I’m sadden by the passing of Ted Kennedy. I’m not a big fan of the Kennedy family legacy stuff and Camelot talk.
JFK & RFK each had potential, but it was not realized so why go on about it what could’ve been. And honestly with out the political capital that LBJ got with his reelection after JFK’s death the Civil Rights and the Great Society programs would’ve never passed. That legislation really helped to move our society forward and gave the poor and old the safety nets.
What also always bothered me about how people go on about the Kennedy is family is how they gloss over and white wash over Joe Kennedy’s shaddy business/political dealings and his Anti-Semitism. The good thing he did was teaching his family public service, even if it was for his own ambitions it worked out in the end that they had a positive effect on the country. The generations following him are the ones that built the Kennedy name for public service.
But Ted Kennedy’s story is interesting in that you see someone who was over shadowed by his brothers and when they murdered, he had an intense pressure put on him about going for president. So in a lot of ways, even with his wealthy upbringing, he was set up to fail. But he found away to come out on his own….especially after the pressure of becoming president was removed. He keep his humility and didn’t care if he didn’t get credit if it would derail the goal. He honestly tried to help people who were less fortunate and that I admire, because he really didn’t have to.
I think what saddens me is the end of the era when our elected officials (overall) use to know how to work together even if they were very partisan. They knew that they were there to serve us and do what was right, not use the system just for themselves. They were able to argue, fight over issues but still respect each other afterwards. They no longer actually learn about the issues and work them. That is what is missing today.
What is also kind of strange is that Ted Kennedy has been in the Senator my whole life. Kind of weird to know that he will no longer be there, even if hasn’t been there for the last year. You just knew that he was there fighting for the less fortunate and it was reassuring to know that someone in power thought of them and was doing their best.
While today, one of the GOPers in the gang of six admitted to his town hall that he was there to stop health care. So he is either a liar and a coward to the people that voted him in or a liar and coward to the other senators he serves with….that is just screwed up….he really doesn’t care about what is good for this country…he isn’t offering solutions, just knows how to say no.
I had so hoped that Kennedy would be able to come back enough to help get health care passed. We needed someone with his stature, backbone and know how to get it passed.
But I knew when he didn’t go to his sister’s funeral that the end was near. And then when we heard the breaking news on ABCNews (none of the other news sites had it yet), the last images of Diesel start to play in my head. I started to pic how Kennedy looked towards the end, because we just saw the same thing happen to D. =( Then images of other friends that lost their lives to brain tumors. It is a horrible way to go….but, at least for him, he got to live his life fully….our friends didn’t get to see their kids/grandkids grow up and start to live their lives.
All the stories and memories that I’m reading about Kennedy doesn’t help, sounds like someone that would’ve been interesting to meet. And I’m a MAJOR sucker for a good life story and I’m a softy for them. So I tear up often and easily…..it really drives me nuts…because I can’t never enjoy the story without getting a stuffy nose and having to blow it….blah
I got the feeling I’ll be picking up Ted Kennedy’s memoir when it comes out….that is a lot of history.
amused