Dear Senator Byrd

[Dr.Phool]

E-mail I sent the Senator

Dear Senator Byrd,

I am writing to you in response to the fundraising letter I received from you yesterday, Friday, Jan.27, 2006.

Had I received the solicitation earlier in the week, I would have gladly written you a check. I have for many years, enjoyed your very eloquent speeches on the Senate floor. Had I written the check, I would have stopped payment on it Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006. That was the day you announced your support for Judge Sam Alito for the Supreme Court. As of today I will send you nothing.

As, a native of Chapmanville, Logan County, West Virginia, I had many relatives who worked in the coal mines. I had a cousin who was electrocuted, and an uncle who survived the lower half of his body being crushed in the mines.

My parents relocated to Cleveland,Ohio when I was a child. My father spent his entire working life on the railroad as an engineer and union officer. I followed in both fields. During my 31 years there, I witnessed several of my co-workers killed or dismembered trying to earn a living in a dangerous profession. After retiring on disability from the railroad, I became very active in politics in Florida. I ran for Congress in 2004, and am currently managing a congressional race for a friend.

You, Senator, in the twilight of a great career, have chosen to support a fascist for the Supreme Court, who believes that the federal government has no right in enforcing environmental or safety regulations. A man who has a "nice demeanor", but has ruled against worker protections consistently. A man who refuses to recuse himself in cases in which he has a financial stake. A man who lied to the Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing.

No, Senator, I'll not be sending you anything this time. However, should someone emerge to challenge you in the primary, I'll gladly send them a check. Maybe it's time to take a good look at the pasture you're heading to.

[MelissaB]

1. Well done!

:kick:

[TNC4DNC]

2. Comment on Byrd

Yes, I support you in what you are doing also. Coming from an outsider, I always felt that Sen. Byrd seemed like more of a fence rider to me. One of those Dems that is proud to call himself a Dem, but at the same time acts Republican in a lot of ways. I guess you just pointed one out. I am sure there are other examples. Since he is a very senior Senator he gets to bring home a lot of (pork) projects back to his state, which is why I guess he gets elected time and time again. However, I hope that W.VA. can bring in some new blood there soon, someone that ACTS Democratic as well as talking Democratic, and isn't afraid of leaning a little more left instead of right. Standing up for miners rights and safety against the big companies would be a good place to start.

[AlecBGreen]

26. good post

However, I hope that W.VA. can bring in some new blood there soon, someone that ACTS Democratic as well as talking Democratic...

Byrd is a good guy but you're right...time for some fresh blood.

Welcome to DU! :hi: :toast: :party:
-Alec

[TNC4DNC]

28. Hey Thanks, glad to be here!

[Catch22Dem]

3. Kicked & Recommended

Well done.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

4. From his opposition to the Voting Rights Act fof 1964

to his recent support for the Bankruptcy Bill a year ago, Byrd has never done anything that could be considered "liberal."

Liberals here have supported him, however, because he had clout and didn't have an (R) behind his name. Getting a little bit of public money for projects desperately needed here in WV didn't hurt either.

Today is the filing deadline for elections in WV. There will be no primary opponent. What I'm encouraging people to do is to leave his name blank in the Primary, and possibly in the General Election as well.

And, along the lines of what you've done, withhold the money! There is not a single reason for anyone in WV who considers himself a liberal to give Byrd a dime. He's already taken $88,000 from MoveOn. That's plenty.

Kicked and Recommended!

[tavalon]

20. Not fair

I support him because he is passionate about the constitution. Why he is choosing to abrogate that passion at this pivotal moment is confusing at the very least.

[Czolgosz]

5. K & R -- excellent letter

[Straight Shooter]

6. My letter to him does not have your passion or experience, but

it follows the same line of thinking:

Your web site headline reads "Leadership. Character. Commitment." I want to tell you that of all the Senators, the one who has always reminded me most of Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is you, Senator Byrd.

Filibuster, Senator. This is not the time to gamble with the future. Alito may have judicial credentials the length of your arm, but his ethical judgment is sorely lacking. For Vanguard alone he is eminently unqualified to sit on the highest bench of this land.

Your legacy is at stake. All the work you've done through the years, wasted, if you vote for Alito or fail to support a filibuster. This is all you will be remembered for, that in one moment which could define the courage of Democrats, you failed us.

=======================================

What a sad day for America, when Senator Byrd turns his back on democracy.

[RazzleDazzle]

15. Excellent

I think the other is a little too insulting to be effective, frankly -- altho, truth be told, he'll never read it anyway. At this point they're simply tallying yes's and no's.

Yours strikes a more thoughtful tone.

[Helga Scow Stern]

7. Thanks for expressing this.

I have written him too several times, but I am from California and do not have the direct relationship with him as my Senator.

[Hubert Flottz]

8. Lol!!!!

I'm still pissed too!

I'll bet the union support here in the state will be harder to come by this time for the Senator, if he sticks to this present course of action.

I still have a sneaking suspicion though, that there is more to this story than meets the eye. I'm still thinking that maybe a little political razzle dazzle play may be in progress.

[progressoid]

9. Thumbs up!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Justice Is Comin]

10. Good for you.

This traitor-ship by him is almost like the Twilight Zone. He chastised Frist up one side and down the other for threatening the nuclear option. Now he's using it against America.

I'm burning mad. :kick: and :thumbsup:

[mzmolly]

11. I've defended Byrd here for his overall opposition to Bush, but yours is

an excellent/compelling letter.

Thank you.

[fooj]

12. Think he'll get the message?

I certainly would. Great letter!

Peace.

[roguevalley]

13. No. Bush used him as an example of a tame Dem in his radio

message today. Bush used his tame dem. Byrd is a tool.

[Nutmegger]

14. K & R!!!

What a wonderful letter. Nice!!!

:kick:

[low_phreaq]

16. Byrd might read hand-written letters faxed to him

Here's a thread on it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x262587

And if you want to talk about Alito & mine safety:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x256388

[Hidden Stillness]

17. My Opinion of Byrd Forever Changed

I don't think I have ever been as disappointed with Sen. Byrd as I have been after this Alito vote; I can still hardly even believe it, and cannot explain it. Everybody knows how conservative Byrd has always been, but every now and then you would get some absolutely brilliant flash of courage and principle--as when Byrd, alone, spoke to empty Senate chambers, warning against the Iraq invasion, which had not happened yet--defying the powerful, on behalf of the Constitution.

I am baffled as to how Alito will do anything other than completely unravel the whole system of checks-and-balances, independant braches of government, fixed law, and the Constitution itself. How can Byrd not know this, or is everything to be sacrificed to arch-conservatism? Especially immediately after the tragedies of these recent mine explosions because of unsafe, essentially deregulated conditions; oppressed miners, who have no rights at all, sent to their deaths because no one would help them or hear their case, when they all knew how dangerous it was. To then vote to confirm someone you know will never be anything but a block of ice, cold and unfeeling, and a roadblock for that very concern, and tip the balance on the Court so that the rights of this very type of employee will be set back a hundred years...

I will never again listen to Sen. Byrd's "loving" proclamations about the importance of the Constitution the same way ever again. Now I will only hear the dishonest, hypocritical bastard who helped kill it, by valuing narrow social arch-conservatism above "liberty and justice for all."

[freedomfries]

18. from a non-constituent

dear Senator Byrd
I was planning to send you a check in response to your recent fund appeal, because I deeply admire your brilliant and courageous speech against the Iraq war authorization. Your decision to support the Alito nomination stunned me. I disagree with you that he is a man of principles. Mr. Alito is a stealth extremist who failed to deliver clear and forthright answers on all important issues to avoid a filibuster. It is clear from his actions and statements that he will do nothing to curb the expansion of presidential power and the gradual destruction of our constitutional democracy.
If you cannot change your mind on the subject, please abstain from voting on cloture on Monday for the sake of our children and grand-children.
Thanks

[Hissyspit]

24. I emailed him, but your letter is much more impressive.

Good job and thanks for speaking for many of the rest of us.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AuntiBush]

21. Logan County

:hi: Dr. Phool. Have a ton of kin from Logan Co., WV on over to OH as well.

And, kudos for sending that email!

[onecitizen]

22. Good job.......

I called his Chas. office Friday and said much the same.

He hurt me badly. He stuck a dagger in my chest. I will never send money or support him again. I pointed out in my phone call that those little old ladies he referred to on his website were not little ol' ladies at all but a group of right-wing nuts who had those letters all ready to go when they got the word from headquarters. AND if he thought THEY would vote for him or send him money, then he is not nearly as smart as I thought.

I'm 55 y/o and when I was 17 y/o he came to my high school and gave a talk. I have supported him ever since then, some 30 odd years ago. And it hasn't always been easy. But his love for the Constitution always encouraged me when folks would say things like KKK Bob and other derogatory statements about him.

I feel totally betrayed. I was close to tears on Thursday and Friday. I'll never get over this I don't think.

[understandinglife]

23. K&R and Thank you. Senator Byrd needs to admit a mistake and ...

... full force filibuster Alito and never allow a cloture vote to pass.

Got that Senator Byrd.


Peace.

[Wordie]

25. Maybe I'm foolish, but I keep hoping that Senator Byrd will change his

mind. I just can't bring myself to write him again though. I wrote a letter to him that I worked on for a long time. Have you read some of the speeches on his website? Very eloquent and inspiring. And his stand on the Iraq war was admirable and courageous. His respect for the Constitution had become stuff of legend, but now he's done this.

I too, am baffled as to why he didn't seem to look beyond the surface of Alito. And I personally think that Alito, while being technically honest in saying that he would respect the law and Constitution, wasn't being entirely forthcoming about his views about the unitary executive. Alito was able to answer truthfully that nobody, not even the President, was above the law, and that he would not make decisions that gave the President unconstitutional expanded powers because he believes that those powers ARE constitutional! That's the entire basis of the unitary executive theory; proponents claim that such expanded executive powers were the intent of the original framers!!! And Alito was still vigorously supporting that theory as late as 2001, in a speech to the Federalist society; these aren't beliefs he has abandoned. I doubt seriously that Senator Byrd would agree with him, but apparently he is unaware of those later statements.

I'm still trying to get my heart back into writing him again, but so far I just am too disappointed.

[BlueEyedSon]

27. good job, thx!