Not to justify today's votes, but Kennedy is actually very conservative in business cases-- not the cases that make headlines, but the ones that make a difference in my day-to-day law practice.
And Mussolini made the trains run on time...so what? It's because of self-interest driven pragmatism that so few are willing to stand on principle these days. The big picture always matters more than lesser concerns, but unfortunately most today will gladly trade their birthright for a little temporary comfort.
The so-called "social issues" that the RINOs of the world so casually dismiss are what our country's founders would have called foundational principles. If we have a toxic, dysfunctional culture then nothing else matters. That's why even the wealthiest of the founders were willing to give up their personal wealth and a relatively comfortable existence under the British monarchy to fight for liberty.