Byrd Regrets Vote for USA Patriot Act

[kpete]

Byrd Regrets Vote for USA Patriot Act

By LAURIE KELLMAN
The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 28, 2006; 3:30 AM

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Robert Byrd, the dean of the Senate and its resident constitutional expert, counts only a few regrets in his 48-year Senate career: filibustering the 1964 Civil Rights Act, voting to expand the Vietnam War, deregulating airlines.


"The original Patriot Act is a case study in the perils of speed, herd instinct and lack of vigilance when it comes to legislating in times of crisis," the West Virginia Democrat said Monday on the eve of the Senate's final votes on its renewal. "The Congress was stampeded, and the values of freedom, justice and equality received a trampling in the headlong rush."

......................

"This new proposal would erase too many of our freedoms guaranteed to the American people," Byrd added in a statement to The Associated Press. "In essence, this legislation says that the Bill of Rights is right no more."

His position allies him with Sen. Russell Feingold, a relative Senate newcomer who nonetheless foresaw potential problems with the original Patriot Act before Byrd or any other member of the Senate. In 2001, Feingold, D-Wis., cast the lone vote against the new terror-fighting law.

"I wish I had voted as he did," Byrd lamented on the Senate floor.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/28/AR2006022800132.html

[Skidmore]

1. I wish he'd regret his vote for Alito as well.

[acmejack]

2. Give him time.

Notice how long it took in the cases cited. Regret apparently doesn't come quickly to the good Senator.

[DemonFighterLives]

4. No lie

He ought to do a little self examination and get the monkey's off his back. Come On Robert, get with it man!

[Daphne08]

3. I wish all the spineless Senators would stand up to this

administration like they did in December!

There's nothing patriotic about the PATRIOT Act.

[hatrack]

5. Nice thought, Senator, but on balance . . .

Barn . . . door . . . empty stall . . . do you get the picture, Senator Byrd?