Senate Proceeding on Sep 17th, 2007 :: 0:40:38 to 0:51:20
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0:40:38 to 0:40:47( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. c quorum call: quorum call: ~ quorum call: mr. byrd: very appropriate. the presiding officer: the senator from virginia.

0:40:38 to 0:51:20( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Robert Byrd

0:40:47 to 0:41:15( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: the presiding officer: the senate is if a quorum call. mr. byrd: i ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. the senator

0:41:15 to 0:41:38( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: from west virginia is recognized. birr better i mr. byrd: i thank the chair. mr. president, today, september 17, in this year of our lord, 2007, marks the 220th anniversary of the signing of the constitution

0:41:38 to 0:42:06( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: of the united states. praise god. across the nation, many students, teachers and historians are spending at least part of their time today reviewing, learning about and, most of all, appreciating the

0:42:06 to 0:42:29( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: united states constitution though not as flashy looking as american flag on flag day, or as bedecked in sparklers and fireworks as the celebration of the celebration of independence on july 4, our constitution's

0:42:29 to 0:42:49( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: anniversary merits a day of reflection by all citizens. the constitution is a living, breathing, document. still, it is as full of passion, patriotism, jealously and intrigue after 220 years as the star of

0:42:49 to 0:43:16( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: any long-running soap opera. perhaps it is because the constitution, like soap operas, deals with the relations between human beings in society. the constitution, in its articles and amendments, lays

0:43:16 to 0:43:39( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: out the roles for its actors, the executive, the legislative, the judiciary, the states and the rights of individuals. the script is pretty basic: run a country and ensure the welfare of its citizens.

0:43:39 to 0:44:02( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: but being human, people never seem content with playing out their own roles as written. james madison aptly observed, at the essence of government is power. and power lodged a it must be in human hands,

0:44:02 to 0:44:25( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: will ever be liable t abuse. history is replete with executive peoples of governmental -- with examples of governmental actors seeking to expand their own role and to put their names names in bigger

0:44:25 to 0:44:53( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: lights at the expense of the other players. fortunately, history is also full of examples in which the grasping stars' excesses are checked by the concerted actions of the rest of the cast.| it is

0:44:53 to 0:45:12( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: a fascinating read and well worth one's time. federal versus states' rights. the freedoms of individuals versus the need for order in society. protection from tyranny pitted against a strong executive.

0:45:12 to 0:45:28( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: declarations of war and peaceful diplomacy. these are some of the great themes, the high dramas written into the constitution over and -- and played out over the course of our nation's history. our

0:45:28 to 0:45:50( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: founding fathers truly knew what they were doing when they crafted a document that hoped for the best, most noble instincts in men but guarded against the worst. that james madison famously observed,

0:45:50 to 0:46:06( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: "if men were angels, no government would be necessary necessary." at the same time, however, he also noted that all men having power ought to be mistrusted, so the foundation of all the checks and

0:46:06 to 0:46:25( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: balances in the constitution is the promise -- the premise that ambition must be made to counteract ambition. and as a result, the constitution has found itself in a constantly shifting political

0:46:25 to 0:46:44( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: landscape created by the ebb and flow of executive power, legislative control, judicial counterbalancing, federal expansion, and individualism. these are great themes and they're all played out in many smaller

0:46:44 to 0:47:02( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: scenes each year from each nomination through each budget submission, authorization and appropriation bill and each supreme court case. i have always found this historical drama more stimulating and more

0:47:02 to 0:47:27( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: absorbing than any television reality show and perhaps it is because the constitutional drama has played such a large role in my own, own long life. in the 220-year history of this nation's constitution,

0:47:27 to 0:47:44( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: there have been only 1896 individuals fortunate enough to serve as senators. i am number 1,579 out of 1,896. i have served in the senate for one-quarter of the senate's history, not quite an original

0:47:44 to 0:48:02( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: cast member but pretty close. amen. you better believe it. but whether or not each citizen has an active role in our constitutional drama or is merely a spectator, the constitution plays a large role in

0:48:02 to 0:48:19( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: the life of every citizen. i encourage everyone, every citizen to read the constitution, read the constitution, read the constitution and read "the federalist papers" as well as other writing by our

0:48:19 to 0:48:36( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: founding fathers. read deeply in history, history, history. with all thy volumes vast hath but one page. read deeply in history. and biography. and read the newspapers and follow what is happening

0:48:36 to 0:49:00( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: in washington. do not believe everything you see. do not believe everything you hear. but view it through the prism of the constitution. the constitution, the constitution. be your own supreme court and

0:49:00 to 0:49:24( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: decide if the arguments put forth by the white house, the congress, the press and the pundits are in accordance with the constitution and with the intent of the immortal framers. then and only then

0:49:24 to 0:49:50( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: you will become the most valuable of all things: a true defender of liberty, an informed citizen. mr. president, i close -- i close with a poem, a great poem by henry wodsworth longfellow, entitled,

0:49:50 to 0:50:07( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: "old ship of state." our constitution is our ship. the heart and soul of our nation and the stalwart vessel that will carry our nation's liberty into the future. long, long, long may it live. oh ship of

0:50:07 to 0:50:26( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: state, thou sail along, ship of state. sail along, oh union strong and great. humanity with all its fears, with all the hopes of future years, is hanging breathless on thy fate. we know what master laid

0:50:26 to 0:50:40( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: thy keel, what workmen wrought thy ribs of steel, who made each mast and rope, were shared the anchors of thy hope. fear not, each sudden sound and shock, tis but the wave and not the rock. tis but

0:50:40 to 0:51:20( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Byrd: the flapping of the sail and not a rent made by the gale. in spite of rock and tempest roar, in spite of false lights from the shore, sail on nor fear the breadth of sea, our hearts, our hopes are all