Ted Kennedy - An American Tragedy

Standing in line for breakfast this morning, I heard over the radio air waves that Ted Kennedy had died from his brain tumor. My heart sank, as it does always when I hear a report of a loss of human life. I respect every breath taken by every man and woman - even those of such vicious character that they would dedicate their lives to destroying the fabric of our society.

Ted Kennedy was no American Hero, rather, he was an American Tragedy.

Kennedy's advantage was his family. The political savvy of his brothers played into his favor as he entered the political arena, and it was their assassinations that cemented his presence for the rest of his life.

He was a drunk, a murderer gone free, and such a radical liberal that he became known as the "Liberal Lion", fighting for open borders, universal health care, and several other radical ideals bent on pushing the US further into a centrally controlled socialist state. He lacked the political aura of his late brothers, and made up for it with brute force. He was a relic of a destroyed dynasty, barely surviving multiple near death incidents, and ultimately dragged the Kennedy name through the mud.

Kennedy is a prime example of why I support term limits for Senators and Congressmen. He used his family's name to prolong a very bad relationship between America and the Kennedy's... and his inability to rise above the senate was a prime example of his regional influence but national disregard.

Now to the discussion about Kennedy's replacement... In MA, there is currently a law on the books that does not allow a political appointment in the case of vacancy. The Governor is required to have a special election within 145 of a declared vacancy - death is indeed a vacancy, unless you're in Chicago. Kennedy was pushing a partisan bill allowing the governor to appoint a partisan, as opposed to allowing the people to choose. Should Mitt Romney have run for re-election and won, we would be seeing the appointment of a Republican Senator in MA should this bill be accepted. Of course, such a bill would not be likely if Romney were still in office.

"I want to make sure that as a Democrat we have a Democratic voice in there for
the five months that it might be vacant," said Rep. Michael J. Moran, who chairs
the legislative Election Laws Committee, told the newspaper. Asked whether he
would support the change if Republican Mitt Romney were still governor, Moran
laughed and said, "Of course there's a political side to this."

Kennedy's legacy - partisan politics aimed at the survival of his special interests and the destruction of American Liberties - even the simplest liberty of the Right to Vote. God Speed, Senator. You were one of a kind!