There is complete agreement that government in Washington DC has not been working.
The Republican members of the Senate have banded together to oppose every proposal for progress and for the benefit of the country. They have refused to allow action to be taken on immigration reform. They have refused to allow debate or action on climate change. They have most recently refused to do their responsibilities and hold hearing on Supreme Court nominee. They have voted down a comprehensive veterans’ benefit bill. They claimed that they could not afford the veterans’s bill but they had no trouble affording and profiting from the decision to start the wars.
Their most recent threat is to complete wreck the constitution of the country. The U.S. Constitution created a three branch government so that power would be divided and great checks and balance were built into the government. The Republicans have threatened to destroy this arrangement by promising to refuse to confirm any Supreme Court nominee if Hillary Clinton is elected President. This has a great potential for the court to become completely worthless if several members died or resign.
N.C. Senator Richard Byrd is a part and an active supporter of this kind of reckless and dangerous government strategy. Byrd has been in lock step with this Republican mafia and has voted with the Republican policies every time. As has been frequently noted he has managed to endear himself to many profitable lobbyist groups which have funded him and his campaigns richly.
The Republican opposition to the proposals of President Obama have always been absolute. The Republicans have never offered to work with Obama on any program. When he proposed an immigration reform bill that was almost exactly what President Bush had proposed, the response was complete refusal to talk about it or work to find a compromise.
This Republican stalemate must be loosened for our government to work. Senator Byrd needs to be retired and a new Senator elected who will work across parties to get things done. The future of our country depends on three healthy and strong branches of government and Senator Byrd is working to destroy our constitution.
Rick Brand