Senator Ted Kennedy

Unfortunately, this is my first post. I say unfortunately, because I learned this morning that Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, after a long, and I’m sure, painful bout with cancer.

For many Americans, it’s going to be a sad day. People are going to lament his loss because he was a Senator that seemed to never lose sight of his goals and ambitions. Senator Kennedy was a champion of social programs and reforms that, in many cases, were neither popular on the national stage, nor seen as needed. Like most of the Kennedy family, Kennedy  saw himself as an intellectual and a statesman. Just as the Senate dictates, he became the chair of many committees as he stacked term upon term.

Throughout the years, Kennedy served nine terms in the Senate and at the time of his death was the second most senior member of the Senate and the third ever longest serving Senator in the history of the United States Senate. Even though Senator Kennedy had many issues that became public from his personal life, it is fairly widely believed that he always put his public service in the government first.

Throughout the years, the good Senator passed many bills, controversial and not, and authored over 300 different bills that were passed into law. In more recent history, Senator Kennedy championed two causes: immigration reform and universal health care. No doubt the Senator was a tool for the Democratic party on all issues deemed controversial. He was known throughout Congress as someone that could negotiate between the parties and, at least in some cases, get the parties to come to an agreement or compromise.

Today, we’re also going to hear some things about Senator Kennedy that will be, shall we say, less than charming. We’ll hear people taking cheap shots at a man that is not able to defend himself anymore. We’ll hear things from many pundits criticizing his long stay in power. We’ll also hear things about his family that that are going to disgust us. Unfortunately, such is the way of the world right now. Pundits control the airwaves, and too many people listen.

Senator Kennedy was an American who believed he was doing right by the opportunities that were given to him and the gifts that were bestowed upon him. I know there are a lot of people that don’t understand what he did throughout his career and there are a lot of people that strongly disagreed. Just keep in mind that he was doing no different than other Senators on the other side of the aisle. They fought and still fight for their opinions, bills, and ideals; and that’s all that Senator Kennedy did as well. We all have the responsibility to change the world for what we see as a “better” world. That’s all Senator Ted Kennedy did. He tried to make the world a better place as he saw fit. That’s all I’m trying to do, that’s all you’re hopefully trying to do.

R.I.P Senator Ted Kennedy. Your legacy, whether agreed with or not, will live on and you will be missed.

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