No Trillion Dollar Tribute for Kennedy

The pleas for politicos and pundits to refrain from politicizing the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy are actually quite charming in their naivete. The so-called Last Lion of the U.S. Senate was not even dead half of a day when the politicking began. Proponents of Democratic efforts to reform overhaul America's troubled healthcare system quickly began urging passage as a tribute to Kennedy’s lifelong efforts on the issue.

Just a small sampling: Sen. Robert Byrd, Democrat from West Virginia, said he hoped that when legislation has been signed into law, it "will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American.” Andy Stern, president of the giant Service Employees International Union, noted Kennedy introduced his first healthcare reform bill 39 years ago: "Let us continue his cause. Let us take action this year to pass healthcare reform.” And in the Twitterverse, influential liberal blogger Markos Moulitsas used 58 characters this way: “Honor Kennedy’s legacy by passing real health care reform.”

Maybe they could even call it the Trillion Dollar Tribute for Teddy. But it will take more than nostalgia and sentiment to get healthcare reform passed. A new survey from Public Opinion Strategies finds that just 25 percent of Americans favor President Obama's proposals, comparable to the scant 23 percent who favored Bill Clinton's healthcare plan in 1994 as it imploded. Betting markets put the odds of passage of a public option at just one in three. And in its lead editorial today, the Washington Post said the new budget deficit numbers mean the Obamacrats should start from scratch and develop a more affordable approach.

The cold, hard politics of the situation is this: Kennedy's death makes passing healthcare reform tougher not easier. His seat will likely remain vacant until late January since there will be no interim appointment in Massachusetts and state law calls only for a special election to be held within 145 to 160 days. That is one extra tough-to-find vote Democrats will need if they try and shut down any GOP filibuster attempts. And if Democrats try to ram through a bill under reconciliation, a special budget procedure, Kennedy could have been helpful in rallying squeamish Dems and lobbying groups for the tough parliamentary battle, points out veteran Capitol Hill watcher Pete Davis, who tracks Washington politics for financial institutions.

But maybe as the Kennedy tributes continue to pour in, someone will notice his role in deregulating the transportation sector in the 1970s. As a result, both the trucking and airline industries were exposed to market forces that lowered costs for moving both people and goods across the country. Likewise, more fully exposing the U.S. healthcare system to market forces is essential to lowering costs and ensuring continued technological innovation. Now that would be a fitting tribute to the totality of the Kennedy legacy.

[...] PETHOKOUKIS: No trillion-dollar healthcare tribute for Kennedy. “The pleas for politicos and pundits to refrain from politicizing the passing of Sen. Edward [...]

[...] was settled by Kennedy himself a few years ago! Michelle Malkin: De Profundis James Pethokoukis: No Trillion Dollar Healthcare Tribute for Ted Peggy Noonan: Recalls lines from Kennedy (from 2005) “the whole thing is going to fall [...]

[...] No trillion-dollar healthcare tribute for Kennedy. (h/t Mr. Reynolds) [...]

if the press would bother doing the math, the libs don’t have enough votes to pass reconciliation.

the dead giveaway was when joe lieberman trashed the idea on the weekend, and the following monday, the justice dept announces the go ahead on the cia prosecutions.

the wh was counting on every blue state lib to get it done, and lieberman was one on the bubble.

they now don’t even have 47 sure votes, so reconcilation is now as dead as ted.

Wishing they would just let this whole Kennedy thing die …….. so to speak. What a corrupt, immoral, and questionably competent power hungry clan. Come on America — we have real heroes, not these guys.

He wasn’t just a good man he was the best Senator we have probably ever had. He served not only the people of his home state but those of the whole country and indeed the world His Senate office was better run and organized that any other in Washington. The only worthwhile and well deserved tribute our Congress can give him is by putting aside politics and special interests and passing the much needed healthcare plan that is before them now, as his input was the major and best part of it.

Let’s not let the media completely revise history…the only thing that should be named after this drunk is a bridge in Mass…Mary Jo’s death should be his only epitaph…

“The only worthwhile and well deserved tribute our Congress can give him is by putting aside politics and special interests and passing…”

I’m all for a reagan tribute, in which congress rejects this bill as another legacy of failed govt.

Seriously, instead of a trillion dollar healthcare bill, why not just go with gold statue at the cost of a couple of million? (if they go with the ‘thin’ ted, they could probably cut the cost in half.)

Doubtless the media - ever hungry for more content to fill the 24 hour news cycle - will go on and on about Ted Kennedy and the Kennedy clan ad nauseum. What a magnificent bunch of charming frauds they were! I suspect that all the eulogies will portray Teddy as some kind of saint, rather than the drunken, overbearing, skirt-chasing failure he turned out to be. One financial pundit earlier today referred to Mr. Kennedy’s career in politics as ‘non-illustrious’ - I couldn’t have said it better.

How unfortunate for him to meet his ends. I fell for his family and friends. Thank goodness he is no longer in the Senate though. He has abused our constitution and our rights as free people. I am not shocked to hear politicians want to give him the trillion buck tribute. Shows me just how shallow and un-American they are.

At long last Massachussetts can have the boot of nepotism off their neck and can freely elect someone capable of doing more than the company line. Good Luck Bay Staters! And, let’s say a prayer for the soul of Mary Jo.

The boy (he was never a true man) Edward Kennedy, was an immoral elitist pig who pursued a leftist agenda that would keep him in permanent power. Corruption, alcoholism, rape, adultery, and murder are just a few of the things that highlight this political animal's legacy. Now all we're going to hear about from our worthless media is how wonderful this pig was. I can only hope that this turd is suffering in eternal agony for his wretched excesses. I only show respect for the deceased who actually deserve it, and this dirt-bag certainly doesn't"¦good riddance!

Market forces huh? What have we had all this time? Socialism? The market hasn’t done anything to lower premiums, drug prices, or visits to the doctor. The private sector hasn’t decreased infant mortality, or increased the average lifespan, or improved care. What have we gotten from the market? Increased profits for the healthcare industry (insurance companies, pharma, physicians), the most expensive healthcare in the world, 50 million and counting uninsured, and businesses losing their competitive advantage to other nations. Hey, if you want more of this stellar system knock yourself out and kill any chance at reform. Just don’t complain when the cost of covering a family of four is 36,000 dollars a year and government is bankrupt because all of the baby boomers are using medicare. Then again, perhaps this is what Americans deserve for their stupidity.

If the government wants to pass a trillion dollar tribute to Senator Kennedy’s passing, it would be a far better idea to gather the money in a big pile and simply burn it.

A few bystanders might be warmed by the fire, and the damage to the nation would be far, far less than putting the government in charge of medicine.

GOP members should vote for the name change. They should tell the truth: it would be a fitting tribute to name this incredible waste of taxpayer money and government takeover after the man. And then they should add that they look forward to voting against Ted Kennedy one last time.

Seriously, can any of the Democrats play this game? Why not also name it after Michael Jackson, he only diddled little boys. Teddy drowned a woman once. Mary Jo and Jesus are probably applying the waterboard as we speak (if he’s lucky; if not, someone else is doing the pouring).

I hate to be an a-hole on the Ted Kennedy Memorial Holiday, but it is all true and Teddy’s life’s dream is apparently to raise my taxes to buy votes so I don’t feel that bad. Now that I think about it, I don’t feel bad at all.

It’s only fair they name it after Kennedy. it IS a bloated pack of lies and deciet meant to increase govt. power and line their own wallets. It even has the “Kopechne factor” to it. Premature death of 1000′2 each month due to healthcare rationing. The only thing missing is a drunk driving clause in the bill. Meaning it’s ok to get plastered and drive-only if your cronies are in power and can get you off

A Pice of stinking garbage bill named after a piece of stinking garbage human. Very approrpriate memorial for the “Degenerate of the Senate”.

Yes, even us normal thinking Democratic voters are repulsed and disgusted when a politician kills someone and buys his way out of it-regardless of the party

He wasn't just a good man he was the best Senator we have probably ever had. ——- really GTM? how many “good men” do you know that kill a woman because he was drunk and then calls his lawyer, sobers up and falls asleep? ANYONE else and they’d have been convicted of murder, but this “good man” bought his way out of it and had his connected friends saved his worthless hide. He was a pile of crap as a senator and a worthless excuse for a human being, waste of flesh and bone. He should have been in jail 40 years ago

Libies can rewrite history al lthey want, there are just way too many of us of all political parties that remember what happened

Yo Tod##,

You remember that people in glass houses thing?

That issue swings both ways for our cultural elites.

The USA and the world is a better place today. It is really to bad Mary Jo will not get to confront her murderer. She is in heaven and Kennedy is heading for a very very hot place. May the Kennedy dynasty end today.

The truth is that Kennedy was a consummate political animal. Yes, he was an excellent politician, but that doesn’t make him a good man. He was irresponsible, amoral, (think Chappaquiddick) ruthless, without any discernible ethics and treasonous (as anyone who knows of his deal with the KGB to undermine a sitting US President must realize.) I feel for his family, but I can’t regret his passing. At least he will do no more harm by his presence, although he may do harm by his death, if they pass healthcare “reform” in his name.

Kennedy was not nearly as powerful as most Americans thought. It was a simple matter of fear that these people instilled into the minds of the common folks. He was not a legacy in the sense of the term, except for bilking the taxpayers for almost 50 years. Our forefathers would be ashamed that we allowed someone like that to remain in goverment for that period of time. Thought for the day - let-r-go and let’s get on with the business at hand for a change. End of an era? None too soon.

I’d like to suggest the “Ted Kennedy Memorial Wind Farm” as a great way to memorialize his life of service.

August 25, 2009, date of his death July 18, 1969, death of his date

I guess all of you judging Senator Kennedy are Christians too, huh? Here’s an idea: go read your Bible. The last time I checked the job of judgement was reserved for God.

The fact of the matter is the health care proposal has more of a chance of passing now…

Collins and Snowe of Maine would never vote to filibuster now.

[...] better measurement of Ted Kennedy’s legacy than the lack of a government healthcare takeover. James Pethokoukis suggests: The pleas for politicos and pundits to refrain from politicizing the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy [...]

The fact that this man did not resign and go into lifelong seclusion the morning after his drunken manslaughter on the bridge at Chappaquiddick is one of the great scandals of modern American history. He has been a disgrace to the US Senate and to the United States ever since. Pray for his soul, and that God may have mercy on him and his arrogance and pride.

Google “WAITRESS SANDWICH”

My co-inventor has passed.

The fact that this man did not resign the morning after his drunken manslaughter on the bridge at Chappaquiddick and go into lifelong political seclusion is one of the great scandals of modern American history. He has been a stupefying disgrace to the Senate and to our country ever since. Pray for his soul, and that God may have mercy on this ignorant and arrogant man.

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Kennedy/Dodd Health Care Bill?