Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Political/War Lounge > RIP Robert Byrd

RIP Robert Byrd
Thread Tools
ebuddy
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: midwest
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 07:29 AM
 
Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, dead @ 92.
Yahoo! News

Love him or hate him, he's dedicated practically his entire life to serving in public office. May he rest in peace.
ebuddy
     
Big Mac
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 07:45 AM
 
And little of value was lost. Strike one: former klan member; strike two: cantankerous left-wing democrat.

Although, he probably would have been a reliable vote against Cap and Tax due to the very adverse impact it would have on coal.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
dcmacdaddy
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Madison, WI
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 09:18 AM
 
Originally Posted by ebuddy View Post
Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, dead @ 92.
Yahoo! News

Love him or hate him, he's dedicated practically his entire life to serving in public office. May he rest in peace.
His background and legacy were contentious, to be sure. But you are right that he devoted his entire life to public service and for that he should be lauded.


(While many of us on here complain about pork-barrel spending Senator Byrd seemed to do it with a purpose. He, almost single-handedly, brought West Virginia into the modern era with all the funding he got for infrastructure and education projects in his state. And for that he should be recognized as well.)
One should never stop striving for clarity of thought and precision of expression.
I would prefer my humanity sullied with the tarnish of science rather than the gloss of religion.
     
Lint Police
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 2008
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 10:01 AM
 
may he rot in hell right next to edward.

cause we're not quite "the fuzz"
     
chabig
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 10:09 AM
 
With all of the perks that come from being in office, "dedicating your life to public service" doesn't mean much to me. My experience with politicians is that they don't dedicate themselves to public service, but rather seek to grab and hold onto as much power as they can get. Chasing after the power to confiscate other people's property, and dictate their behavior is not laudable in my opinion. Think of the taxpayers he robbed to bring home the pork in West Virginia.
     
dcmacdaddy
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Madison, WI
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 11:21 AM
 
Originally Posted by chabig View Post
With all of the perks that come from being in office, "dedicating your life to public service" doesn't mean much to me. My experience with politicians is that they don't dedicate themselves to public service, but rather seek to grab and hold onto as much power as they can get. Chasing after the power to confiscate other people's property, and dictate their behavior is not laudable in my opinion. Think of the taxpayers he robbed to bring home the pork in West Virginia.
What acts of pork-barrel politics do you think constitute "robbing the taxpayer"? Not just with Senator Byrd but with any Congressional politician. (A simple list will suffice.)
One should never stop striving for clarity of thought and precision of expression.
I would prefer my humanity sullied with the tarnish of science rather than the gloss of religion.
     
chabig
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 11:31 AM
 
No need for a list--Google him. And don't forget that Joseph Stalin and Hitler were both public servants too. There's nothing "magical" about being a public servant.
     
dcmacdaddy
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Madison, WI
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 11:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by chabig View Post
No need for a list--Google him. And don't forget that Joseph Stalin and Hitler were both public servants too. There's nothing "magical" about being a public servant.
Umm, I asked *you* what acts of pork-barrel politics do *you* think constitute "robbing the taxpayer"?

So, tell us, what sorts of acts committed by our members of Congress do you think constitute "robbing the taxpayer". It's a pretty simply question so a simple list actually is all you need to answer the question. Here, I'll give you a template to help get you started.


A member of Congress providing funding for ____________ in one's home state is an example of pork-barrel politics that could be considered "robbing the taxpayer".
One should never stop striving for clarity of thought and precision of expression.
I would prefer my humanity sullied with the tarnish of science rather than the gloss of religion.
     
chabig
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 11:58 AM
 
Citizens Against Government Waste outlines seven criteria by which spending can be classified as "pork":

Requested by only one chamber of Congress;
Not specifically authorized;
Not competitively awarded;
Not requested by the President;
Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding;
Not the subject of congressional hearings; or
Serves only a local or special interest.

I am satisfied with this definition.
     
dcmacdaddy
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Madison, WI
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 12:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by chabig View Post
Citizens Against Government Waste outlines seven criteria by which spending can be classified as "pork":

Requested by only one chamber of Congress;
Not specifically authorized;
Not competitively awarded;
Not requested by the President;
Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding;
Not the subject of congressional hearings; or
Serves only a local or special interest.

I am satisfied with this definition.
I am a big fan of CAGW and their attempts at making transparent legislative actions. I think their criteria makes a good definitional list of actions that constitute "pork-barrel" spending.

So, to get back to my question of specifics, what acts of pork-barrel politics do you think constitute "robbing the taxpayer"?

--What about providing federal funding for interstate highway construction: Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?
--What about providing federal funding for state highway construction: Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?
--What about providing federal funding for local road construction: Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?
--What about providing federal funding for public universities: Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?
--What about providing federal funding for private universities: Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?
--What about providing federal funding for hospital construction: Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?
--What about providing federal funding for state- and/or local-level cultural institutions (libraries, museums, historic homes/societies): Do you consider that an act of pork-barrel politics?


The reason I have been asking for specific examples is because if we take CAGW's definitional list above as a reference, there is very little federal funding for non-federal activities that could meet their criteria. In other words, almost ALL federal funding that does not go directly to federal agencies meets the CAGW's criteria for pork-barrel spending. So, I wonder what sorts of pork-barrel spending are you willing to do away with? How about federal funding for local/state schools, libraries, museums, and roadway improvements? How many of these things are you willing to do away with because they would be considered pork-barrel spending by the CAGW's criteria?
( Last edited by dcmacdaddy; Jun 28, 2010 at 12:34 PM. )
One should never stop striving for clarity of thought and precision of expression.
I would prefer my humanity sullied with the tarnish of science rather than the gloss of religion.
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 02:57 PM
 
     
ebuddy  (op)
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: midwest
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 28, 2010, 08:08 PM
 
Wow. At least I was affirmed in my decision to post this in the PWL. Grab and hold power? I never really saw him as all that powerful. Crook? Liar? etc, etc... Much like Kennedy, he believed in something and maintained his right to practice those beliefs as an elected official of his State. You got a problem with Byrd? Take it up with the folks in West Virginia who repeatedly placed the man in office election after election.

Look, if you're a bank robber and you manage to continue the practice into your 90's, I'll congratulate you too.
ebuddy
     
besson3c
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 29, 2010, 02:30 AM
 
Originally Posted by ebuddy View Post
Wow. At least I was affirmed in my decision to post this in the PWL. Grab and hold power? I never really saw him as all that powerful. Crook? Liar? etc, etc... Much like Kennedy, he believed in something and maintained his right to practice those beliefs as an elected official of his State. You got a problem with Byrd? Take it up with the folks in West Virginia who repeatedly placed the man in office election after election.

Look, if you're a bank robber and you manage to continue the practice into your 90's, I'll congratulate you too.

I'm less understanding of wishing Kennedy "rot in hell". AFAIK, Kennedy's record was relatively clean. Wanting him to rot in hell because you disagree with this political values is pretty sad, not to mention tasteless.
     
Shaddim
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: 46 & 2
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 29, 2010, 03:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by besson3c View Post
I'm less understanding of wishing Kennedy "rot in hell". AFAIK, Kennedy's record was relatively clean.
You talking about his voting or criminal record?
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:17 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,