The Massachusetts Senate gave approval to the bill today to allow Governor Deval Patrick to appoint a successor to the late Ted Kennedy. This puts Mass in line with almost every other state. Mass, however, still requires a special election within 180 days, which is a very good thing. Every state should move in that direction.
Word is that Michael Dukakis wants the job and the BostonGlobe has endorsed him.
I personally am not so sure. Is Walter Mondale available? George McGovern? Anyone else who is a symbol of the kind of liberalism that the Democrats have spent 20 years trying to distance themselves from? I just don't see how putting Obama and Dukakis into the same sentence is a good idea.
Sure, I would like to see Dukakis redeemed in the public eye, and I do enjoy evening up scores from the 1980s when the "Reagan Revolution" created our current financial and fiscal disasters in the public and private sectors. (It is a dream of mine that Ronald Reagan will get the blame for ushering in an era of massive irresponsibility which he deserves. His "something for nothing" message to voters has been absolutely deadly. As Benjamin Franklin observed, democracy can only last until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse out of the public treasury. The Republican message that you can lower taxes and still have all the entitlements and military spending you want is just that).
On the other hand, I understand that we need a seasoned politician for the role, not just a benchwarmer. Isn't there at least one Kennedy available?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Senator Dukakis?
Posted by The Law Talking Guy at 12:47 PM
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3 comments:
Dukakis has spent the last decade or so teaching public policy at various universities. Maybe in teaching it, he's modified his ideological positions somewhat. Who knows.
He's always been more of a policy wonk type for the left than a campaigner. And Massachusetts is considerably more liberal than the rest of the country. Perhaps he's the right person for this senate seat from Massachusetts?
BTW, he's probably be the only Senator with 0 future presidential ambitions. ;-)
Looks like it will be Paul Kirk instead. Good choice.
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