“A liberal believed in social justice for the poor, immigrants and other marginalized groups, and believed government had a role in protecting them and ensuring their opportunities. It was an ideology forged in the New Deal and civil rights era, and was exemplified by Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.”
I could just end the post right there. This was a quote used to describe the late “lion of the Senate”, Sen. Edward Kennedy.
I know that it is easy to overshadow just the idea that he was a great brother, great family man, great husband, and so much more in his personal life and the life of others around him – simply because he is a public figure and because he is descended from the Kennedy dynasty. But he was also a great politician, and a true defender of liberalism – something that many Americans outside of his personal circle may remember him for.
It is amazing how he commanded respect, even though he was not the same ideologically as everyone in the Senate. Two interesting points were made about him in this Washington Post piece:
1) He knew what the bottom line was for the people he fought on behalf of, and because of that, he knew when to fight for the mile or be happy with the yard.
2) He was what he was. A liberal. He did not try to hide this fact about himself.
I think this is what made him respected as a politician. It wasn’t necessarily about party politics, but about who was willing to fight for the bottom line with him – the bottom line for those marginalized groups that could not afford anything less. Although his universal health care push was not realized in his lifetime, I believe it is a lesson to be learned for both parties in debates about this issue and other potential explosive items prone to party politics. I wonder sometimes if the arguments about “key” provisions in H.R. 3200 (America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009) are really so “key” to either side, or if this is just a battle to win momentum for the next political stab at the policies of the other party. I believe I have said this before: politics should not be a winner-take-all sport, where nothing gained is better than something gained with non-critical concessions.
Most importantly, perhaps, for the liberals in the government, is the idea that being a liberal is associated with weakness, or taking from those that deserve and giving to those that do not deserve, needs to be shaken off with the same authority and confidence carried by Ted Kennedy. Conservatives get attacked for not being conservative enough. So then why should a liberal be afraid to be liberal if that is who they are? Instead, liberals are encourage to not lean too left. I understand that majority of American voters lie at the median of the political spectrum – so to win votes it is necessary to understand the needs of moderate America.
But like Kennedy, do not be afraid to fight openly and aggressively for children, for immigrant rights, for universal healthcare, if that is what you believe will make us a better America. Sen. Kennedy will be remembered differently by many different people. But one thing is for sure – he will be remembered with respect.
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