Posted on 06/28/2010 2:35:45 AM PDT by careyb
Edited on 06/28/2010 3:51:06 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Published June 28, 2010
| FOXNews.com
Reuters
Feb. 2009: Sen. Robert Byrd doffs his hat for reporters as he arrives at the Capitol in Washington.
Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the longest-serving senator in American history, died Monday at the age of 92, a spokesman for the family said.
Byrd, a Democrat who served in the U.S. Senate since 1959, had been plagued by health problems in recent years and was confined to a wheelchair. He had skipped several votes in Congress in the past months.
Jesse Jacobs, a family spokesman, said Byrd died peacefully at about 3 a.m. at Inova Hospital in Fairfax, Va.
He was the oldest member of the 111th Congress.
The passing of Sen. Byrd will not affect the balance of power in the Senate. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, a Democrat, will appoint a replacement senator to serve out the remainder of Byrd's term which ends in 2012.
Yep ... him and Kennedy are hopefully together again, and I hope it’s really warm.
I do indeed!
We may not change the name of the state, but we're gonna hafta spend a wholbunchalotta cash to change all those signs to "The Robert C. Byrd Memorial (whatever)"
FROM MICHELLE MALKIN WEBSITE
Robert Byrd ‘Seriously Ill’: A Brief Discussion About W. Virginia Senate Seat Rules; Update: Byrd Dies
By Doug Powers • June 27, 2010 09:37 PM
**Written by guest-blogger Doug Powers
You may have heard today that West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd has been hospitalized and is described as “seriously ill.”
Byrd isn’t up for re-election until 2012, but because the 2010 and 2012 elections will probably carry even more weight than usual as to the ultimate direction of the country, I was curious about West Virginia’s election law in the event Byrd is unable to continue serving out the remainder of his term.
In West Virginia, the governor, in this case Democrat Joe Manchin, would appoint someone to fill Byrd’s seat. At that point, what happens next boils down to a matter of dates that are rapidly approaching.
The West Virginia Secretary of State’s website spells out the rules:
If the vacancy occurs less than two years and six months before the end of the term, the Governor appoints someone to fill the unexpired term and there is no election. If the vacancy occurs two years and six months or more before the end of the term, the Governor appoints someone to serve until the unexpired term is filled at the conclusion of the next candidate filing period, Primary Election, General Election and certification. The winner of that General Election fills the balance of the unexpired term. The election for the full term will be held as scheduled regardless of the date of the vacancy.
Steve Kornacki at Salon breaks down the dates:
As others have noted, the key date here is July 3 — next Saturday. Under West Virginia law, were a vacancy to be declared before then, an appointee would hold the seat through this November, when a special election would be held to fill the final two years on the term Byrd was elected to in 2006. The winner of that special election would presumably seek a full term in 2012. Were a vacancy to be declared after July 3, an appointee would hold the seat through the 2012 election, when the full six-year term would be up.
Kornacki also notes that the governor who would be making the appointment if Byrd is unable to continue has national political ambitions. Read Kornacki’s piece for a little more about what Governor Manchin might do.
A glance at Byrd’s laundry list of missed votes since late March is evidence that his Senate seat has in fact been mostly vacant for some time, so the odds that the seat would be declared “vacant” by next Saturday no matter what happens are very slim indeed — Especially if it behooves the Democrats to wait.
I wish Senator Byrd well. Lord knows I’ve disagreed with his politics and made more than a few cracks at his expense, but I never wish ill upon anybody, so I h
Hey Roc!!!
Considering all the pork that Byrd broght home I think that's a fair question.
Including those who had to tolerate his insufferable moaning at the podium.
I don’t believe God punishes his creations.
RIP Senator Byrd. We enjoyed your fiddle playing but not your politics. We still play a recording we got years ago which was music played at square dances. He sang old time country and gospel and obscure 1920 novelty type songs. One we laugh at is called Hang out the front door key. Those old tunes can be biting and funny at the same time.
If you don’t have anything nice to say, then say nothing.
I have nothing to say.
“______”
The question is "declared."
Do you think this Governor will have the B@lls to pull a stunt like that with a political populous that is darn near rabid?
I can see court challenges etc coming if he does and it will get ugly.
Byrd is dead as a door nail end of story, he didn't make it to 7/3 therefor in my mind they need to call the special election.
McKinley has an opportunity. He has lots of political AND business experience. I am supporting his activity and spending time working for him, despite my 2nd district residency. Free long distance and internet, until Obama and company change that, too!
“God created him. I don’t believe God makes mistakes. He was the man God intended.”
So God creates evil people and then punishes them for being what God created them to be? I could never worship such a “god.”
Perhaps West Virginia will actually get some representation in the senate. Sheets hasn’t quite been all there for years. Just goes to show that you can be completely senile, and yet still be a senator in this great Republic. (See also Ted Kennedy).
“I don’t believe God punishes his creations.”
Wow! So everybody gets into heaven? You must have a different bible than I do.
Prepare to heave,,,
“A man of humble, Depression-era upbringing, Byrd held his seat for over 50 years,”
I agree. Today’s Democrat is a far cry the point of view that you could respect even if you disgreed with it.
RIP Senator Byrd
“Wow! So everybody gets into heaven? You must have a different bible than I do.”
Yup. Jesus died for nothing. We can ignore everything he taught, do every evil thing we can think of without remorse or asking forgiveness, and even worship Satan if we want to cause we will go to Heaven anyway. Sounds like a great deal.
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