Teddy Kennedy Dies

[A Black Falcon]

So sad... (

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breakin...ard_1.html

I'm really hoping that health care/insurance reform can happen despite this... chances for it already seemed quite bad, but this might kill it. That just can't happen, it's far, far too important, and that would be disastrous. :(

[Weltall]

Yeah, so sad.



I bet Mary Jo Kopechne's family, in particular, is shedding tears this morning.

[lazyfatbum]

That's not funny. :D

Wasn't it somehow vaguely proved that he killed her or did it stand as a car accident?

[Weltall]

It officially stood as accidental, though of course the Kennedy machine controlled Massachusetts politics with iron fists in the 60s, and I don't think many people believe it was really an accident. He never even reported the accident to authorities, and even though the presiding judge found probable cause for criminal activity, neither he nor the DA pursued it, citing Ted's 'unblemished record'. I have an unblemished record, too, but what are the odds that I would get off without even a serious investigation if I were at the center of this?

In other words, they were bought and paid-for, and Kennedy very likely got away with something between manslaughter and first-degree murder. Only his hardest-core supporters don't at least suspect foul play.

[Geno]

There's always been a great deal of secrecy in regards to the Kennedy clan. There's probably so much more scandal that we're not aware of. For example, there's the potential connection that JFK and RFK had to Marylin Monroe's death in 1962. There's also the ambiguity left by the JFK assassination the following year; we were expected to simply believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, but many theorize that the Mafia, who almost certainly had connections with Joseph, Sr., was behind the murder. Naturally, the Kennedy clan would want to keep those connections on the down-low.

But getting back to Ted, yes, it's sad that he's gone, but at least he was the only one of the four Kennedy brothers who managed to live to old age. He's been suffering for some time now from brain cancer, so I'd say he's better off. But you are right, ABF, that this hurts our chances of getting healthcare reform to pass. Hopefully Kennedy's successor will also be an avid healthcare reform supporter.

[A Black Falcon]

Unfortunately it'll probably have to wait for a special election, which means no one in that seat for some time most likely... months at least. This is why I said that health care reform will more likely than not not happen soon, without that 60th seat the Democrats will find too many excuses for why they can't get it done, etc, etc, and nothing will happen.

... Sometimes I almost wish Democrats were more like Republicans in some ways, Republicans would have gotten something they cared about this much pushed through months ago. :(

[Weltall]

Apparently, they are going to attempt to name the health-care reform bill after Kennedy.

It will be called "ChappaquiddiCare".

One can only hope his legislation dies with him, to be replaced by reform measures that are actually realistic, safe, and de-centralized.

[Geno]

Unfortunately it'll probably have to wait for a special election, which means no one in that seat for some time most likely... months at least. This is why I said that health care reform will more likely than not not happen soon, without that 60th seat the Democrats will find too many excuses for why they can't get it done, etc, etc, and nothing will happen.

... Sometimes I almost wish Democrats were more like Republicans in some ways, Republicans would have gotten something they cared about this much pushed through months ago. :(

Yeah, that is one thing I have to hand to the Republicans: they get the job done, even if I don't agree with the job they're doing. These past few months have been the perfect opportunity for the Democrats to pass healthcare reform legislation and they still have a chance to get it passed before January 2011, but at the rate they're going, nothing is going to get accomplished, and now we've lost one of national healthcare's (and Obama's) most avid supporters. :(

[Fittisize]

I bet Mary Jo Kopechne's family, in particular, is shedding tears this morning.

Whatever. Tit-for-tat for his brothers and nephew. Donte Stalworth and Dany Heatley were found guilty of vehicular homicide and neither of them received any jailtime - is it such a big surprise that rich and famous (and in Ted's case, highly influential and beloved) people recieve special treatment under the law? Besides, it was forty years ago, get over it. I bet nobody felt worse about it than Ted. Maybe if Mary Jo knew how to swim better we'd be mourning the death of President Kennedy and not Senator Kennedy.

One can only hope his legislation dies with him, to be replaced by reform measures that are actually realistic, safe, and de-centralized.

I have lost all hope in the American Dream.

[alien space marine]

[A Black Falcon]

Whatever. Tit-for-tat for his brothers and nephew. Donte Stalworth and Dany Heatley were found guilty of vehicular homicide and neither of them received any jailtime - is it such a big surprise that rich and famous (and in Ted's case, highly influential and beloved) people recieve special treatment under the law? Besides, it was forty years ago, get over it. I bet nobody felt worse about it than Ted. Maybe if Mary Jo knew how to swim better we'd be mourning the death of President Kennedy and not Senator Kennedy.

I think you're probably right on that last point, if he hadn't caused that accident, he'd most likely have been president. Would we be better off that way, versus him staying in the senate for so long, though? It's tough... I'm not sure. He did such an incredible amount of good in this country and this world as a senator, would he have gotten even more done in a few years as president? Maybe... but it's hard to say. Both are powerful positions, and even not being president he was one of the most influential and successful politicians of the last fifty years without question. I think that this health reform issue would have gone better if he'd been around to help fight for it... which is why it's so, so sad, given that health care for everyone was his most important issue. :(

I have lost all hope in the American Dream.

You're not American... :)

... And I very, very, very much hope that he is wrong there and the serious reform we need happens, or at least something close to it.

[Geno]

Maybe the sentimentality that comes with Kennedy's death will sway some Congressional Democrats who were previously hesitant as well as some of the more centrist Republicans towards supporting healthcare reform. Wishful thinking... but still, maybe.

[A Black Falcon]

Here's hoping... and if the Mass. statehouse passes a bill allowing for an interim appointment before the special election is held, which would be a bit hypocritical considering why they changed the law back in 2004 but is probably a good idea (five months with no representation isn't good, and you can't rush an election...). As long as the appointed person doesn't run for the special election it'd be fine, I think, and that is the plan.

[Geno]

While we're on the topic of healthcare reform, I just thought I'd share this:

[A Black Falcon]

Absolutely true.

[Geno]

Indeed.

[A Black Falcon]

Something along those lines is also what I was saying in another thread here yesterday...
http://www.tcforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5402

[Geno]

It's like I read in a Bill Maher article recently:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher...53996.html

this country is like a college chick after two Long Island Iced Teas: we can be talked into anything, like wars, and we can be talked out of anything, like health care.

Very interesting article worth reading. If his statistics are accurate, then that's... sad.