Massachusetts

The Kennedy Half Century Began 53 Years Ago Today!

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On this day in 1960, John F. Kennedy was nominated for President by the Democratic Party at their national convention in Los Angeles. He went on to a very tight and much debated close victory over Richard Nixon, including widely accepted accusations that his election was fixed in Chicago by Mayor Richard J. Daley!

Kennedy’s impact on the nation was massive, and made greater by the fact that he was assassinated, and even though we learned about his controversial sex life in the White House, and he has faced growing criticism on his policies and actions in office as the years have gone by, it is still a reality that he is adored by vast numbers of the American people, and made out to be an icon!

His brother, Robert Kennedy, was also martyred after a controversial career as Attorney General under his brother, a short Senate career, and his assassination while seeking the Presidency in 1968 to finish the work of his brother.

And then, there was Ted Kennedy, the youngest brother, who was first seen as a lightweight in the Senate, had the scandalous Chappaquiddick incident in which a woman died in his car as it was being driven by a drunk Kennedy, and was totally defeated in his later attempt to take the 1980 Presidential nomination of his party away from President Jimmy Carter.

But Kennedy went on to a distinguished, record setting career of 47 and a half years in the Senate, honored as the “Lion” of the Senate, and regarded as one of the greatest Senate giants in its more than two century history as an institution.

And then there was Joseph Kennedy II, son of Robert Kennedy, who served in the US House of Representatives from Massachusetts for 12 years; Patrick Kennedy, son of Ted, who served in the House from Rhode Island for 16 years; and now Joseph Kennedy III, grandson of Robert Kennedy and son of former Congressman Joe, who serves in the House of Representatives from Massachusetts since the beginning of this year.

And there have been other Kennedys or Kennedy relatives who have been in public office, including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert Kennedy, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Maryland; and JFK brother in law Sargant Shriver, who headed the Peace Corps, the War On Poverty, and was Ambassador to France.

So the Kennedy half century of influence is marked today by the JFK nomination for President in 1960, and it continues in politics and in history!

Ed Markey Wins John Kerry’s Senate Seat: First Step Toward Retention Of Democratic Senate In 2014!

Ronald 4 Comments

The Democratic Party has taken the first step toward hoped for retention of the majority of the US Senate in 2014, with the solid victory tonight of Congressman Ed Markey to John Kerry’s Senate seat in Massachusetts!

Markey, a 36 year veteran of the House of Representatives, enters the Senate with more years in the lower house of Congress than any in American history, and at an older age than most for a first term, being age 66!

Markey has been an outstanding liberal, and will add distinction to the US Senate, alongside fellow Senator Elizabeth Warren, making Massachusetts again one of the best states in representation, as it was with Ted Kennedy and John Kerry!

Congratulations to the new Senator Ed Markey!

John Kerry’s Senate Seat: Democrats Cannot Afford To Lose Seat, As Occurred With Ted Kennedy’s Senate Seat In 2010!

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When Senator Ted Kennedy died in 2009, it was assumed that the Democrats would hold his seat in the special election set up in early 2010, but instead Martha Coakley lost to Scott Brown, who held the seat for three years, until Elizabeth Warren defeated him in the next regular election in 2012.

Now we are faced with the same circumstance, as the special election for John Kerry’s Senate seat will be held in two weeks, and Democratic Congressman Ed Markey is competing against Republican Gabriel Gomez, and indications are that the race is close!

Markey has been an outstanding Congressman for an amazing number of years, 36, ever since 1976. If he wins, with his outstanding liberal record on issues, he would be an exceptional replacement for John Kerry, just as Elizabeth Warren is for Ted Kennedy. He likely is the longest serving Congressman to attempt a change to the US Senate, and one of the older freshman Senators in history, if he wins, at age 66!

We cannot afford to have a Republican take away a seat that the Democrats have always been able to count on, particularly with tight races coming up in the midterm elections of 2014! Markey deserves all support he can gather, financially, and with volunteer work, to hold on to a seat that represents the most Democratic state in the nation in recent years!

High Voting Percentage States: All Democratic In Presidential Election Of 2012!

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New statistics demonstrate the success of the Democratic Party as the top five high voting percentage states are all Democratic:

Minnesota
Wisconsin
Colorado
New Hampshire
Iowa

These five states had a voter turnout of 76 down to 70 percent.

It turns out that 17 of the top 20 states in voter turnout voted Democratic, with only North Carolina, Montana and Missouri voting Republican.

If a state had “swing state” status or allowed same day registration on Election Day, voter participation was higher.

Only in four states (Utah,Colorado, Wisconsin, Massachusetts) and the District of Columbia was voter turnout higher than in 2008, an unusual event. Interestingly, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney seem to have brought out more votes in their home states of Wisconsin and Massachusetts, but both lost their home states, Romney by a landslide, and Ryan losing not only his state, but his Congressional district and home city of Janesville, as well.

Also, California, Texas, and New York, the three largest states but never in play in a Presidential election, had low voter turnout for lack of interest and excitement about the election results.

With most attention being paid to about ten “swing states” where the Presidential elections are decided these days, it may indicate a trend of lower voter turnout, percentage wise, in the future, not a good development for American democracy.

Still, 27 states and the District of Columbia had voter participation rate of 60 percent or more, and only three (Oklahoma, West Virginia, Hawaii) under 50 percent.

A First In A Presidency: The President, Vice President, Secretary Of State, And Secretary Of Defense All Former Senators!

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For the first time in the history of the Presidency, we have now the unique circumstance of having four former United States Senators about to be serving at the same time as President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense!

The fact that most Senators aspire to be in one of those four positions is belied by the fact of just how rare that is, and never have all four positions been held by former Senators whose next public position was to serve in one of those posts.

Barack Obama is the former Senator from Illinois. Joe Biden is the former Senator from Delaware. John Kerry soon will be the former Senator from Massachusetts. And Chuck Hagel, when confirmed, will have the distinction of having been a former Senator from Nebraska.

These four men are a distinguished team, with all having sought the Presidency, except Hagel, who had thoughts of it, but had no chance in a Republican party that he realized, as time went by, was no longer the party he had believed in, based on its past.

Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey The Best Choice To Replace John Kerry In The US Senate!

Ronald 1 Comment

Democratic Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts has announced his candidacy for the US Senate seat that will open up when John Kerry is confirmed as Secretary of State by the time of the inauguration of Barack Obama for his second term as President.

Markey has a distinguished record as one of the longest lasting members of the House of Representatives, having first been elected 36 years ago in 1976.

In a normal situation, Markey might have been able to run for the Senate years ago, but his misfortune was to come from Massachusetts, with two sterling Senators, Ted Kennedy, who served 47 years, the fourth longest service in Senate history, and John Kerry, who has served 28 years, and was the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee against George W. Bush.

Markey has been a leader on climate change legislation, and now is speaking up vigorously for gun control legislation, and has always served his constituents with devotion, and has a reputation as a hard working liberal, who deserves this opportunity at age 66 to become a Senator. He could certainly serve a theoretical 14 years, two years of the Kerry term, and two more elections, and would then be retiring at the age 80, with the assurance that he would be a star figure in the Senate in the tradition of Kennedy and Kerry.

It is not that Massachusetts does not have other outstanding Congressmen, and others, who could fill the position, but Markey truly deserves the chance to be the nominee this coming summer, with a very good chance to defeat former Republican Senator Scott Brown, who would likely be his opponent. All good fortune to Ed Markey as he pursues the Senate seat!

Twenty Women In The United States Senate In The 113th Congress: All Time High!

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The 113th Congress will have TWENTY women, the highest number in American history!

The 112th Congress had seventeen women, 12 Democrats and 5 Republicans.

The 113th Congress will have 16 Democrats and 4 Republicans, with Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, both Republicans, retiring!

Five new women will join the Senate—Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts,.Tammy Baldwin of WIsconsin, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, and Deb Fischer of Nebraska, with Fischer being the lone Republican. Fifteen women Senators will remain, including three Republicans—Susan Collins of Maine, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. The twelve returning Democratic women include: Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Diane Feinstein of California, Barbara Boxer of California, Parry Murray of Washington, and Maria Cantwell of Washington.

Also, three states have both Senators being women—New Hampshire, California, and Washington!

And to top it off, New Hampshire not only has two women Senators, but also both House members are women, and the new Governor is a woman, the first state to have an all female representation in Congress and the Governorship!

How far America has come as we enter the year 2013!

The Succession To John Kerry’s Senate Seat Becomes More Interesting!

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With Massachusetts Senator John Kerry about to be announced as Barack Obama’s new Secretary of State for his second term in office, attention is being paid more than ever to who will replace him.

Governor Deval Patrick will make a temporary appointment, but by late June or early July, there will be an election to finish out the term to the end of 2014.

Senator Scott Brown, soon to leave the Senate after losing to Elizabeth Warren, will certainly be the Republican nominee, but this time, unlike January 2010, when he won the Senate seat after the death of Ted Kennedy, it will be much more difficult for him to win in the very heavy “Blue” state of Massachusetts.

The rumors are flying that the widow of Ted Kennedy, Vickie Kennedy, who turned down the chance to run nearly three years ago, might now be interested. And also, Joseph Kennedy III, son of former Congressman Joseph Kennedy II, and now newly elected to Barney Frank’s House seat in Boston, could be a contender, even though only 32, but then Ted Kennedy was only 30 when he took the Senate seat in 1962. Any Kennedy running would be tough to beat.

But there are others also considered possible candidates, including Barney Frank himself, although retiring from the House of Representatives; Congressman Ed Markey, who has served in the House for 36 years; Congressman Michael Capuano; former Congressman Marty Meehan; and even Governor Deval Patrick himself!

One thing is certain: The replacement battle for John Kerry’s Senate seat will be fascinating and combative for sure, including a possible Democratic primary for the seat!

Best Team For America’s Future Security: John Kerry For Secretary Of State, And Chuck Hagel For Secretary Of Defense

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In the midst of the “Fiscal Cliff” battle, President Obama is also deep into Cabinet selection, and it was heartening to hear that former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican who served in Vietnam and became an acknowledged expert on foreign policy in his years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been at the White House, and is a hot candidate for Secretary of Defense.

This author has long raved about the credentials of Hagel, and suggested him for the cabinet in the first term, and it now seems more likely that he might become the head of the Pentagon when Leon Panetta leaves soon.

This would be continuing the tradition of past Democratic Presidents to decide to choose reputable Republicans for the Defense Department, and it even goes back to when it was called the War Department before 1947.

The historical record shows Franklin D. Roosevelt having Henry Stimson, former Secretary of State under Herbert Hoover, as his Secretary of War, along with Frank Knox, who had been the Republican Vice Presidential nominee in 1936, being named Secretary of the Navy, both in 1940, when Great Britain was being attacked by the German Air Force in World War II, and the threat to America was seen as dire by many as a result.

John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson utilized Robert McNamara as Secretary of Defense in the 1960’s.

Bill Clinton had former Maine Senator William Cohen, a responsible and reputable Republican Senator, as his Secretary of Defense in the second term, and he received kudos for his performance.

And Robert Gates, George W. Bush’s second Secretary of Defense, became Barack Obama’s first Secretary of Defense, and did a wonderful job for more than two years.

So the reasoning to pick Hagel is clearly there, but to make the foreign policy-defense team complete, the President also needs to choose Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, a Vietnam War veteran too, and 2004 Democratic Party Presidential nominee, to replace Hillary Clinton at the State Department, after 28 years of service in the US Senate, and chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Kerry has had a distinguished career, and would be an excellent choice, and the team of Kerry and Hagel would be sensational.

In a time of trouble and turmoil, America needs its strongest team on national security, and Kerry and Hagel fit the bill, without any question or doubt.

Susan Rice, the UN Ambassador, is also outstanding in many ways, but quite frankly, is not on the same level as Kerry, and her nomination would cause unnecessary turmoil over the issue of Libya, a sad commentary, but a distraction which should not be allowed to continue by choosing her, when Kerry is really a better choice!

So, Mr. President, pick John Kerry for State and Chuck Hagel for Defense, and America will be very well served at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon!

Advice To Newark Mayor Cory Booker: Leave Chris Christie Alone, And Run Instead For US Senate In 2014!

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With New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announcing for reelection, shortly after the Hurricane Sandy emergency led to a 72 percent rating in a Quinnipiac Poll among New Jersey voters today, it is clear the Newark Mayor Cory Booker needs to face reality, and drop the thought of challenging Christie in what would be a very difficult race for Governor.

And since Christie most certainly will never be President, let him have the consolation prize of being New Jersey Governor for a second term, allowing Christie the chance to shoot off his mouth, as he is prone to do, which will only harm him with primary voters in his Republican party, and along with other factors mentioned in an earlier blog entry, will assure that he will never be President of the United States!

Meanwhile, the bright and talented Cory Booker will avoid a likely humiliating defeat, which would derail his future. Instead, he can run to replace likely retiring Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg, who is the oldest Senator, and will be 90 in 2014. The likelihood that Lautenberg would run again is miniscule to zero, having already served three terms from 1982—2000, retiring, and then coming back in 2002 when a vacancy developed, and now serving again from 2002—2014, a total of thirty years service.

Booker would have a national audience as a Senator, and would be a true star, and could be the next African American Presidential candidate, or compete for that role with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick!

And face it–it is a MUCH easier job to be a United States Senator, make speeches, and not have the same accountability that a Mayor or Governor has, for such mundane matters as natural disasters, and petty local issues!

Why anyone would prefer being Governor, and in most states, having to reside in a backwater state capital, over living in Washington, DC, and having that national press constantly following you, is beyond this author’s understanding.

Booker, with his Mayoral experiences, and a career in the Senate getting national attention, would be far better for his future than wanting to be Governor of a state which is difficult to manage in good times, let alone in bad times. So let Chris Christie have his Governorship, as it would advance Cory Booker, and NOT advance Chris Christie’s Presidential ambitions!