Ted Kennedy's Passing: An Inestimable Loss

America has had a few precious individuals who are both passionate about social justice and also understand deep in their bones its practical meaning. And we have had a few who possess great political shrewdness and can make the clunky machinery of democratic governance actually work. But I have known but one person who combined all these traits and abilities. His passing is an inestimable loss.

Most Americans will never know how many things Ted Kennedy did to make their lives better, how many things he prevented that would have hurt them, and how tenaciously he fought on their behalf. In 1969, for example, he introduced a bill in the Senate calling for universal health insurance, and then, for the next forty years, pushed and prodded colleagues and presidents to get on with it. If and when we ever achieve that goal it will be in no small measure due to the dedication and perseverance of this one remarkable man. We owe it to him and his memory to do it soon and do it well.

Comments

[Steph55]

do it for TED!!!

March on Washington for healthcare reform and public option!!!
Sept. 13, 2009 Noon

go to www.healthcaremarch.pbworks.com for more info

[factotem]

Inestimable? That's a bit chilly. I guess Ted was too old for you to go with "depth of grief," so it was this wierd term stressing magnitude.

[IDIOTA]

I think that Edward Kennedy is as large a historical figure as Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln exhibited greatness over a compressed interval of five years, though, whereas Kennedy fought for universal rights over the decades.

I always felt that Kennedy was on my side, that he wanted to ensure that I would have an opportunity to succeed in spite of my humble circumstances. I never doubted Ted Kennedy's sincerity, and I still have no idea all that he's done for me.

[Longtallsally]

You think Teddy is comparable to Lincoln? I see the reason for your name.

[LynnW49]

Amen.

[Kye154]

Isn't it truly remarkable that there were two men in American politics that we called "Lions". One dies in 2009, but the other died in 1919, 90 years apart. They also both lived close by the sea. Both were members of a dynasty. The news service notes Ted Kennedy as being "The Lion of the Senate", and a the son who's name was Kermit, informed his other siblings of the passing of their father by saying, "The Old Lion is Dead". They both went by the name of Teddy, Teddy Kennedy and Teddy Roosevelt.

[stevendedalus3]

I agree with Reich and the reader who suggested Robert's comparable compassion for the middle class and poor consistently displayed by Ted. Reich is an economist, but Clinton appointed him Labor Secretary, to show the working class that "people first" had meaning. Yet, it may have been a mistake because had Reich been Secretary of the Treasury then we might have avoided last year's meltdown in spiteof the money management debacle of the Bush administration.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Now they all talk about crossing over to compromise

Well- where is the compromise from the gop losers?

What compromise have they offered

Name ONE compromise- anyone

Media- all you great reporters-

One Compromise by the gop- where is it?

[Macready]

You are so right the loss of Ted Kennedy is a huge loss for America and the American political scene . . . he truly served the people of his state and the country . . . if not for him so many laws would have not passed . . . I truly wish there was someone to follow in his Liberal footsteps . . . because we need a revivial of Liberalism in this republic of ours desperately.

[tssent]

If the rank in life most difficult to attain is that of nobility,
and it is, then Ted Kennedy was as noble as the most
noble of men ever to go before him.

His special species of it was made irrefutable in every
word he spoke, in every genuine smile he gave us,
in the simple and gentle way he waved, even in the
the indescribable shuffle of his walk.

The world has lost another Ghandi. How blessed
we are to have shared time and space with a man of such
dignity and great goodness. Godspeed, "Uncle Teddy."

[Breakwind]

Gag!!

[balancedsolution]

Robert Reich I appreciate you! I appreciate your hard work and insights. I appreciate Ted Kennedy and his apparent sincerity and passion.

Mr. Reich I've seen you on many tv programs and you always seem to be the voice of reason and facts, rather than the voice of emotional idiocy. For that....you are a hero!

Keep up the great work!

[adamnb]

Robert Reich who has also been a lifelong champion of the poor and the powerless, is the only one I can think of as a possible replacement for Ted.

[Billl]

Honor Senator Kennedy by passing health care reform to serve people.
Paying for health care by using sales tax revenues would be hundreds of billions of dollars cheaper each year than using private insurance and infinitely easier for everyone to manage.
Offering a choice in the United States to use either free public health care funded by a national sales tax, or using private systems paid for with private funding, would allow proponents of each system the opportunity to use their choice.
All government mandated programs could be distributed through government hospitals at a fraction of the costs spent now by taxpayers to private systems, and the new system would produce true savings of hundreds of billions of dollars annually from the $2.5trillion spent last year, while producing better patient outcomes.
For individuals selecting public care; all prescribed care and medications would be free, no insurance, no co pays, no precondition exceptions, free period.
For seniors care and medications at public facilities would be free, no more doughnut holes and no insurance or co pays required.
Businesses which select public care for their employees should have no further involvement to either pay anything or be involved in any way with health care.
Going back and forth between free public, and user purchased private care, may suit some people, and it would provide unlimited choices, ultimate freedom, and always free public care would be available when it is needed or desired to everyone who asks for it with no restrictions.

[LOveJen]

That When Health Care is a Bill, That it will BE called The Kennedy Bill…And So It Is….

[CTtransplant]

Folks, we must keep up his fight for health care for ALL!

We did indeed lose a great man in Kennedy yesterday - and one of our greatest champions of health care reform. It has become even more important than ever that we get this done! And rightfully call it the TeddyPlan in honor of the man who made this his life's work! He carried the torch for a long time...and now it is up to us to continue to carry it for him!

We cannot let the scare tactics dissuade us from reaching our goal!

While many of us are struggling to afford medical insurance/medical bills.
While Congress people try to stop healthcare reform.
While Congress people accept large contributions from lobbyists to prevent health care reform.

Our elected officials in Congress receive health care mostly paid for by us tax payers, yet many are trying to make it impossible for us to purchase an affordable plan of our own.

Please sign both petitions! Thank you!

http://www.petitiononline.com/PubOp676/petition.html

http://www.democrats.com/honor-ted-kennedy?cid=ZGVtczQ0MTA5OGRlbXM=

[Ronald Williams]

Thanks for writing such wonderful post for Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. I only wish that all Americans could feel that way, and I'm hopeful that The legislatures in Wahington D.C. will pass HC reform in his honor. It would be the best thing for all Americans, and it would show the world that this country can come together at times like this.

[Paladin2]

With no comment on Kennedy or his career with him gone what's that leave the 'Democratic' party in the way of actual liberals in the Senate? One or two? The rest are as neo liberal and neo con as their Repub buddies. Ted, leaving his faults out of the argument was almost alone as far as 'liberals' in the Senate are concerned. When Mastercard Joe and Mr. Change left it didn't change any of the numbers in that department, in fact it got rid of two neo liberal neo cons. Naming whatever excuse for 'universal health care' after Kennedy would be the biggest insult you could make on the man. Please don't pin whatever travesty Mr. Change dumps on us on Mr. Kennedy.

[Emlyn]

I doubt very much that Senator Kennedy would have been insulted to have the healthcare plan to be named after him. It should be. He did the most work on it. I'm not sure who is Mr. Change unless you are referring to our President. As for no liberals in the senate - what does it matter if we all work together. I suspect that you are a Republican. I'm so sorry that you are.

[Paladin2]

You suspect? Sort of like assume? Were you taught the same thing I was about 'assuming' anything? I guess not. You have no idea what Mr. Kennedy thought so don't go 'suspecting' anything about him either please. And where do you get off on further 'suspecting' that Kennedy "did most of the work on it"? And not mattering if there are liberals in the Senate or not? We must be on different conversations and articles, I suspect.