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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Mon Aug 18, 2014, 11:47 AM Aug 2014

21

Former senator James Jeffords dies at 80

Source: Washington Post

James Jeffords, the former U.S. senator from Vermont who in 2001 tipped control of the Senate when he quit the Republican Party to become an independent, has died at the age of 80.

Jeffords served more than 30 years in Washington. He won election to the House in 1974 as a Republican. Jeffords announced in 2005 that he would not seek a fourth term, citing his and his wife’s health problems.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/former-vermont-us-sen-jeffords-dies-at-80/2014/08/18/6e9701ba-26eb-11e4-8b10-7db129976abb_story.html

18 replies

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Former senator James Jeffords dies at 80 (Original Post) DonViejo Aug 2014 OP

RIP, Senator Jeffords frazzled Aug 2014 #1

Couldn't say it better. amandabeech Aug 2014 #8

Indeed, great service to America by doing that. I had the opportunity to meet him. Nice guy. TheNutcracker Aug 2014 #10

GW Bush was on his way to resigning before the end of his term.... ProudToBeBlueInRhody Aug 2014 #2

And there was this: NYC Liberal Aug 2014 #15

From when some Republicans were sane. onehandle Aug 2014 #3

More coverage: alp227 Aug 2014 #4

RIP, Jumpin' Jim. It was a hard thing for him to do to make that leap. MADem Aug 2014 #5

RIP, Senator Jeffords. sinkingfeeling Aug 2014 #6

He was one of the last true Republicans. Him and Arlen Specter LynneSin Aug 2014 #7

Rest Well, good man UpInArms Aug 2014 #9

RIP to a brave man koiwoman53 Aug 2014 #11

Cross gently, sir... Aristus Aug 2014 #12

He was a hero! RIP good sir. n/t JusticeForAll Aug 2014 #13

Very ethical, decent man. n/t Judi Lynn Aug 2014 #14

RIP PassingFair Aug 2014 #16

RIP Tom Ripley Aug 2014 #17

The loss of a very good and honorable man RFKHumphreyObama Aug 2014 #18

frazzled

(18,402 posts)

1. RIP, Senator Jeffords

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 11:51 AM

Aug 2014

I will never forget the day he tipped the Senate back to Democratic control. It was an incredibly brave move and brought much joy to Mudville!

amandabeech

(9,893 posts)

8. Couldn't say it better.

Reply to frazzled (Reply #1)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 03:14 PM

Aug 2014

If there is something after this life, Sen. Jeffords is surely there visiting his friend, Sen. Ted Kennedy.

TheNutcracker

(2,104 posts)

10. Indeed, great service to America by doing that. I had the opportunity to meet him. Nice guy.

Reply to frazzled (Reply #1)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 04:31 PM

Aug 2014

R.I.P.

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)

2. GW Bush was on his way to resigning before the end of his term....

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 11:59 AM

Aug 2014

His own party despised him. He was cooked.

Then, fucking 9/11.

NYC Liberal

(20,136 posts)

15. And there was this:

Reply to ProudToBeBlueInRhody (Reply #2)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 01:32 AM

Aug 2014

http://archive.democrats.com/view.cfm?id=4623

II. The News that Would Have Been

September was going to be a difficult month for George W. Bush had not Fate, or terrorists, intervened.

The release of the NORC data and media analyses would, once again, place the 2000 election on the front pages of newspapers and as the top story in television news reports. Despite the expected variations in how the media interpreted the data, and a new deluge of spin and propaganda by Republicans, the Right Wing, and Conservative media pundits - the results were sure to bring revived attention to the legitimacy of the Bush administration and to the growing allegations and evidence of election law violations that warranted state and federal investigations.
Anger was mounting - at the fizzling economy and the exposure that the tax refunds were really not a refund… at Dick Cheney's continued refusal to give the Congressional Budget Office the names of the people who, in secret meetings, allegedly influenced the Administration's energy policy... at the suppression of free speech at protests… at the increasing U. S. isolation and arrogance on the world stage…
Receiving widespread circulation was the first fifty-state survey of irregularities in the 2000 Presidential election, "How to Make Over One Million Votes Disappear," prepared by the Democratic investigative staff of the Judiciary Committee for Congressman John Conyers, Jr. and released on August 20. http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/demhome.htm
On September 10, Newsweek published excerpts from David A. Kaplan's book, "The Accidental President," in its September 17 issue.
On September 11, Democrats.com had scheduled a press conference in Washington to launch its grassroots "Fall Offensive" for the First Anniversary of the Stolen Election of 2000. Founders Bob Fertik and David Lytel planned to describe "the overwhelming evidence that Al Gore won, the evidence of nearly 60 crimes committed by Republican officials that must be investigated, and our grassroots efforts to enact election reform, enact a voting rights constitutional amendment, impeach the Supreme Court 5, and sweep all Republicans out of office in the upcoming elections." Appearing with them would be Vincent Bugliosi, author of bestselling "The Betrayal of America," to discuss the Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore and his belief that the "Supreme Court 5" should be impeached; Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr, author of forthcoming "Towards A More Perfect Union," to discuss his proposed Constitutional Amendment to give Americans the right to vote for President; and Former Rep. Charles Porter, author of the impeach the "Supreme Court 5" resolution (see next item).
On September 12, the California State Democratic Executive Committee was meeting to consider supporting the resolution adopted on August 27 by the Orange County Democratic Party, and endorsed on September 5 by the San Diego Democratic Party Executive Committee, that demanded "the immediate investigation by the Congress of the behavior of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy, Sandra Day O'Connor, William Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas, for their decision in December 2000 that led to United States Citizens being denied their fundamental right to choose a President of the United States."
Also on September 12, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) would be releasing - at several locations worldwide - its third annual report on the global landmine situation, detailing substantial results in implementation of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and instances of continued and devastating use of the weapon. The 1997 treaty banning the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of antipersonnel landmines has been ratified by 120 countries and signed by 141. The U.S. has not signed this treaty.
On September 29, the International Action Center had scheduled a "Surround the White House" March on Washington to protest "the Bush administration's reactionary foreign and domestic policy" and the policies of International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Simultaneously, pro-democracy groups were planning a less confrontational demonstration at the Supreme Court.

onehandle

(51,122 posts)

3. From when some Republicans were sane.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 12:06 PM

Aug 2014

RIP.

alp227

(32,048 posts)

4. More coverage:

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 12:27 PM

Aug 2014

Burlington Free Press

AP

Rutland Herald

MADem

(135,425 posts)

5. RIP, Jumpin' Jim. It was a hard thing for him to do to make that leap.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 12:29 PM

Aug 2014

He and Ted Kennedy worked a lot together on education issues.

sinkingfeeling

(51,471 posts)

6. RIP, Senator Jeffords.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 02:05 PM

Aug 2014

LynneSin

(95,337 posts)

7. He was one of the last true Republicans. Him and Arlen Specter

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 02:31 PM

Aug 2014

Both ended up leaving the party because of extremists taking over the GOP.

UpInArms

(51,284 posts)

9. Rest Well, good man

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 03:59 PM

Aug 2014

you gave me hope

koiwoman53

(22 posts)

11. RIP to a brave man

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 07:22 PM

Aug 2014

with the amount of hate and anger expressed by the GOP when he made the switch it was a true act of selfless bravery to be sure our democracy stayed alive. He will be missed, let us hope there are strong leaders in the wings to continue his vision.

Aristus

(66,458 posts)

12. Cross gently, sir...

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 07:51 PM

Aug 2014

JusticeForAll

(1,222 posts)

13. He was a hero! RIP good sir. n/t

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 10:49 PM

Aug 2014

Judi Lynn

(160,611 posts)

14. Very ethical, decent man. n/t

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 10:55 PM

Aug 2014

PassingFair

(22,434 posts)

16. RIP

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 07:07 AM

Aug 2014

A good man.

My first political donation was to him.

Tom Ripley

(4,945 posts)

17. RIP

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 09:22 AM

Aug 2014

RFKHumphreyObama

(15,164 posts)

18. The loss of a very good and honorable man

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 12:38 PM

Aug 2014

May he rest in peace

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