OK, I'm late to jump on this bandwagon, but I'm on it! It's not even that I'm crazy about Scott Brown, although he has many solid conservative values, something dearly needed in Massachusetts. It's that I'm beyond sick and tired of The Kennedys running everything around this state. This Senate seat isn't Ted Kennedy's seat. It is one of two Senate seats that belong to the Commonwealth of Massachusestts. It belongs to us. The MA Senator is supposed to represent us, not The Kennedys.
History: Ted "inherited" the senate seat after his brother Jack was elected president in 1960.
When Jack left the Senate, Benjamin Smith II, "a Kennedy family friend, was appointed to succeed Kennedy, serving as a placeholder for Ted, who at the time was too young to be constitutionally eligible for the seat." A special election was then held in November 1962. As Teddy's Democratic challenger AG Edward McCormack said "The office of United States senator should be merited, and not inherited."
Ted kept his Senate position for 48 years. We should be embarrassed!! Is Massachusetts some sort of bananna republic where rich elites rule for life?
When Ted died of brain cancer in August 2009, The Kennedys and Gov. Deval Patrick decided that Paul Kirk, another "dear family friend", would replace Ted as US Senator, rather than leave the office vacant until the January 2010 special election. "Two Kennedy family associates told CNN ....that Kirk was the family's favorite to fill his vacant Senate seat." Locals know how what a blatant, hypocritical political move this was, when back in 2004, "the state's Democrat-controlled legislature changed the law to prevent the governor from appointing an interim successor after a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant." Former Governor Mitt Romney was prevented from temporarily appointing a Senate replacement in the event that John Kerry was elected president (thank goodness that didn't come to pass!). But when a Democratic governor is in power, the legislature changed the law back so the governor could appoint a temporary senator. Which is how Paul Kirk got his position.
Now The Kennedys (Ted's widow Victoria, Joe "friend of Hugo Chavez" K, and family friend Paul Kirk) have publicly backed AG Martha Coakley for senator. No surprise there, what took them so long? But maybe it won't go their way this time. Truly, I hope the era of the Kennedy family in Massachusetts has come to an end. It's gone on far too long. We've had enough of the whole lot of them. We don't need the Kennedys and we don't need a Kennedy flunkey, which Ms. Coakley surely would be.
So People of Massachusetts, please give your vote on January 19, 2010 to Scott Brown. We're on the cusp of a historic upset here in Massachusetts, and It's Time! I'm not only working the Scott Brown phone banks a few hours a week, I'm personally contacting fall my family members, friends and neighbors to ask them to vote for Scott Brown (something I've never done before!). Massachusetts has had ultraliberal senators for way too long. It's time for Massachusetts conservatives and libertarians to have representation too!
Final word about one of The Kennedys:
So glad to read that you are working for Scott Brown. He has surrounded himself with many good people.
BNest wishes for the new year!
Posted by: RWB | January 08, 2010 at 02:58 PM
You go, girl! Me too as far as phone banking and getting my feet wet for the first time. Till now it was just yelling at the TV, the occasional letter to the editor and ranting at the blog. Exciting times. : )
Posted by: Sissy Willis | January 08, 2010 at 06:23 PM
We must get back to our American Roots in this country. Martha Coakley is out of touch with the American people. The Kennedys have run this country too long. This is what is wrong with this nation. Too many cronies in Washington. The people neeed to put a limit on how long Senators can hold their position! Let's start by getting rid of Coakley and start NEW with Brown.
Posted by: Pamela Gatch | January 17, 2010 at 10:13 AM
Good article...and I thought it was only me that felt this way. We don't have royalty in this country; fought a war to prove this; so we don't need any more poseurs (sp. not too good) but you know what I mean. Go Scott!
Posted by: Judith | January 19, 2010 at 01:57 AM
ugh this makes me queasy. people begrudge obama for not getting anything done, and then they throw monkey wrenches in his efforts to reform every chance they get. all this whining about political dynasties is, to me, secondary. how can we make progress when we change our minds about what progress we want whenever our bank accounts dwindle or things don't change overnight?
and i admit, coakley wasn't awesome. also the special election rule change in 04 by the dems was pulling a fast one. i admit that. but come on. can we take the long view for once on this? brown will help to sink health care. massachusetts already has stellar state-sponsored health care. can we get that in the rest of the country, too? is that too much to ask?
too late now though. you got your way. i hope it works out like you imagined. something tells me it won't.
Posted by: Aaron | January 20, 2010 at 04:20 AM
Aaron, quit spamming my blog - MK
Posted by: Aaron | January 21, 2010 at 05:06 AM
Aaron, please stop spamming my blog. Surely you have better things to do with your time and energy.
Hmmm....maybe not...... Too bad for you!
Posted by: MK | January 22, 2010 at 12:33 AM