CNN.com - Sen. Byrd regrets vote for�Patriot Act - Feb 28, 2006

CNN.com - Sen. Byrd regrets vote for�Patriot Act - Feb 28, 2006: "Sen. Robert Byrd, the Senate's dean and 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 1964 Civil Rights Act...but Bush is the "racist," now right?

Add to that the Patriot Act; just in time for his embarkment on a bid for re-election. The Patriot Act has to be stampeded due to the past rhetorical screeching by mostly Democrats. To stand up for it may be political suicide as reality has been warped successfully by DeMediacrats.

Anyone would be foolish to disagree, let alone argue that legislating with too much "speed, herd instinct and lack of vigilance...in times of crisis," as a no, no. And to say any legislation cannot afford a tweak here and a tweak there isn't a good idea is wrong as well. But somehow the Patriot Act has trampled rights, freedoms, and privacy with few facts or incidences as evidence.

To the above, many might bring up "domestic spying/NSA Wiretaps/warrantless searches/whatever the spin word is this week," as invading privacy. This is certainly true as the media and Left have spun it, but spin is one thing and fact is another; fact being what we don't hear much of from the msm/Left/DeMedicrats.

The Dems have said that Rove, et al. are trying to make "Defense" the subject of the '06 elections. Would it make sense for Byrd to support the Patriot Act if that is the case? He cannot fight the GOP "defense" argument and support anything in favor of "defense," can he? Nor can the rest of them.

You also, cannot deny the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin and the quote, 'Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."' Though, the quote doesn't make Byrd or others correct, but it is a good quote.

To accurately depict Franklin's quote as appropriate to the reality of the issue in question, one must offer: more than just a quote from a respected historical figure; more than just calling a "surveillance" program "domestic spying." Facts are necessary to reality not rhetoric, although rhetoric is all we have been given.

"With his white mane and weighty presence," Byrd looks the part of the wise politician from days gone by. He is wise to quote respected figures, to quote poetry, as in "The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions," as he and not he alone knows what it takes to be re-elected.

CNN saying in closing, "as for changing sides," with reference to Byrd, implies that the senator has changed sides; yet he has not and never will. He is still on the wrong side.