Byrd Regrets Vote for USA Patriot Act

[Eugene]

Byrd Regrets Vote for USA Patriot Act

By LAURIE KELLMAN
The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 28, 2006; 3:30 AM

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Robert Byrd, the dean of the Senate and its resident constitutional expert,
counts only a few regrets in his 48-year Senate career: filibustering the 1964 Civil Rights Act,
voting to expand the Vietnam War, deregulating airlines.

Add to the list a new one from this century: supporting the anti-terror USA Patriot Act
after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"The original Patriot Act is a case study in the perils of speed, herd instinct and lack
of vigilance when it comes to legislating in times of crisis," the West Virginia Democrat
said Monday on the eve of the Senate's final votes on its renewal. "The Congress was stampeded,
and the values of freedom, justice and equality received a trampling in the headlong rush."

This week as he embarks on a re-election campaign for a record ninth term, Byrd, 88, will
vote "no" on renewing 16 major provisions of the act due to expire March 10. He argues that even
with new privacy protections added this year by the Bush administration and its allies, the law
has given the government too much power to pry.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/28/AR2006022800132.html

[annabanana]

1. He, like many others

couldn't bring enough skepticism to the table early enough. A principled man is loath to recognize lack of principle in others, I guess.

[laruemtt]

2. well, he can add

voting for alito to that list. or maybe it's too soon for him to realize what a disaster that was.

[xchrom]

3. well, at least he can change his mind.

and he does that with eloquence.

[Massachusetts]

4. "well, at least he can change his mind."

He better begin NOW!!!!! This Treasonous freight train of Bushco is trying to pick up speed. (has anyone noticed all the activity?)

[0007]

13. What politician doesn't? Byrd plays both ends very well!

[IsItJustMe]

5. Yeah, and if lives a while, he'll regret his yes vote for Alito, along

with the rest of us

[Voltaire99]

6. Like nearly the entire Congress...

...he was only too content to be railroaded.

9/11 taught us that our leaders will fold the instant they are bullied. To a large extent we already knew this from the authoritarian domestic experience in 20th century wars. Yet some of us expected more; maybe we thought some remnants of liberalism would save us, that the Democrats were just better somehow. Ha.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. He should also regret his vote on the filibuster.

[Demeter]

8. Too Stubborn, and Not Smart or Principled Enough

Sorry, no tissues for this tear-jerker jerk.

[zanne]

16. He really broke my heart with his support for Alito.

I like to claim that I don't have any heros, but deep down, Robert Byrd was my hero. I wasn't as angry at his refusal to filibuster as I was sad and, yes, heartbroken. And he won't live long enough to make it right. Well, that'll teach me.

[Talismom]

9. But not the bankruptcy bill or the vote against the Alito filibuster! As

far as I'm concerned Byrd's opinions no longer matter. He has NO LONGER got any credibility with me! He's part of the corporatist problem, not the solution!

[Orsino]

10. Unless he does something about it, no, he doesn't.

[soothsayer]

12. bingo!

talk is cheap.

[Orsino]

15. And a too-late "no" vote won't cover it.

Let him lead a filibuster, if he wants to atone.

[Just Me]

11. In spite of his shortcomings, I admire him, greatly.

He was one of the few who took a strong and vocal stand against the administration's abuses BEFORE it was popular.

He's come a long way since his youth. He was never too stubborn to change or too proud to admit mistakes. He has grown and changed in so many positive ways. He's a principled man and I admire him, greatly.

[niallmac]

14. I don't much about his follow through but I doubt anyone could

read some of his floor speeches and not realize his grasp of the letter and intent of the Constitution is formidable.
All the more disappointing that he too fell in line with Patriot Act hysteria.

[KoKo]

19. As angry as I am with him over Bankruptcy and Alito votes....I agree

that I still admire him for his speeches on the Senate floor trying to stop the Iraq War Resolution. He gave hope to us who tried to stop that illegal , immoral invasion. And, he and Ted Kennedy deserve alot of credit for helping many of us get our act together to organize to try to stop carnage that has resulted.

No one is perfect and Byrd has much baggage given his age and his conservative state. But he had a brief shining moment on Iraq...and I will always respect him for that.

[WinkyDink]

17. "Sequel: Byrd Regrets Cloture Vote."

[MrPrax]

18. woulda, coulda, shoulda...

The Old Coot really means to say that he regrets that vote looks bad now in light of how the war has turned out and the way the polls are going.

[WhiteTara]

20. 4 chances to be the patriot he calls

himself, and 4 times he did the wrong thing. I would count the Alito vote as a 5th thing. I keep wanting to like this man, but he keeps disappointing me.