At this moment we’re facing one of the most historic votes in Congress. More than sixty years in the making, and finally we may have a real health care reform bill being signed by the President. This was Senator Ted Kennedy’s life work, and sorrowfully he isn’t here to see it through. But what’s even worse is, we may not have full representation from the state he came from. At this point it seems the lights are out in Massachusetts and nobody’s home.

State lawmakers are dragging their feet in allowing Governor Patrick to appoint an interim replacement for Senator Kennedy. This is temporary mind you. The replacement will only be in office until a special election can take place, and the person getting the position cannot run in the election. Its merely to give Massachusetts full representation at this critical time.

Now I understand the “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander” problem. If the Democrats in Massachusetts allow this now, it could happen again when a Republican governor is in office later. Naturally a Republican governor would appoint a Republican replacement, and that could spell problems for the state.

But its only temporary! Senator Kennedy asked for an interim replacement pending a special election. So even if a future Republican governor got the opportunity to appoint someone somewhere down the road, the special election would remedy the situation with little time to do very much damage to the state’s policies.

So what’s the problem here? Will someone please turn the lights back on?!?

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Technorati Tags: interim replacement, Massachusetts, Massachusetts lawmakers, Senator Kennedy, special election

I didn’t write immediately after I heard the news about the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, because I think I needed to absorb what it meant. In a nutshell, I feel like we now know what the country felt like when Benjamin Franklin passed. Senator Kennedy was that kind of man. The type of person who comes far less often than necessary.

He’ll be especially missed here in Massachusetts, where we all felt just a little safer knowing he was our senior senator. He brought integrity to politics here, as well as throughout the country. We knew, whatever he was working on or promoting, it was for the benefit of the people.

What grieves me the most however, is that he had such an impact. I mean, he was one senator out of a hundred, and yet he stood out so glaringly as opposed to those who “play” politics rather than respecting it.

His life and passing are a challenge to all remaining senators to care about what they’re doing, to follow suit with his tireless fight for the common folk, and to just stop “playing politics” and do the work they were elected for.

Sure, his passing effects us because he is the last of the Kennedy brothers. But I really don’t believe his legacy will be about that. Being a Kennedy surely brought him to our attention, and no doubt helped him achieve his stature, but I think he will be most remembered, and most missed for how he lived up to his family’s motto ,”To whom much is given, much will be required.”

Technorati Tags: Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, Ted Kennedy