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Published: November 20, 2009

In 2002 Sen. Trent Lott, then Republican minority leader, said the following at Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party: "When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all of these problems over the years either." While it wasn't clear what "these problems" were, the morally pure left got their knickers all knotted up, saw the comment as racist rather than an innocuous comment at an old man's party, and hounded the senator from his minority leadership position, and ultimately from the Senate.

On Nov. 18 Sen. Robert Byrd became the longest-serving member of the U.S. Congress, having now served for 56 years. Sen. Byrd has also made some interesting comments in the past. One example comes to mind: "I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wild."

So one senator was hounded from office, and the other is now known as "the Conscience of the Senate," a title I assume he prefers rather than Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, which he held while he was in a leadership position in that organization. Granted, people do change over the years. Former Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace did later in life, and perhaps Sen. Byrd has, too. Let's hope so.

RON FUSCO

Rutland








READER COMMENTS


Northstar! You are sooo right on! Keep bating at those lefties.You have a real up hill battle living in The Socialist republic of Vermont.
-- Posted by CLIFF BLAKE on Tue, Nov 24, 2009, 11:55 am EST

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When we start throwing stones lets not neglect Teddy who actully contributed to the death of a campaign aide and who joined Chris Dodd terrorising the waitresses and anyone wearing a dress in the District, Slick Willi who has been a sexual predator for years. Murtha who appears to have been dirty since abscam, VP Biden who took advantage or 5 draft deferment during the Viet Nam war (same as Cheney). Rangel who seems okay telling the rest of us how to pay our taxes but can't manage to do it himself. The many cabinet members of this administration who although they claim to be public servants seem more interesting in serving themselves and their families than the people of the US. This to include "leader Reid and his funky real estate deals and of course the lovely Pelosi and her santimonious attack on Auto CEO's use of aircraft while at the same time demanding a larger aircraft from the AF for her flights home. At least the CEO's were using the car companies money, Pelosi is using our money. The whole bunch are trash and more than likely if they were ever audited would be sent to jail.
-- Posted by northstar62 on Mon, Nov 23, 2009, 9:14 am EST

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Notta, you are one sick sob.
-- Posted by Handy Andy on Sun, Nov 22, 2009, 9:20 pm EST

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MM says, "Or you could say that Democrats and other lefties are willing to compromise their principles for political gain while Republicans are more likely to stick to their guns."

I find that remark to be absolutely indicative of all that's wrong with the GOP, the neocons and other right-wing types. Even when totally wrong, these folks will continue to carry on as if by doing so they will somehow be proven right 0r at least, they say, they stick to their guns, literally and figuratively. We've seen this in Iraq (especially with regard to WMD), we've seen it with tax cuts for the rich, we've seen it in their rewarding those who have done the most harm (witness the recent awards to Scooter Libby for his criminal behavior in behalf of his beyond evil boss, Shooter Cheney), we see it each and every time the voting public forgets history and elects yet another GOP to the White House.

Well, congratulations, MM. You may be wrong but you're consistently wrong anyway. Pardon me if I find no logic or reason in any of that.
-- Posted by Notta Bushman on Sun, Nov 22, 2009, 7:57 pm EST

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Or you could say that Democrats and other lefties are willing to compromise their principles for political gain while Republicans are more likely to stick to their guns.
-- Posted by Mr. Moderate on Sun, Nov 22, 2009, 9:36 am EST

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Byrd is a perfect example of why we need strict term limits
-- Posted by None None on Sat, Nov 21, 2009, 8:46 pm EST

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Nice to see you get it, MM. Dems and other lefties are capable of admitting their youthful mistakes and working to make changes to benefit themselves and others. GOPs are incapable of making similar changes or even admitting their ideology is wrong.
-- Posted by Notta Bushman on Fri, Nov 20, 2009, 3:23 pm EST

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Another important factor is that Byrd is a Democrat and Lott is a Republican.
-- Posted by Mr. Moderate on Fri, Nov 20, 2009, 10:31 am EST

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Noozereeder is correct. Byrd's remarks were many decades ago, whereas Lott's remarks were in 2002. Byrd should be given credit for overcoming the prejudices he grew up with. Lott made no equivalent progress in his outlook of American society.
-- Posted by Ray Makul on Fri, Nov 20, 2009, 9:47 am EST

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Byrd is a perfect example of a serious weakness in our elective process. If you get elected to office and through hook or by crook or merely you are lucky enough to be in the majority party you are able to bring home the pork you are guarnteed a job for life. Virtually every public building, bridge highway or govt. project in W. Virginia has Byrd's name on it.

Congress imposed term limits on the President and Vice President because they were affraid that a popular and powerful exectutive could occupy the White House for life. However they feel that it is perfectly okay that we have congressional members and senators who seem to occupy their desks for life. Why is it necessary to hae term liimits on the executive but not necessary for the legislative branch? I thought that the branches were supposed to be equal. I guess not?

Why would a member of congress or senator need to recieve cash contributions from folks in Californina, Florida or andy of the 49 other states if their job is to represent voters in Vermont? How do we know they are representing us when their money is coming from somewhere else? Just asking.
-- Posted by northstar62 on Fri, Nov 20, 2009, 7:26 am EST

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The difference is that Byrd's comments were made many decades ago while Lott's were made just a few years ago. Yes, times change and people evolve. Trent Lott obviously hasn't but most people do.
-- Posted by noozereeder on Fri, Nov 20, 2009, 5:54 am EST

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