It can be said of the late Robert C. Byrd that his picture belongs next to the entry “term limits” published in any political journal.
The veteran Democratic U.S. senator died early today at age 92. He had served 51 years in the Senate and six years in the House. That’s 57 years in Congress. Yep, he was an institution.
He’s also become vilified in many circles because of all the money he channeled to his home state of West Virginia. A good many lawmakers who forgo the earmark process in federal budgeting — including Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry of Clarendon — often cite Byrd’s “talent” for bringing federal money home to his constituents.
One of the more, um, interesting plums in West Virginia is a Coast Guard office. How he managed to put a Coast Guard office in his landlocked state speaks volumes about the man’s clout on Capitol Hill.
The term-limits crowd tries to make the case for limiting lawmakers’ length of service by citing Byrd’s five-decades plus in Congress. Fine. Tell that to Byrd’s bosses, the voters of his state, who kept sending him back to work on their behalf every six years.
They didn’t mind being represented by someone who knew how to work the system.
It was, after all, their call to make — just as Texans have elected our share of pork-barrelers over the years.
Kanelis is basically right about Sen. Byrd and I don't know why people from all the states don't realize when they return some “influence peddling” congressman to Washington they are helping destroy our country! The very folks who can see that “generational” welfare” and social
programs for illegals are helping bankrupt the nation will turn around and vote for some incumbent that brings home unneeded “pork” projects! people who seek “pork projects”that are not absolutely essential are no better than “welfare moms “who have child after child and use those dependent kids to feed themselves for a lifetime and make no effort to work.Sen. Byrd and
other lifetime “public servants(ha ha ha) have done way more harm to the system than good. Because of human
weakness and greed, lots of people will not vote against an incumbent that claims to “bring home the pork”,so in reality the best way to stop politicians from becoming embedded with special interests and using
seniority to acquire unneeded local projects is to “term limit” them! For the good of the country,I appeal to voters to not re-elect representatives over and over because in the big picture we are harming our country as a whole!
Kanelis is basically right about Sen. Byrd and I don't know why people from all the states don't realize when they return some “influence peddling” congressman to Washington they are helping destroy our country! The very folks who can see that “generational” welfare” and social
programs for illegals are helping bankrupt the nation will turn around and vote for some incumbent that brings home unneeded “pork” projects! people who seek “pork projects”that are not absolutely essential are no better than “welfare moms “who have child after child and use those dependent kids to feed themselves for a lifetime and make no effort to work.Sen. Byrd and
other lifetime “public servants(ha ha ha) have done way more harm to the system than good. Because of human
weakness and greed, lots of people will not vote against an incumbent that claims to “bring home the pork”,so in reality the best way to stop politicians from becoming embedded with special interests and using
seniority to acquire unneeded local projects is to “term limit” them! For the good of the country,I appeal to voters to not re-elect representatives over and over because in the big picture we are harming our country as a whole!