Sen Byrd just TORE in half his copy of the Allocation Bill in the Senate

[berry]

He was furious--the fine print for the Iraq Allocation bill says that the Pres* can reallocate any of the $20 billion. Byrd asked if you want King George? If so, this bill is a step on the way. Powerful stuff. Worth watching c-span2 this afternoon. There may be more fireworks.

[goforit]

1. Go Byrd!!!!!

Tear it in widdle pieces and send it to all the pugs!!!!

:bounce:

[mmm]

2. Sometimes it looks like we Dems only have

20 members of Congress representing us.

[Flying_Pig]

17. That's about it, ..20. The rest are either "tutu'd", or PNAC'd, or ...

AIPAC'd (pro-Israel lobby). Whatever they are, they sure as hell don't represent my interests, nor the interests of the nation, often enough.

[phillybri]

3. BRAVO!!!

:kick:

[fob]

4. That, my friends is the act of a TRUE Patriot.

Get that man 24 hour protection.

fob

[w4rma]

5. That man gets it. His priorities are straight. (n/t)

[branch]

6. Makes me Proud.

I'm from WV. That man makes me so Proud. Even though the Repubs are spending alot of time and energy trying to make him unpopular enough to get rid of.

[MountainLaurel]

19. Another Mountie here

:hi:

And I concur, though I do disagree with many of his other positions (church vs. state, gays, the environment, race, etc.) Byrd has been one of the few forces challenging the Bushistas.

Why aren't we hearing other Dem voices on these topics?

Go BOB!

[DeaconBlues]

23. I am a West Virginian living in the midwest myself

and everytime I see Byrd on the television I wish he still represented me. The man is too great for our times.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

7. he is sooo RIGHT too!...GO BYRD!!!!

[Gin]

8. I am not surprised they have carte blanche with the money...

I also thing the 68 buillion is for the reconstruction of the bank accounts of Halliburton...and the 20 billion is for the troops.

[9215]

9. I saw that

The reallocation clause effectively nullifies Byrd's Amendment. Sleazy politics at its finest.

[TNOE]

10. The truth can be so refreshing

these days! Byrd has been the man!

[nostamj]

11. Byrd was just starting

to explain that Rummy has discretion over billions of the money targeted for troop support....

5 minutes to debate something THIS important.

I HATE REPUBLICANS

[LuminousX]

12. As we applaud Byrd, remember

He was also counseling the congress to vote against IWR. We should be listening to his wisdom.

[Pastiche423]

16. A yup

The Senator "counseled" the Congress as he stood for hours a day, every day, in the five week lead up to the war rag vote. He did it alone and he was RIGHT!

The Congress should listen to his wisdom NOW.

[keopeli]

13. Byrd rocks! Congress should use their power, not give it away!

[IrateCitizen]

14. Why does it take an anti-environment, pork-barrel Senator...

to point out these basic truths for us?

WHY?

I'm not a huge fan of some of the other things that Byrd has stood for throughout his career, but God bless him for what he's been doing to stand up for these issues!

[Iverson]

24. you got it

I echo your sentiments.

[ShaneGR]

27. I kind of disagree with you on the pork

It's the job of any Senator or House member to get money for his district or state. This is especially true for members who have a particularly poor district. Personally, I would say it might be the most important thing a member does for his constituants.

So, in my opinion, I would say being a pork-barelled senator is actually a good thing.

[proud patriot]

15. Yay Byrd !

:bounce: patriots love you

[BattyDem]

18. Go Byrd-man!

:bounce: :yourock: :bounce:

[tom_paine]

20. Bob Byrd is our Cicero!

Luckily for him, due to advances in communications technology, the Busheviks can't just order him beheaded as Antony did to Cicero.

But I'd avoid those small planes, Bob.

[berry]

21. Update--Byrd just told the story of The Emperor's New Clothes

about how everyone pretends to believe the lies. Wonderfully told and unambiguous in its indictment of Bush*. And THEN he quoted Goerring from The Nuremburg Diaries--on how the people of any country can be dragged to war by telling them they are threatened by an enemy. You know the quotation.

The Stevens stood up in almost apoplexy--saying isn't America wonderful (implication: even such words as Byrd's are "allowed"). Then he proceeded to accuse Byrd of not supporting the troops.

Now, he just said: "Fie on that doctrine of preemtion! Fie on it!"

Bravo! Bravissimo!

[last_texas_dem]

31. Stevens is such a prick

I saw him in a clip on the CBS Evening News where he was saying that those who don't vote for the $87B don't support the troops. Sad that when the Senate switched hands we went from having THE Senator, Robert Byrd as President Pro-Tempore to the king of bile Ted Stevens.

[elperromagico]

22. Somebody tell Byrd to stay off of small planes

n/t

[Buns_of_Fire]

25. By all means, contact him and let him know he's appreciated...

http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_issues/byrd_contact/byrd_contact.html

[Mari333]

29. I called him in DC the phones were ringing off the hook

I can only hope he got nothing but support for his true patriotism.

[hippywife]

35. Emailed him!!

It has been so good to have his voice there in the Senate along with Dennis' in the House to cry out against this regime. They are truly the best voices of democracy we could possibly have right now.

[cosmicdot]

26. was a DUer trying to define Patriotism in another thread????

Here it is - go Senator Byrd!

:bounce:

[maggrwaggr]

28. hm, just watched the evening news. No mention of any of this

To most Americans, it never happened.

Sad.

We're living behind an iron curtain, only it's our own media.

[gully]

30. That's right. The myth that Dems don't stand up will be perpetuated

and people will stay home on election day. Sad....

[Q]

34. How many Dems stood with Byrd to be counted and heard?

- How many stood with Kennedy for that matter?

- It's not a myth.

- A couple Dems standing in the Senate and giving great and inspiring speeches is not news. What would be NEWS is if many other Dems stood WITH them.

[oasis]

32. I had to e-mail this American hero to show my appreciation.

[Andromeda]

33. A toast to Senator Byrd!

:toast:

[rhite5]

36. re: the $87 B. The "support our troops" meme has got to be shot down.

Money has already been allocated to support our troops until next April. By that time they should all have been brought home.

Bush has not accounted for the money already spent. We know about the No-Bid contracts to Halliburton et al which are obscenely bloated and unexplainable. Iraqi engineering firms are not permitted to bid on or handle reconstruction in their own country. There is something like 70% unemployment in Iraq.

Bush has presented no plan. He has not fired the people responsible for the quagmire that is getting worse.

Are we to believe that only 12 Senators have the guts to do what is right?

The only way to support the troops is to bring them home NOW.

Then turn this business over to the UN. Let American corporations bid on competitive contracts along with European and Middle Eastern corporations. We will pay the bills, but they will be a fraction of what we are paying on these bloated contracts.

Put the Iraqis to work and the need for a military presense will be minimal.

[spanone]

37. Byrd would have my VOTE in a heartbeat. Prez Byrd.

[tlb]

38. West Virginians would thank you for that vote

as the US capitol is moved to West Virginia.

I can see it now. The Robert C Byrd Memorial City, just off Interstate 64.