Posted on 08/21/2009 7:44:11 AM PDT by raccoonradio
I have no ill will toward Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. I respect and admire his long service, but is it too indelicate to ask if Kennedy is so concerned about continuity of representation in the U.S. Senate, why hasn’t he resigned to allow an orderly election to take place?
The law defines a vacancy as occurring upon the filing of a letter of resignation, including a resignation not effective until a future date.
And why, on this important matter of principle, didn’t he stand with Mitt Romney in 2004 when Democrats changed the law to deny the Republican governor the power to appoint in the event of a vacancy?
So far in 2009, an ailing Kennedy has been present for only nine of 270 roll calls in the Senate, missing 96.7 percent of the votes. The fact is Massachusetts has been underrepresented in the U.S. Senate since Kennedy’s unfortunate diagnosis of brain cancer last year. Most people, including myself, are willing to overlook these absences out of consideration of Kennedy’s illustrious career and present illness.
But now, with a critical health care vote looming in the fall, the White House and Kennedy are worried every vote will be needed to pass a bill expanding health insurance. This explains why Kennedy wants to restore the power of the governor to appoint a U.S. senator on an interim basis.
Kennedy wrote state officials saying “it is vital . . . to have two voices speaking for needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election.”
This is the same argument Republicans made in 2004 when Democrats eyeing a hoped-for presidential victory by John Kerry took the appointment power away from Romney. Beacon Hill insiders were then willing to brush aside the principle of continuous representation to gain partisan advantage.
“Too bad,” the Boston Phoenix editorialized. “Filling a vacant Senate seat by gubernatorial appointment is undemocratic, and the law that gives the governor such power is an anachronistic holdover.”
Some of those same voices no doubt feel differently today, now that Obama’s health care agenda is at risk.
When the governor was stripped of his appointment power, Kennedy and Kerry looked the other way, an inexcusable act in a post-9/11 world where a catastrophic attack decimating the Congress would have left the state leaderless and scrambling to hold an election.
On this one, Kennedy is right on principle, it’s just too bad he’s so late in coming to its defense. -----------
Eric Fehrnstrom is a Republican political consultant and was a member of the Romney administration.
You almost lost me at hello, Eric, but I agree with you otherwise...
I guess the Dems can only keep up the “Weekend at Bernie’s” scam for so long....
“I respect and admire his long service.” I read the rest of the piece to see how many more laugh-lines there would be. Problem is, the “republican” author was actually SERIOUS!!
Um, Eric, honey -- he didn't stand with Romney because he was actively on the other side! It's not a secret that he was calling state legislators at home on the weekend to push the special election bill. Ask Howie Carr -- he also writes for the Herald; he can explain it to you!
Anyone else hear that giant “suckupping” sound?
Depending of course on how one defines "principles", I think this question could be asked of Kennedy's entire public life.
I had to stop there. Horse manure.
I hadn’t heard about this. If this gets wide play in the MSM they will spin it.
This event is a good example of why people don’t like politics and politicians. In 2004 the Democrats claimed to be standing on principle, that voters should have a special election to fill a Senate vacancy, if John Kerry had been elected president. Now that they have a good Democrat governor, they want him to be able to fill the vacancy.
So which principle is the most important, Democrats? Is it more important that a Democrat governor appoint a good Democrat senator quickly, or more important that the people get to vote, though it takes longer to conduct an election?
**didn’t he stand with Mitt Romney in 2004 when Democrats changed the law **
Teddy KEGGER WROTE That damn law .. to KEEP Mitt from appointing a GOP should John Effing Kerrey Won the WH in 04.
Have no respect or admiration for that Murderer, I’m only surprised that they found BRAIN MATTER for the Tumor to attach itself to.
ALL I hope for Teddy KEGGER, is that MARY JO KOPECNE is waiting at the PEARLY GATES, and that SHE has the honor of KICKING TEDDY’s *** all the way to HELL.
Good.
His replacement is going to be a hard-core leftist Democrat regardless of whether he/she is selected by the governor or the voters.
Though I must say this: The fact that someone in the Kennedy machine is this concerned about it may be a VERY telling sign of just how concerned they are about the public's perception of the Democrat Party.
LOL.
Wants to appoint Maria Shriver - CA’s wife1 - God knows Arnold needs and exit line and she seems to have the experience by running the state of California.
All to their benefit, of course.
That he didn't attend his sisters funeral is not definite proof that he's both physically and mentally malfunctioning, but it's a darn good indicator.
I'll bet if the health vote in the Senate was tomorrow, they'd be unable even to get him into a limo to get to the chambers. It's probably all they can do to guide his hand as he pens his name to statements supposedly written by him.
Leni
If Kennedy was so concerned with the process he'd have resigned months ago.
As it is he probably didn't even write this. Unless maybe he and Castro are collaborating on media statements.
I almost stopped right there but again, otherwise, he makes a good point.
On this one, Kennedy is right on principle...
Please... It's pandering mealy-mouths like this guy, this "Republican consultant," that have left Massachusetts the sorry one-party state it is.
Yeah, I was surprised he outlived Robert Novak, but then, Teddy has access to the best health care money can buy. Ironic, isn’t it?
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