What Sen. Ted Kennedy Taught Me
With Sen. Ted Kennedy’s death has come the easily predictable media outpouring of love that was expected from the left. Some were just foolish. Chris Matthews went so far as to call Barack Obama the ‘last Kennedy brother’.
But I think conservatives have a lot to learn from Ted Kennedy. I have actually made this argument for years, with the obvious retort, “Are you crazy?”.
But Kennedy was an excellent spokesman for his point of view. He may have been severely erroneous on most of the major issues of his lifetime (he badly miscalculated on the Cold War; he said Reagan’s tax cuts would increase unemployment; he said that Welfare reform during the nineties would create shanytowns…you could go on and on…). However, Kennedy knew how to win a political fight.
That is what we need from Republicans.
Kennedy would compromise when he thought he had something to gain. For example, he compromised with George W. Bush on education, and openly used to admit that he wrote much of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ bill. And he was intimately involved with the compromise with then Gov. Mitt Romney on the Massachusetts Health Care plan.
On issues that he believed were non-crossable lines, Kennedy never budged an inch. When Robert Bork was nominated by President Reagan for the Supreme Court, it took Sen. Kennedy minutes to come out against Bork, before any hearings or giving Bork the ability to answer questions. That is a type of political retort that Republicans were unable to mount against Sonia Sotomayor. That is the kind of political backbone we need from leaders from the right. There are some issues which one cannot compromise on.
But I also think that Mr. Kennedy’s actions during his life speaks volumes. Look at the last year of his life. He was diagnosed with Brain cancer early in 2008. In the past 12 months or so, he likely spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on treating a disease that was a practical death sentence. And he didn’t pay for that care out of pocket…it was his federally acquired insurance that paid for the large bulk of it. Ironic, considering that both Sen. Kennedy and President Obama are currently pushing health care reform to drastically reduce costs in the final months of life.
In that, we can use Sen. Kennedy as a prime example. He went to the best institutions of medicine in this country to treat a fatal condition. He was given the choice to treat his illness as he saw fit. There was no rationing, there was no death panels, there was no restriction on his care. Let us be honest: if we were using rational thinking and scientific basis, Mr. Kennedy should never have been treated. His chances of longterm survival was less than 5%. But he valued his life more than the political statement. That is something that the political Right can value.
I think there are many things to dislike about Ted Kennedy. But there are many characteristics that we should take and encompass within our own belief system as well. Kennedy wasn’t called the ‘Lion of the Senate’ for nothing. Republicans need their own fierce Lion if they intend on winning legislative battles in the near future.
I’m from Massachusetts, am a conservative, but I can appreciate the work ethic and tenacity that Senator Kennedy had to achieve his goals.. n matter how misguided I feel they were. Matthews has become an embarassment… he had to make the connection between the Kennedy’s to Obama because that’s the only connection there will ever be that can be remotely connected with the current situation and expoloited. Sorry Chris Matthews, but most of the people aren’t that stupid and we have already dismissed you as an Obama “lapboy” that gets thrills every time he speaks, whose job it is to make “this” Administration succeed… and just shut up and go away. You’ve sold your soul as a journalist already and no one that could potentially be swayed will ever be swayed by you.
Matthews is simply a hack…he once was a decent journalist. No more.
Too true regarding the hypocrisy of how Senator Ted Kennedy was treated versus how the bill would impact the rest of us.
Worse yet was his letter to the MA legislature attempting to secure his seat.
My condolences go to his family and I am sorry for them regarding his loss. However, let us not sugarcoat and elevate everything he has done just because his (as everyone’s does) life ended. He has been responsible for much of the immigration issues in this country.
The Republicans do need their own Lion. However, perhaps what we need most now is a real viable third party since the two party system feels all to often owned. Both sides seem to take advantage of their constituents and create a better way for those running the country than for those footing the bills.
I come to bury Kennedy not to praise him.
He was a strong senator and a leader but he was a hypocrit.
1. push for healthcare for all but enjoy the world expert no waiting care of the rich and powerful
2. “missed” his opportunity for the Presidency b/c he got drunk and drove his car off a cliff killing his passenger–who he left to soak while he sobered up before going to the cops
3. enjoyed a life of luxury and privilege being born into a family who made enormous money selling alcohol during prohibition…the drug dealers of their time.
4. a senator by nepotism. famous by association and duration not quality.
this is the definition of a lion for the Democratic party?
meow.
Kennedy was a murder and a debauching drunk. That he was untrue to his “vision” of public healthcare comes as no surprise to anyone who ever watched him for 10 minutes.
I wish he would have died at Matrtha’s vineyard instead of Mary Joe. Complete scumbag, like his brothers and father before him. Lobotomy for a depressed sibling anyone?
Yeah, I refrained from my other thoughts regarding the now deceased Senator. Maybe, if the rest of these left and statist hacks are so depressed they may decide to join their beloved friend… we can hope, no? >=)
John F. Kennedy was a war hero, as was Joseph Kennedy, Jr. Do not besmirch their contributions to society by lumping their younger, inept brother with them. Joseph Jr. died while on a dangerous, volunteer mission that he could have opted out of. In fact, he had already flown his 25 combat missions, so he didn’t need to even still be in the fight. JFK captained a PT boat, one of the more dangerous assignments in the Navy considering that they were basically tiny wooden boats with pop guns trying to attack warships. Ted, by comparison, was booted from Harvard for cheating, and his only military service was guarding croissants in Paris, rather than serving in Korea. JFK was also for lowering taxes. JFK wasn’t twice the man Ted was, he was ten times the man. He would probably be a Republican today.
Bruce, too true. If JFK were running a platform today and did not mention party most people would say conservative, guess Republican and then choke in shock to hear Democrat. Ted… he does not deserve the praise he is being lauded at present.
The real problems are: that there are significant issues with both parties in that they are out of touch with their constituents and have too sweet a deal being in power.