# 032 June 9, 2009
By: Allen Wells
Monday’s Wall Street Journal posts an article on page A3 entitled, “Ailing Kennedy Key to Health Bill.” The article states that Mr. Kennedy has, “championed health-care issues his whole career.” It further states [that], “If the liberal Mr. Kennedy takes a lesser role [in crafting the health care bill], that could make it easier for the more conservative Mr. Baucus [D. Montana] to push the health care legislation in a centrist direction.”
Mr. Kennedy (as most are aware) is the recipient of a vast family fortune amassed by his father, Joseph Kennedy. The elder Mr. Kennedy created the majority of his wealth during prohibition days, running untaxed liquor off the coast of Massachusetts while keeping many federal agents and employees on his payroll… I’m not making this up. That was the elder Mr. Kennedy’s first legacy. His second legacy was to have a son in the White House.
As a result of his family’s vast wealth and political connections, Mr. Kennedy has lived a life of ease and leisure that far outdistances that of the average American taxpayer; a taxpayer with whom Mr. Kennedy has no problem forcing to pay the costs of his liberal ideas and policies.
Senator Kennedy has quite a reputation at this point in his life… unconvicted murderer (his family bought him out of that problem), unabashed liberal representing one of the more liberal states, key contributor to the loss of Jimmy Carter in his re-election bid for President. Senator Kennedy is well known for business bashing and the attacking of free market supporters and business owners for increasing productivity (“at the expense of the worker”), and a supporter of ever increasing taxes on the producers to pay for non producers. I could go on, but that is not the point of this essay.
As I was saying, I have a great idea that will enable Senator Kennedy to leave a positive legacy and perhaps benefit an entire generation of working Americans. Senator Kennedy (as you know) is fighting brain cancer (a losing battle) and is already partially incapacitated.
As with the very wealthy, the good Senator has the finest staff of doctors and specialists, nursing staff, hospital suites and care. As a matter of conjecture, I would bet that at this point, Senator Kennedy’s care might only be rivaled by that given the President of the United States.
Here is my idea:
Mr. Kennedy who has, “championed health-care issues his whole career”, should forgo his super wealthy medical care, his superb Congressional health care benefits and come forward to issue a statement stating he believes that public health care is far better than private health care – and completely adequate to treat his disease; to that extent he will immediately cease all paid health care for his terminal illness and check himself into a public hospital in Boston. In order to prove to the American public and Congress his belief that government managed and public funded health care is equal to and possibly superior to private health care, he will donate his personal wealth to charity and submit himself for indigent care. In fact, his belief in his principles of government funded and managed health care is so intense that he is willing to put his own life on the line in defense of this principle.
What a legacy! Finally a liberal politician will be able to state emphatically, not just in words but in deed – I believe so completely in the cause I have championed my entire career that I am willing to put my life on the line to show the American public how strong my commitment is to government controlled and funded health care.
If the good Senator from Massachusetts will show his true belief, I would suggest a Kennedy monument, grander than the Washington monument… a legacy for a “public servant” who was willing to “take his own medicine” (so to speak).
With warmth and regards (as always),
Allen
To reply or comment:
No comments:
Post a Comment