West Virginia's Byrd becomes the longest-serving member of Congress

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: CNN

By Tom Cohen, CNN
November 18, 2009 1:49 a.m. EST

Washington (CNN) -- When Robert Byrd came to Congress from West Virginia, a postage stamp cost 3 cents and kids were clamoring for a new toy called Mr. Potato Head.

On Wednesday, almost 57 years later, Byrd became the longest-serving member of Congress in history.

Two days before he turns 92, the eloquent legislator known for his encyclopedic knowledge of Senate rules and history surpasses Carl T. Hayden, the Arizona Democrat who served a total of 20,773 days in the U.S. House and Senate.

With his 20,774th day representing West Virginia -- six years in House and then nearly 51 years and counting in the Senate -- Byrd sets a record for longevity unlikely to be broken as the political climate turns toward term limits and growing public dissatisfaction with Congress.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/18/robert.byrd.congress.record/index.html

---

Congratulations and continued good health to Sen. Byrd! My mom occasionally reminds me that she knew him back when he ran a grocery store in Beckley.

Interesting bio at Wikipedia (including the unpleasant stuff) -- he was born into the Sale family but adopted by aunt & uncle after mother died in flu pandemic. Hope he doesn't have to witness another such outbreak.

[ccharles000]

1. cool

[tomm2thumbs]

2. 20,774 days - zoiks! nt

[Yupster]

35. Congratulations

Senator Byrd.

You selfish old fool.

Now you have the record.

Can you please resign now and allow someone to serve who can actually do the work.

[Thothmes]

3. I applaude Senator Byrd for his service to the people

of West Virginia. But I believe that it is time for him to step down. His health is on the decline. Having seen him in the Senate recently, it is easy to tell that he is a shadow of his former self. JMO.

[vadawg]

4. yup, its time for him to retire...

[question everything]

26. Agree. How will his replacement be chosen?

Special elections or a nomination by the governor?

[Thothmes]

36. Not sure, depends on WV law.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

5. Senator Robert Byrd Becomes Longest-Serving Member Of Congress

Source: Huffington post

WASHINGTON — West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd has become the longest-serving lawmaker in congressional history, a milestone to be marked Wednesday with a Senate resolution.

"I look forward to serving you for the next 56 years and 320 days," Byrd said in a statement marking the occasion. His only regret, Byrd said, was that his late wife, Erma, was not there with him.

"I know that she is looking down from the heavens smiling at me and saying congratulations, my dear Robert – but don't let it go to your head," Byrd said.

It was unclear whether Byrd would be able to attend Wednesday's session.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/18/robert-byrd-becomes-longe_n_361732.html

---

Congrats to my senator!

[Demeter]

6. It Is Shameful

That if you can't be the best, you settle for being the longest lasting obstacle.

What happens when Byrd dies in office?

The same shit that happened when Kennedy did. Chaos.


Byrd has, by clinging to power, eviscerated generations of young potential lawmakers in his home state and in the larger national stage, bored the voting population into narcolepsy, and frozen out change and responsive, responsible leadership.

Kennedy, by refusing to retire gracefully and permit rising talent to rise in an orderly process, crippled health care reform at its most critical time.

To permit democracy to work, there must be a farm system and some willingness to admit that at some point that staying is more harmful than retiring. Either individual humility or Party discipline must be in evidence. Otherwise, it's just a shell game of an elite power structure preserving and protecting itself.

There are too many missing rails and impassable blockages on the political ladder in too many states. I don't support term limits as a solution, because it takes time to learn the ropes and crises happen on their own schedule, but there must be something beyond a very unfairly rigged election process that works to preserve the status quo. We need a system that permits and encourages the timely passing of power from the spent to the more vigorous ferment bubbling up from the grassroots.

We really need to cultivate democracy from the ground up.

[katkat]

7. yet another hate the old post

Byrd was one of the few voices in the Senate railing against the Iraq war when most of your younger "vigorous ferment" buddies were craven go alongs.

[superduperfarleft]

12. How about a "hate the homophobe?"

You know, politics existed before the Iraq War became the most recent shiny object.

[Lasher]

9. Well here in WV we have a quaint old system and we like it fine. We like to call it 'majority rule'

I know it sounds old fashioned but we're still pretty fond of it. And most of us are pretty fond of Bobby Byrd too. See, that's why he's still serving now.

Thank you for sharing your enlightened views but there's a point I think you're missing: If Byrd hadn't clung to power by running for re-election, the rising talent for which you long would most likely have been a Republican whose father was sent to prison for crimes committed while serving as Governor.

Too bad an old man can't have a moment in the sun after a lifetime of public service. IMO you're the one who is shameful.

[Archae]

13. Yeah, I can see why you liked Byrd.

WV kept getting half the highway money, the rest of the country the other half.

All that *PORK* sure bought the votes.

[Lasher]

24. What are you complaining about? We let you guys have the other half.

That's something Senators do, lobby for the interests of their constituents. Bobby's just been more effective at it than most. If you don't like it, elect better Senators in your own state.

Yum yum, it's the other white meat!

[sofa king]

15. You should look into Senator Byrd.

What we have left today is what that man, almost alone, fought to keep for us. It was Senator Byrd who charted the meticulous course of dissent and delay which prevented the loss of your Social Security, prevented yet another war in Iran, and a hundred other evil things the Bush Administration and Senate Republicans had cooked up.

Senator Reid gets credit for being majority leader for much of that time, but it was Senator Byrd who knew the rules of procedure down to their amazingly complex final details.

If just one Republican had half the procedural competence of Senator Byrd, health care legislation would never have even been printed this year. As it is, Byrd is greasing the skids every step of the way.

Yes, he's old and he has a dark past for which he has been profoundly contrite. But he's as invaluable to one's own side and as beguiling to the other as a Cicero or a Colbert (Jean-Baptiste, or maybe even Stephen), with as many flaws.

[timo]

8. kkk

he is a scumbag for being in the klan

[countmyvote4real]

10. xxx

It was a "grudge" of the time, but he got over it.

I know that is too simplistic, but I have to give him credits for his turnaround. I admire him for his transformation.

Do you not understand the concept of redemption?

[superduperfarleft]

11. Redeemed?

http://www.ontheissues.org/domestic/Robert_Byrd_Civil_Rights.htm

"In early 1992 I met to discuss gays in the military with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, including Senators Sam Nunn and Robert Byrd. Nunn, while opposed to my position, had agreed to the six-month delay. Some of my staffers were upset with him for his early and forceful opposition, but I wasn't; after all, he was personally conservative, and as chairman of the committee, he honored the military culture and saw it as his duty to protect it. He was not alone.

Senator Byrd took a harder line than Nunn. He believed homosexuality was a sin; said he would never let his grandson, whom he adored, join a military that admitted gays; and asserted that one reason the Roman Empire fell was the acceptance of pervasive homosexual conduct in the Roman legions from Julius Caesar on down. "

"Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage." (in 2006)

"Rated 20% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record."

"Rated 22% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights."

Oh, and he voted for the DOMA in 1996.

Fuck Robert Byrd...

[ShortnFiery]

14. At least have a SENSE of RESPECT for your fellow democrats and retire now?

No, you're not "the Pope" and it's uncool to die in office when there can be a smooth transition. :shrug:

[architect359]

17. Voters will determine that, no?

As a public official, he can be in office as long as the voters in his constituency express their confidence in him and continue to support him with their votes.

[Lasher]

23. I am one of the voters who has helped determine that.

Since I was old enough to vote I have voted for him every single time he's run, in every primary and general election. Too bad most of the Byrd haters are from other states where they only got to vote for or against their own Senators. As part of his constituency, I have confidence in him and I hope he stays in office forever.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. Once a bigot, always a bigot. He just aims his bigotry at the more "popular" target.

He showed his stripes with his recent "white nigger/black nigger" statement.

[superduperfarleft]

32. Pretty much. n/t

[marshall]

29. Well, if you drag same sex relationships in, then yes, he isn't that progressive

I guess there's only so much change one person can undergo in their lifetime, and he used up his quota by overcoming racial prejudice.

[superduperfarleft]

31. Yeah, sorry I brought up the pesky little fact that he's a homophobic prick.

Did I harsh your mellow?

[marshall]

34. I agree that it's a major flaw

The same opinion, albeit in less hateful form, continues to hold many of our leaders back.

[timo]

20. yup

redemptions great, but actions not words seems to have prooved that the old hater is just that a scumbag old hater!!

[GodlessBiker]

16. Do we really need a class of professional politicians?

[architect359]

18. Sign of the times?

In this day and age of specialities of professions, why is that a bad thing? We still have the check and balances system where we can vote them in or out. Granted, currently we do have to adhere to our decisions for the office term unless there is a change to the constitution.

[timo]

19. seems so

thats almost all any of them are anymore

[katkat]

21. professional politicians

You don't like them, vote them out. Until then, majority rules.

And unlike some others on this board, I'm not a single issue voter.

[question everything]

25. I still wish that he steps down, for the good of the country

Will he be there when a crucial vote is needed?

If he steps down, will they have special elections, or will the governor nominate someone?

[w4rma]

28. I hope he stays in for at least another term, for the good of our nation.

He's done very well in Congress and he's much better than any Republican that might replace him. Better than many Democrats who might replace him, also.

[superduperfarleft]

30. Yeah, hopefully he'll be able to vote for something else that will deny equal rights to Teh Gayz.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

27. Byrd becomes longest-serving Congress member

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd became the longest-serving lawmaker in congressional history Wednesday, a milestone to be marked with a morning of Senate tributes and a special resolution.

"I look forward to serving you for the next 56 years and 320 days," Byrd said in a statement marking the occasion. His only regret, Byrd said, was that his late wife, Erma, was not there with him.

"I know that she is looking down from the heavens smiling at me and saying congratulations, my dear Robert — but don't let it go to your head," Byrd said.

It was unclear whether Byrd would be able to attend Wednesday's session.

(more at link)

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5glKaImPfLJaz4oyCrL4WFEbutcRwD9C212O84

[DU GrovelBot]

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[stlsaxman]

37. Byrd is the WORD!

BIG fan of Senator Robert Byrd here!