent sized city for that metropolitan feel while at the same time being spitting distance to the country.

Bad Zyph, stop derailing, robert byrd, robert byrd. ;) lol
 
Yes, it is big, but chemical production is pretty huge. See Charleston.

And, btw... it IS considered a southern state since it's south of the Mason Dixon line.

I've been spending my time in the Wheeling area, so all I see is rusting and boarded up factories in that part of the state.

I don't consider WV a southern state because they weren't part of the confederacy.
 
No... the next Senator from West Virginia will definitely be a Democrat. Not sure why you think a Democratic governor would appoint a Republican to Byrd's seat.

If Byrd had lived another week, the Democratic governor would get to appoint his successor, otherwise there will be a special election.

Byrd's current term expires on January 3, 2013. Under West Virginia state law on handling Senate vacancies, "if the vacancy occurs less than two years and six months before the end of the term, the Governor appoints someone to fill the unexpired term and there is no election". Otherwise, Manchin would appoint an interim replacement, and an special election would be held in November to determine who held the seat in 2011 and 2012.

FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right: Senator Byrd is Ill; A Note on West Virginia's Vacancy Laws
 
I can't say I remember much about Byrd, other than thinking he was pretty much like Strom Thurmond in some of his racial attitudes.

(not trying to derail thread, but thats the only thing I remember)
 
It takes a 'conservative' to remind us all that Byrd was once in the KKK. I am surprised that you didn't call him 'sheets' as many 'conservatives' do.

'Conservatives' continue to whine they don't get a fair shake in the media, no surprise there.

Actually, the article linked in the OP reminded us of Byrd's former affiliation with the KKK. I don't believe Barbbtx wrote it.
 
And publicly admits to being wrong. How often do you see politicians do that?

Whenever it is politically expedient.

I grew up in the south. There were a LOT of people that are exposed to racist attitudes. A lot of people from ALL races (Cubans were the forgotten minority in Florida of the 60s and 70s) were adversely impacted by the race situation. But VERY FEW people full on embraced racial hatreds so much so that they joined the Klan. Not only did he join, he excelled. That wasnt a youhtful indiscretion...that was a way of LIFE. His behaviors have ALWAYS been calculated. On the plus side...its good to know folks are so forgiving to people like Strom Thurmond.
 
You are wrong, O Ballot Box Breath. :mrgreen:

The wording of the law of succession in West Virginia is vauge and ambiguous, which means the GOP is going to challenge. My prediction is that the Republican party's challenge will be successful, and there will be a special election this November.

I certainly hope you are right.
 
It takes a 'conservative' to remind us all that Byrd was once in the KKK. I am surprised that you didn't call him 'sheets' as many 'conservatives' do.

'Conservatives' continue to whine they don't get a fair shake in the media, no surprise there.
Exalted cyclops 74.jpg

Nah, we're not like that. :lol:
 
Whenever it is politically expedient.

I grew up in the south. There were a LOT of people that are exposed to racist attitudes. A lot of people from ALL races (Cubans were the forgotten minority in Florida of the 60s and 70s) were adversely impacted by the race situation. But VERY FEW people full on embraced racial hatreds so much so that they joined the Klan. Not only did he join, he excelled. That wasnt a youhtful indiscretion...that was a way of LIFE. His behaviors have ALWAYS been calculated. On the plus side...its good to know folks are so forgiving to people like Strom Thurmond.

Yeah, it was a way of life for like... a year. And how does one "excell" in the KKK? LOL

Seriously, he grew up in very racially divided times, raised by a member of the KKK, you don't think his early views would be tainted by that? He changed his views, and policies, he grew with the times. That's what's important, and that's a mark of an intelligent person, IMO. As opposed to so many who latch onto one thing and never ever let any information change their views on it.
 
Yeah, it was a way of life for like... a year. And how does one "excell" in the KKK? LOL

Seriously, he grew up in very racially divided times, raised by a member of the KKK, you don't think his early views would be tainted by that? He changed his views, and policies, he grew with the times. That's what's important, and that's a mark of an intelligent person, IMO. As opposed to so many who latch onto one thing and never ever let any information change their views on it.

Golly Gee Wizz, Rivrrat, you need to stop being so rational!
 
So if he was a reformed nambla dood, would you let him babysit your chitlens? :ssst:
 
So if he was a reformed nambla dood, would you let him babysit your chitlens? :ssst:

That's really not the same thing. That's like comparing a rapist to a man who just used to have sexist views. Or, comparing a man who touts raping women as a great thing to do vs a man who used to have some sexist views.
 
That's really not the same thing. That's like comparing a rapist to a man who just used to have sexist views. Or, comparing a man who touts raping women as a great thing to do vs a man who used to have some sexist views.



Ask the colored folk how they would feel about that. :ssst:
 
Look, seriously... I didn't agree with Byrd on everything. He was a Democrat after all. :lol: Democrats are pretty well known for their racist policies (affirmative action) among other things. But I'm not going to jump on some Byrd bashing bandwagon solely because he used to be in the KKK for like a year when he was in his early 20s. Did he used to have racist views? Without a ****ing doubt. He admits to it, which is more than I can say for most politicians... hell, most PEOPLE period. Perhaps he still held those racist views to his death, I don't know. What I DO know is that his policies changed. And I really don't give a flying patootie what someone's personal beliefs are as long as they don't try and make me and the rest of the country abide by them. And, after the civil rights movement, he didn't. His policies changed with the times... which, again... is more than I can say for most politicians or people in general.

You want to bash him, then bash him for something significant, I'm sure there's a ****load of stuff out there. But don't bash such an icon simply for being a member of a racist organization for all of a year in his youth.
 
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