Kennedy Karma

If there truly is a thing called karma I envision the following scene:

The scene opens with the bright and radiant light of the pearly gates of heaven. Ted Kennedy approaches Saint Peter who is sitting behind a tall lectern.

“Name?” says St. Pete.

“Aaaaaaa, Ted Kennedy” comes the sheepish reply.

Saint Peter says “Okay Ted let me just check what it says here in the book. Now where did I put that thing? Oh yes, excuse me Ted, my secretary is just making some last minute entries.” Saint Peter turns and shouts “Oh Mary Jo, could you please bring me the book.”

We are about to enter that stomach-turning phase in American politics where each Washington DC elected official and countless lesser-known politicos from around the country take a moment to get in front of news cameras and microphones to canonize the now late Senator Ted Kennedy. Democrats will wail and tear their cloaks as they memorialize their fallen liberal hero. Republicans will put partisanship aside and give glowing accolades of his service to the country and all will tearfully reminisce of the time they spent together. It will all be very somber and very moving. But most of all it will be very fake.

While I know it is considered to be in poor taste to speak disparagingly of the dead I simply cannot bring myself to join the chorus of those who have looked past the glaring personal defects, deceit and hypocrisy of this disingenuous defender of truth and justice.

Ted Kennedy was known as the Lion in the Senate. A name he got quite by chance through a misinterpretation heard by a group of all too eager reporters. Kennedy was to give a news conference and was, as usual, late. When reporters asked a frazzled aide for the umpteenth time where the Senator was at the aide truthfully replied “He’s passed out drunk and lyin’ in the Senate.” Having no other story to go with they called their editors with the new moniker Lion in the Senate and it stuck.

Okay, so I made that up. But truth be told, with the actual life Kennedy lived the story is not so farfetched as to be completely unbelievable.

Kennedy had drinking problem. That is not groundbreaking news, nor is it a reason to dislike him. Some of my best friends are drunks. It is not that Kennedy was a drunk, it is that he never took responsibility for his woeful actions and his family’s money and political power made sure he was never forced to do so.

Kennedy is man whose drunken lifestyle caused the death of a young, pregnant secretary and campaign worker Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy fled the scene and only turned himself into police the following day after he sobered up and hired some fairly high priced legal defense. He is no different than any other drunk driver who goes out and takes a life except that his name and family legacy allowed him to not only walk free but to be publically forgiven.

One would think that after that level of homicidal irresponsibility he would seek the necessary help to turn his personal life around. But Ted Kennedy did no such thing. His drunken debauchery continued until his advanced years and ailing health toned down his activities.

He is, and will continue to be, lauded for his “tireless defense of the poor and less fortunate” but yet he personally remained an incredibly wealthy monarch, who when supporting the poor used other people’s money to do so. I’ve got a news flash for you, anybody can be generous when they are writing checks from someone else’s checkbook.

Kennedy was praised for his support of the first black American President when in fact that was nothing more than a shrewd political gamble. Kennedy knew he had a much better chance of controlling a socialist political lightweight like the freshman Senator from Illinois rather than a veteran of the political trenches like Hillary Clinton. This was a perfect example of Kennedy abandoning long time allies for his own personal political gain.

What is equally troubling for me is that I foresee Kennedy’s name being used to rally the troops in an effort to garner support for the trillion dollar mistake known as ObamaCare. Kennedy was an ardent supporter of this socialist nationalization of healthcare. Mark my words, Democrats will not be beneath trying to resurrect this debacle by trying to insist it will be part of his legacy.

And as for that legacy? I will let the pundits and political scholars have their day in sun as they wax poetically about all the good this flawed criminal brought through his Senate career, ignoring the lives he cost and destroyed. As for me, well, I can only pray that he was able to find something greater than the Kennedy name, wealth and political muscle to put his faith in before he died.