I have no idea why anyone is surprised about Byrd's vote on Alito

[dsc]

Byrd is very socially conservative. He is pro choice but also very anti gay and was slow to get in on race. He opposed Marshall for the Supreme Court. Byrd was one of the gang of 14 who brokered the compromise over Alito in the first place. The only reason I hoped that he would oppose Alito was on executive power. That turned out to be not enough. Byrd's behavior in this was totally in character. We shouldn't be surprised.

[rodeodance]

1. I agree,but had hoped exc. power issue would win him over.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

2. Nor should he be surprised

when West Virgnians like me leave his name blank on the ballot

[0007]

3. I'm very disapponted in the man.

[peacetalksforall]

4. I am one who is surprised. Because of his Constitution obsession.

How many pages of congressionsl records are filled with his words; how many minutes of air time have carried his words? About the Constitution. How many times have we seen him whip his pocket edition out of his pocket and lecture on it.

I contend that his vision is failing - vision to recognize what Alito is all about and what is in store for us if he gets in.

Everything you said is right - he has been up and down on all the issues we may care about, but the Constitution always carries him along.

Why can't he see what's coming with Alito there? I predict we will be saying that Alito is worse then Scalia is and Rehnquist was. Forget Thomas. He just burps the others. We will shudder over what is in store.

[dsc]

9. He is a strict constructionist

On many judical issues he is very comfortable with conservative jurists.

[Sydnie]

5. The gang of 14 was not a deal for Alito

it was a deal for the circuit judges that has carried over to this. Byrd took this man at his word. He is of that generation. I am surprised that the balance of power issue wasn't enough for him though. If his calls were primarily for Alito (90% according to his office) then he did the bidding of his voters. I can respect that.

[peacetalksforall]

8. I won't believe the 90% until someone tells me what the per cent was

on Roberts or if 90% called in against Harriet or what the typical other per cents are. What if Falwell, Robertson, Dobson, Jones and the others told their lemmings to call?

I would hope the Byrd had some method of figuring it all out and judging the result.

[Sydnie]

12. It was reported here when someone made a call today

they were told that 90% of the calls they were receiving were in favor. I don't know how they came to that number, but that is what was reported. Having grown up in WV, I can believe that the number was well over 50%. It is a very conservative state.

[peacetalksforall]

16. Don't you think that 90% is distorted? How did he get in and stay in if

90% are pro-life or pro-executary or whatever moves them that way?

[Sydnie]

20. WV was a very democratic state for many years

then, they swang the other direction. It really goes back to their govenors races. They trade that spot back and forth like a ping pong ball. They loved Arch Moore for years, until they didn't love him anymore and sent him to jail.

I had a teacher in high school that I loved dearly. She took us to the Capital to lobby for monitors to be placed around the state to creat a clean air index for the state. (I still have the arm band we wore, 30 years later!) She was a great teacher, both in school and out of school. About 10 or so years ago, she ran for govenor as a dem. She was divorced from a previous DA. They trashed her completely. Seems they haven't considered a good dem there in a long time.

Byrd, on the other hand, is WV. He has been there for so long and has touched a great deal of lives in one way or the other. He has always delivered on highway funds (a big employer in an area that is still fairly rural) and other special projects for the state. They know that a junior Senator would not have the clout that Byrd does and he is fair with them. He listens to them, can spin a good yarn and they like him.

I have no doubt in my mind that they would reach out and tell him what they think on any issue.

Is 90% inflated? I don't know, but they have been in the business of talking those calls for him for years. They probably have a good finger on the pulse of their voters by now.

[peacetalksforall]

23. Thanks - you gave me a great look. Makes sense. I hope that people

know that they can still contact him and I hope the scale slides the other way. The problem is that the issues surrounding Alito are a little too complex for hard working people to study. That is where the media is supposed to pick up and help out with. Not in the U.S. of Corporations. No way - we are stuck with murder and criminal lawyers arguing with each other about blood and motives. The country is falling apart and they are obsessed with everyday murders. We are in a disgusting situation.

Anyway, I'm an out-of-stater to WV, but I sent a message to him and it didn't bounce. It was easy -

..... typed in Robert Byrd - the first listing has a Contact Email link right there - very easy. The easiest I've used.

Keep posting and educating us.

[dchill]

6. "...slow to get in on race"

Boy, is that a diplomatic way of saying that he once belonged to the KKK.
;)

[WildEyedLiberal]

7. LOL

The power of euphemisms.

[dsc]

10. I am referring to his early Senate record

not his involvement in the Klan which was actually quite minimal. Byrd opposed the Civil Rights Act of 64 among other things.

[dchill]

13. His quite minimal involvement with the Klan...

is quite enough for me. But his vote on Alito is too much for me. Sure, he may have been "representing his constituency," but his convoluted reasoning on the reasons for his vote gives the lie to it. This is one bad vote that will not just come back to haunt him, but all of us. He won't need to pull that Constitution out of his pocket anymore.

[dsc]

15. Justice Black was in the Klan for far longer and was a great liberal

justice. Byrd was by all accounts in the Klan for only a very short time. I am not happy he voted for Alito by any means I just am not surprised.

[dchill]

19. Just for the record,

I've long been aware of Byrd's Klan konnection, and don't hold it against him. My concern is his vote for Alito, and the convoluted logic of his excuse for it. Even if 90% of his constituency is in favor of Alito, it is only because they're convinced he'll vote to overturn Roe. If they're convinced, I'm convinced.

One cannot count on the Miracle of Appointment to SCOTUS to change a man. That's way too long a bet in this case. Byrd knows better, and everybody knows that.

[radio4progressives]

11. actually in a another thread.. it's reported that the fundies spent

mega bucks saturating West Virginia in tv and radio ads plus spending millions of dollars trying to defeat all Dems in Red States, including the Dakotas etc.

It appears Byrd is a target of the fundies multi billion dollar industry.

I don't know how we can counter it with nothing but our plea's, but that's what we have to do.

[Mike Nelson]

14. This Byrd Has Flown

Bye, Bye, Birdie
(I've lost all respect for him)
(He's wearing a hood of a different color now...)

[dchill]

21. Indeed it has.

Welcome to DU, Mike Nelson! What have you been doing since Sci-Fi Channel cancelled your show, Mystery Science Theater 3000?

:)

[OKthatsIT]

17. Is this vote legit? He actually voted?

last I heard was that 90% of calls coming into his office were Pro-Alito, no Filibuster.

He would be the easiest to confuse, dont you think? There's a rumor going around that the GOP is 'jamming' the Dems phone and emails.

How many of these assholes would call Byrd and fake their zip code???

[pstokely]

24. no one has voted yet

[ladjf]

18. I think he is a hypocrite. With all of his talk about the Senate

losing it's authority and then to vote for the man that personifies Presidential power. That's it for Byrd. I'm never going to support him again even though he makes impressive speeches. (that are phony as hell)

[jonnyblitz]

22. I wasn't surprised. I saw him with his bible in hand, railing against

gays and babbling about god back in the 90's during the DOMA debates. he sounded like James Dobson. he gives a damn good anti war speech but i always thought he was a bigoted old asshole. nt