Byrd Takes Frist to School

[AtomicKitten]

VIDEO: Byrd Takes Frist To School
http://www.thinkprogress.org/

Today on the floor of the Senate, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) taught Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) a lesson in constitutional law. At Byrd’s insistence, Frist was forced to admit that the so-called “right” to an up-or-down vote — what Frist calls the “Constitutional Option” — is “not in the Constitution.”

On Fox News this Sunday, Frist argued the opposite: "I think it would be against the intent of the founding fathers and our Constitution to deny Sam Alito an up or down vote on the floor of the United States Senate."

[Historic NY]

1. Conscience of the Senate.....Sen. Byrd...........n/t

[The Wielding Truth]

2. Good old Byrd.The first to make a strong stand against the Crook &

Liars of the Rep Party. He is an American who has been around long enough to see through the looking glass and recognize the Mad Hatters who have bushwhacked this country.Long may he serve...........
:patriot:

[gratuitous]

3. Pick the wrong fight, Dr. Frist?

After all, real live human beings aren't quite so politically malleable as brain-dead comatose blind women. And Byrd, though aged, is still very much alive and kicking. The Alito nomination may be dead by January anyway.

Also, what about Harriet Myers' "right" to that sacred up-or-down vote? How short do you think our memories are anyway, Dr. Frist?

[Lefty48197]

17. I find this absolutely SHOCKING

You mean Republican Bill Frist lied about being in favor of an up or down vote, on FOX "News", after already having flip-flopped on the issue with relation to Harriet Myers? And NOBODY called him out on his lie? Not one of those professional journalists at FOX News challenged Frist on his lie. Wow. That is absolutely shocking.

[mduffy31]

4. Now you watch

...the tactic that the right is going to use to attack Sen. Byrd is that he is a former Klan member.

[AtomicKitten]

5. yabbut

he's still right!

Let the character assassination begin!

[onenote]

6. sadly you are almost certainly correct

They're so predictable...

onenote

[bunny planet]

11. I think that one's already been trotted out enough times. How is someone

like Trent Lott going to get away with that smear after his Strom Thurmond fan club remarks. At least Byrd can claim to be a 'former' member, many of his fellow Senators are not so clandestine present day bigots. Glass houses you know. Byrd is outspoken enough to come right out and admit the error of his early ways anyway and defuse it if they try that tactic.

[Lefty48197]

18. Have they ever NOT slandered one of their critics?

.

[Reciprocity]

7. I watched the repeat on C-span last night he was great!

For those that missed it.

Byrd of West Virginia, a staunch defender of the Senate's often arcane rules and procedures, was responding to a comment by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who said Sunday he might move to restrict filibusters if Democrats try to block the nomination of Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court. Minutes after the Senate returned from a three-week vacation Byrd challenged Frist, a Tennessee Republican, in an unusually pointed floor debate.

"If the senator wants a fight, let him try. I'm 88 years old but I can still fight and fight I will for freedom of speech," Byrd said. Byrd said he did not expect a filibuster against Alito, but complained, "I'm tired of hearing this threat thrown in our faces if we decide we want to filibuster."

<snip>
"My principle is an up or down vote ... that's all I'm arguing for, is an up or down vote," Frist told Byrd.
Byrd shot back, "That's never been the rule here. Senators have the right to talk, the right to filibuster."
If Frist tries to limit that right, "He's going to see a real filibuster," Byrd warned.

For more
Capitol Hill Blue,
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7807.shtml

[Parche]

8. Byrd

Next he should tell them about article 6 in the US Constitution, about how only Congress
can declare war.....and that the US is NOT at war now.

[The Wielding Truth]

9. You mean refuse to fund the war? Wow .It would get the discussion

going. Maybe the questions will be answered. Attn: All Federal Reps. Don't fund another penny until we see , right now, an account of what we spent.

[Reciprocity]

10. I watched him on the floor doing that time and he did.

[Kire]

12. FOCUS | Byrd Warns Frist against 'Nuclear Option'

FOCUS | Byrd Warns Frist against 'Nuclear Option'
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/121305Z.shtml
"If he ever tries to exercise the nuclear option, he's going to see a
real filibuster if I'm living and able to stand on my feet or sit in my
seat," Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) said in a Senate debate with Frist
(R-Tenn.) "If the senator wants a fight, let him try it," said Byrd, the
Senate's senior Democrat. "I'm 88 years old, but I can still fight, and
fight I will for freedom of speech. I haven't been here for 47 years to
see that freedom of speech whittled away and undermined."

[AtomicKitten]

15. "I'm 88 and I can still fight."

Maybe he could instruct his fellow Dems.

[texpatriot2004]

13. Thank you Sen. Byrd nm

[Rebelry]

14. Gotta love it.

Frist is just an idiot.

[Andromeda]

16. Such a difference between Senator Byrd and...

Strom Thurmond(R) who at 100 yrs. sat in his Senate seat long after he could even participate. His aides would hold his hand to sign anything so he could just sit there and nod off. I'm surprised the Republicans didn't have him stuffed.

Senator Byrd is 88 and his brain cells are still in tact. :yourock:

[LynneSin]

19. Sorry someone said he's a DINO so I can't care about this!!

:sarcasm:

Obviously I'm trying to point out that even those with imperfect records are still damn good to have on our team. Someone calld Byrd a DINO this morning and it's gotten me a little pissy all day!

[Lefty48197]

20. Here's a quicker link

The video wasn't on the front page of the website when I visited.

http://www.thinkprogress.org/?tag=Congress

...although I would recommend that EVERYBODY visit the thinkprogress.org website.