Ted Kennedy's triumphs, trials captured on video
Ted Kennedy: Family senator, patriarch, dead at 77
Massachusetts son Senator Edward Kennedy 1932-2009! Ted Kennedy friend and mentor on both sides of the aisle was a fierce Partisan, a tough customer and a great man! Being a life long resident of Massachusetts the Kennedy's have always been a part of my life. Ted Kennedy's passing truly is the end of an era. He was the last man standing, the last of his brothers. He will rejoin his brothers John and Robert at Arlington cemetery, date still unknown!
Ted Kennedy end up having a hand in everything but when he first went to the Senate as the youngest of 9 children no one expected much from him. Many believed he only won the seat because his brother was the President. Boy did he pleasantly surprise. Yes there was Chappaquiddick and it ended his dreams of a Presidency but I think he served us better as a US Senator!
He served 46 years, Kennedy was the 2nd most senior member of Congress, the 3rd longest serving Senator in History. He fought for a fair and more just America the whole time. Health care was his passion! I see a Health care reform Bill being passed now as a tribute to Senator Kennedy! Top Democrats vowed to fight for it to honor Kennedy. He said we will all live on in the future we make. Well let us make it!
Teddy secured a waiver to establish a health care Bill in Massachusetts!
1964 American Civil Rights act
1966 passed first common health law
Legacies include the American fair housing Act and the American Disabilities Act!
He was responsible for giving 18 year olds the right to vote.
1969 he gave his first speech on health care
Meals on wheels and ending the draft we owe him for too!
* He personally touched 2500 major pieces of legislation 300 of which were passed into law!
* In 2009 Kennedy's committee was the first to pass health care reform! We can all be thankful Ted Kennedy remained in the Senate and served us all, we are all better for it and I rest knowing he died a happy accomplished man!
He said often at key times"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die." How do we remember Teddy Kennedy the last of the Kennedy men? His Irishness? His Compassion? His sense of Humor? His senate long fight for health care? His devotion to the common man? We will miss him, the lion is gone. I do not see another right now. For now at our loss the role will go unfilled!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
Author: Kennedy Greatest legislator of his time
26 comments:
There is no one in Congress who comes within a country mile of being a great legislator for the common man. Kennedy set the standard.
Nice Post! very nice of you and Holte to write about him!
It is imporatnt to validate and honour those who do good!
Why did he die so young? 77 is only the average age a human body can live, if it's treated correctly. One should think with all that power and money taht the Kennedies had they would have been able to get some honest advice and real help on that subject. Really sad that nobody helped him when he did so much for others!
This is a moment in our lifetimes that must be noted. Thanks, Jim, for this tribute.
did I say average age??? I meant half the natural age for this type of body...
sorry, am so busy with some deals and admin that I don't really know what I'm saying anymore...
Holte
You know, being a life long Bostonian all we hear is Kennedy's but the more you look at what he has accomplished you see he has touched every American. I am sad to say it but I see no other advocate for the common man at a time when we need one most.
Hi Sarah!
You know, the Kennedy's have served America and the men paid with their lives. Teddy is the last and the first to die of natural cause if you call brain cancer natural causes.
Hi Billie
Thanks! We lost him at a time when we needed him the most. I know Kerry will try to step up but there is no one with Teddy's passion to serve the common Man.
Really? The poor guy!!!
I mean there are so many different cures around and if you have the money you can also afford to go to the specialists which actually aren't crooks.
But it's so sad that nobody managed to help him!
But then again it must have been one unhappy family suffering terribly from suppression - both inside and from the surroundings.
JFK had terrible back problems, was heavily medicated, his sister had study problems and their father thought that was too embarressing and so he arranged for her to have brain surgery, which turned her into a veggetable.
And so it goes on and on...
Really tragic!
77 half life? That is like Bible era age!
I guess she forgot about our world class health care with a higher infant mortality rate and lower longevity. To date it's rare that anyone survives a malignant brain tumor especially at that age.
No, James! especially the way that you're eating... you're gonna be in for quite a surprise! But a positive one.
Ever heard about the Hunzas?
If somebody dies at 110 he's died young. According to Natural Hygiene and some more sensible doctors and a German biology book the human body should really last 140 to 150 years - if treated optimally.
And one of those things would be eating lots of raw stuff like you do! so sorry to tell you this but you're gonna hang around for at least another 50 if not 90 years if you manage to keep it up and no Republican or Birther kills you before your time!
We has just discussed this on the phone the other day, and here, 3 or 4 days later, he's gone. As I said, I had my problems with him, but all in all, he was a politician without equal. A champion of the 'little man' and advocate of the downtrodden. I'll miss him.
Every time I start missing him, all I have to do, is call you and listen to your accent. ;)
Demeur
I didn't keep the stats but we have one of the lowest longevity rates of the so called civilized world. That is what they call success and a great system!
Hi Sarah
I don't know if living long is a good thing or not.I have heard of the Hunzas but now I will look them up. I am a fan of Jack Lallane and follow him. I want to see how long he lives. He is almost 95 now and healthier than a teenager.
Brother you are a riot! That was the first thing I thought about! I was thinking about you this morning. I was contacted yesterday by someone I haven't heard of since we were roomies in Germany. He was a wild child. Anyway he is a Pastor now and I was thinking of you!
I gotta look up that Jack Lallane!
I found out about "natural hygiene" through a friend of mine who's a best selling author on natural health here in DK and I kind of followed him if you want to put it this way... but sometimes he also writes what I told him... all that went pretty well until he married an MD who used to work for the Russian government. Surprised I had a problem with her?!
Well anyway even after he was done with her, things never really were the same, he was no longer trustworthy also in other areas, which is a pity, since he basically is a good guy, but he just can't see the forrest for the trees...
So today you can probably say, I only follow myself and my family and what we know to be true.
By the way Demeur, you are right; well at least half right.
The biology book said the same thing; in spite of being able to live that long, people won't. But no because of the crappy health system - it's because they just don't live and eat healthy enough and do all end up killing themselves far too young.
If you're asking me, the fact that people can't afford to see a doctor is usually a good thing: they will live longer that way!!!
here in Europe people get put into their graves early by their doctors!
Still I do think you guys should get your health system, but don't expect anything positive from it!
But maybe having public health care will reduce the corruption a little since they can't possibly keep up what they are doing now and pay for all that fraud.
Sarah
Look him up on Google You will be blown away! We were not allowed to watch TV as kids but allowances were made for Jack Lalanne's show.
I think he was 70 when he swam a mile to Alcatraz towing 70 row boats while hand cuffed. He does something every year. His wife doesn't want him to swim to Catalina island which is what he wants to do for 85.
He started opening Gyms in the 1940s and was a world class body builder most recently he is famous for his juicer's. Quite an amazing character.
Kennedy had his flaws but he was one of the very few liberals in the Senate.
Who's left? Feingold, Sanders, Kerry, Boxer, Byrd, Dodd, Levin,... I'm running out of names.
I agree Dave! The common man has lost their champion and I see no one to fill in the void. We lost his compassion at a very critical time!
I just remembered something I heard yesterday when I was listening to memories of teddy. "Most people grow up and go into Politics, Kennedy's go into Politics and grow up"
The discussion itself is a great tribute to Teddy.
Beautiful eulogy for a beautiful man of the people Jim.
I am putting this up as todays Daily Feature at Sirens..I hope you don't mind.
Hi Holte
I agree and we can only hope some someone steps up and fills his void. I know other that has his compassion to help the common man. He is already missed!
Thanks Dusty! and you know I love it and appreciate it. Take care!
Nice tribute to Teddy. You were very lucky to have him as your Senator; it's like winning the lottery for the last 47 years!
Hi Karen
I know, I used him frequently too and he or whoever always responded. I think Joe is going to step up now but we will see!
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