Posts tagged 9-11

Dear townhallmob.com readers,

I’m not a fan of the Kennedy’s at any length, but love them or hate them their family has contributed greatly in the political arena here in America. Politics aside, this man deserves our respect. It come no surprise to me that our friends on the left have already began the renewed battle for Obamacare in the wake of Edward Kennedy’s death from brain cancer. Just to remind you, this was the same group that discounted and politicalized the September 11th tragedy shortly after the return to normalcy in the late fall of 2001. As conservatives, libertarians, and republicans we tend to take the high road in respecting those who in many capacities have served our country. Let us continue this tradition and not stoop to the levels of the left as presented in the following article from the Times Online.

Michael,

TownHallMob.com Administrator

——begin article times online ——

Democrats were accused of exploiting the death of Senator Edward Kennedy yesterday after immediately trying to use his name to revive President Obama’s flagging attempt to overhaul the US healthcare system.

Within hours of Mr Kennedy’s death on Wednesday leading Democrats were trying to turn it into a rallying point for healthcare reform — something that he had called the “cause of my life” — and suggested that any legislation should carry his name.

“[It was] the passion of his life,” David Obey, the Democratic chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said. “Above all else, he would want us to redouble our efforts to achieve it.”

Robert Byrd, the senior Senate Democrat, called for the passage of healthcare legislation that would bear Mr Kennedy’s name, and Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, said: “Ted Kennedy’s dream of quality healthcare for all Americans will be made real this year because of his leadership and his inspiration.”

Their comments came as mourners gathered at the Kennedy compound in Cape Cod for a private Mass commemorating the senator, who died of brain cancer.

He will be buried tomorrow evening close to his assassinated brothers, President John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, in Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac river from Washington.

Attempts to use the emotion of the moment to revitalise hopes of healthcare legislation quickly ran up against the harsh political realities of Washington and the immediate practical impact that Mr Kennedy was perhaps the only politician on Capitol Hill who could have forged a bipartisan compromise.

His death, and the news that a special election to fill his seat will not take place until January, also means that Mr Obama will be without a 60th majority Senate vote in the critical weeks ahead, when the fate of his healthcare plan will probably be decided.

Republicans were happy to praise Mr Kennedy but none appeared ready to embrace the healthcare reform plans to honour the memory of the political giant.

Three Republican senators who were close to Mr Kennedy — John McCain, Orrin Hatch and Judd Gregg — said that healthcare legislation would be much closer to passage if Mr Kennedy had been able to be involved in negotiations in recent months, when he was fighting the brain cancer that eventually killed him. “I think we may have made progress on this issue if he had been there,” Mr McCain said.

“He had this unique capability to sit people down at a table together and really negotiate, which means concessions. And so, he not only will be missed, but he has been missed.”

Read More at : Times Online