Politics

Back a few years ago there was a Republican governor in Massachusetts and it looked for a while like he would be able to appoint a replacement US Senator. A man by the name of Ted Kennedy and his supporters got the law changed to prevent that from happening. They argued that the voters should have that choice not the governor.

Recently that same Ted Kennedy, shortly before his death opened a vacancy in the US Senate, argued that the governor should be able to appoint a replacement Senator so that the office would not remain vacant for months. His supporters are calling for that to happen. Apparently Democratic governors can be trusted but Republican governors can not. Frankly I’m getting more and more upset about this all the time. It is hypocrisy. It is pure politics. It is just plain dishonest.

I’ve never been a big fan of Ted Kennedy but normally I would keep quiet about it because he’s gone and it is so soon after his death. But this deathbed political move should be seen as something that tarnishes his final days and be condemned.

And it is not about how to choose a replacement. Some states have special elections. Some have governors appoint replacements. I imagine some combine the two. How is is done is not what upsets me about this. I just want to hear one Democrat denounce this move and demand that no changes be made until there is an other US Senator selected under the current system. That is the only right, ethical, moral thing to do.

Now if the people who fought the move to take the appointment away from the governor push for it and it passed without support from those who pushed the present system I could accept that as fair and honest. It’s unlikely which is sort of a shame. The whole thing highlights how much party has become more important than principle and what is best for the people is secondary. If it ranks that high at all.

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