The people of Massachusetts have gotten the expected name of the replacement for their late icon Ted Kennedy – sort of.
Libertarian Joe Kennedy has arrived on the landscape and has announced his run at the vacant senate seat.
Uh…..good luck.
Anyway, it is an admirable attempt in Liberalland and, though I doubt that he has much of a chance – if any – I am still a firm believer in a third party option, particularly if a candidate’s views appear to be rooted in conservatism. However, when compared to his opponents, Massachusetts State Senator Scott Brown and Attorney General Martha Coakley, Kennedy – whose similarity to the famous aristocratic family is in name only – admits that he has held no public office of any kind nor has even run for any. As a result, this appears to be shaping up for triple dose of David vs. Goliath(s) in The Bay State. First, he has to overcome the whole namesake thingy. Then he has to go up against two state figures who, though they definitely don’t have tons of political experience by any stretch of the imagination, still have more experience than this lesser-known Kennedy. With only $10,000 campaign dollars in his pocket, to say it’s going to be an uphill battle would be the understatement of the relatively new millennium.
As aforementioned, I still love the fact that some people are going to be able to vote in line with their consciences as opposed to begrudgingly going to the voting booths or, as what is becoming sadly more typical, not voting at all. I believe there is never a good reason to not vote. But I have, frankly, grown weary of being required to choose the proverbial “lesser of two evils” too. This is not to say that Joe Kennedy may not simply be a “third evil” who will be inevitably heaped onto the mounting pile of New England political conservative carcasses – I don’t know enough about him yet. But if I were a Massachusetts registered voter, I could not help but to relish the guts of this guy who not only dwells within an environment that, based on election results, is hostile toward non-Democrats, but is going a step further and is going to put his money where his mouth is.
With this said, I predict the ending to resemble the Mike Tyson / Michael Spinks boxing match in 1988. All kinds of hype led up to the fight only to see it end within 90 seconds of the opening bell. We Pay per View subscribers felt pretty ripped off despite the fun ride of anticipation during the prior months.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
J
“The Republican field present is weak and near impalitable.” I couldn’t agree more.
As for old Joe Leiberman, well here is a man that switched parties to stay in office. And while his record is more left then right he at least is a statesman that seeks to bridge the divide between parties. Much like Kennedy attempted to do. I have to have respect for a politician that says “I may disagree with you but lets work out a compromise.” As opposed to one that says “We won the election, we write the bill!”
Erick,
For the life of me, I must say this 3rd party talk is a poser I can’t get past.
I to am questioning voting for the best man (Constitutionally speaking) above party, and to The Constitutions demise. I just don’t know yet. The Republican field present is weak and near impalitable. The Democratric machine on the other hand is wiping their bums with our most sacred documents.
I’m praying for a Reagan to rise out of nowhere and unite our nation on the founding principles that have made us special, even great amoung histories nations.
BB, good comments coming from your vantage, thank you.
J Byron,
I know it sounds naive and politically questionable, but I am at the point where voting according to my conscience takes priority over a party split.
BB2012,
I’m glad to see you partaking in the comments.
The puzzling thing about the Democratic take on Leiberman is that he is still one of the most liberal Senators around and always has been. To me it seems like he was thrown under the bus almost exclusively because he was not on the same page in 2006 with most of the other Democrats regarding the war.
It’s going to survival of the fittest. Is this Kennedy going to ride the coattails of his famous surname to winning the elections. There is a lot of disappointment in the two parties in this country right now. Don’t forget Joe Lieberman who jumped party lines to become an Independent.
It’s gonna be a wild next 3 years! Either the 3rd party people will take over the Republican Party or this country is doomed. A split in the Conservatives will divide our house and it will not stand.
It’s nothing less than “The Constitution vs. Das Capital”.