Posted on 08/20/2009 9:15:45 AM PDT by Panzerlied
Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, terminally ill with brain cancer, has asked state legislative leaders to change the law and let Gov. Deval Patrick appoint a temporary replacement upon his death.
Under current law, the seat would be empty until a special election could be held 145 to 160 days later. But Senator Kennedy, a 77-year-old Democrat, wrote in a letter to the governor that he wanted Massachusetts to have full representation in the Senate during that period.
Although he did not mention it in the letter, it is becoming increasingly clear that Democratic votes will be crucial to passing the health care legislation that is the subject of intense Congressional debate. Senator Kennedy has been a passionate supporter of overhauling the nation’s health care system, but his absence from the debate and from public life in recent months has raised speculation that he will not be well enough to cast a vote when the time comes.
Should Senator Kennedy die before the vote, his seat will likely be vacant when the vote takes place if the current law stands.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Hah...laws for republicans are meant to be kept but laws for rats are meant to be broken.
A lying schemeing Socialist to the end.
I guess they can’t do without a senator for a few months. If they passed the law, let them live with it. Is the dumb one, Patrick, moving to Mass?
Oh man that’s great. Talking about being hoist by one’s own petard!
as a child, I was told not to say anything if you can’t say something nice .......
Why doesn’t he do the obvious thing and resign??
The Hero of Chappaquiddick is probably angling for one of his idiot relatives to be appointed. Dumbass Caroline? Drug addict Patrick? Or one of the other various drunks and child molesters in the Kennedy family. When are we finally going to be rid of this family?
Prior to 2004, state law had the Governor appoint a successor. The left wing state legislators changed this law in an emergency when they thought John Kerry might (God forbid)be elected president. They didn’t want Mitt Romney to have the ability to fill the seat. Now that we have Obama-buddy Gov Patrick, they want to change the law AGAIN to prevent the people from voting in a special election. Guess it wasn’t really about good governance back in 2004 now was it?
why doesn’t he resign now? that would speed things up a bit
Pick a name at random from the phone book.
Anyone with half a brain could do Kennedy’s job.
Specifically Romney promised Howie Carr if the seat became vacant, he would be the appointee. The law was changed within the week.
Well change it back then.
“as a child, I was told not to say anything if you can’t say something nice .......”
Yeah, but now you’re a big boy . . . say it!
Typical
No.
I would think that, over a year after this diagnosis, his competency should be under scrutiny... Is this HIM or the PARTY wanting this changed.
Thinking the same thing, he most likely is not up to even writing such a letter.
No different than Mayor Bloomers promoting term limits and then insisting that he’s too important not to run for a third term.
Laws, what stinking laws.
May his replacement be necessary as soon as possible.
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