Ted's tacky "friends"

Emotional appeals to action often betray the weaknesses in the argument for doing so in the first place. We’re seeing this with Ted Kennedy’s passing. I’m an Irish guy from Massachusetts, and like every other citizen in the state, know the Kennedys well. Calls to pass the health care reform act, or the illegal immigration amnesty act (or just about any other policy championed by the liberal lion of the Senate) are now being heard. Obvious point — if they were such a good idea, why not pass them when he was alive? If you concede your viewpoint, your notion of what’s right for the country and its citizens, all to supposedly pay tribute to a great man, you do anything but. Politics of fear rarely work. Think politics of emotion will do any better? As usual, some in the beltway crowd are attempting to “honor” a colleague by bringing dishonor upon themselves. But maybe I’m just a cynic.