After the death of Senator Edward Kennedy on August 26, 2009 many mainstream, cable news pundits and reporters seized the opportunity to show their so called bipartisan efforts to take shots at the current leaders of congress for not being like Ted Kennedy, who was able to befriend some particular members of the Republican party even if they were diametrically apposed to each others political standings.
We must keep in mind that Republicans and Democrats of the fifties and sixties had the ability to be civil to one another, even going to dinner or lunch and able to express kind jesters between the two parties. It was not uncommon for these two party members. Both parties may have had different ideas or opinions as to what was best for the country but they were able to compromise for the betterment of the nation.
This may not have happened often but there were cases where men like the former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neal and former president Ronald Reagan would share time together. Tip respected the office of the president and even though he did not agree with Reagan’s policy they were able to find some common ground, this is not so today.
It is true that Ted Kennedy was a reasonable man when it came to governing and working on the behalf of his constituents and the nation as a whole, but never let it be forgotten that he was liberal to his core and our nation is much better as a result.
When ever a political leader passes away there is this need for the press to over indulge in how this person lived and concentrating on the all the negative and some of the positive issues in their lives, friends, enemies, and such.
Now, that the country is in a tough battle over the need for Health Care reform, Senator Kennedy's new best friends have some how become the conservative right wing who are making an effort to invoke his name and memory to better their attack on president Obama and the democratic leaders in the house and senate.
They are claiming that if Ted Kennedy was in better health many months ago he would have compromised and come to a so-called bipartisan agreement with the republican leaders. These same republicans are now trying to hijack Ted Kennedy’s funeral by using a talking point against anyone speaking about politics at a politician’s funeral.
These People have no shame to think that Ted Kennedy's funeral is going to be something other then political is the height of stupidity. These people who galvanized their political agenda off of the death of Ronald Reagan.
If those men and women who are our elected leaders in the House and Senate had half the back bone and courage of Ted Kennedy … not worrying about polls, Limbaugh, Fox News, the powerful Insurance lobbyist and all of those of whom the main stream media has not the journalistic savvy to investigate .
I believe emphatically that his dream will not be forgotten and the work that he started will continue just as assuredly as we honor the works of his brothers and Dr. King, one of the highest cause's of Senator Kennedy life will be the passing of a bill for true health care reform.
K. Gerard Thomas
