Sen. Edward Kennedy dies

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by MikeinAR

Ted Kennedy was a morally flawed individual on a lot of things. He was a womanizer, an abortion right supporter, dishonest at times, and much much more I'm sure. To those sins, like all others, Ted will answer to a Holy God.


With all of the bad things, he also stood up for some very worthy causes for average people who didn't have a voice in the U.S. Senate. He played a major role in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which paved the way for people, regardless of economic status or race, to cast their ballot. In 1990, he helped pass the American with Disablities Act and then Family Medical Leave in 1993.

To be fair his legislative record, like most, contains both good and bad.

It was good that some Democrats finally gave in to the Republican minority and passed the Act. And that Johnson who had opposed it when it came up as a Senator signed it into law as President.

[RunningOnFaith]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

It was good that some Democrats finally gave in to the Republican minority and passed the Act. And that Johnson who had opposed it when it came up as a Senator signed it into law as President.

Barry Goldwater, the GOP nominee for President opposed the Civil Rights act- he is generally considered to be the forerunner of Ronald Reagan and the modern conservative movement. Most of the Democratic opposition to the act came from the segregated south, many of these folks subsequently became Republicans after its passage (e.g. Strom Thurmond). LBJ predicted that he had given the Republicans the South for the next hundred years for his work on Civil Rights-- his prophecy has proved to be largely right.

There where still many moderate Republicans in those days of the Eastern Liberal, Nelson Rockefeller variety and Midwesterners like Everett Dirksen and Gerald Ford. I doubt very seriously they would feel at home with the culture warriors, birthers and other fringe elements that consititute a large segment of the current Republican party.

[MikeinAR]

Originally Posted by RunningOnFaith

Barry Goldwater, the GOP nominee for President opposed the Civil Rights act- he is generally considered to be the forerunner of Ronald Reagan and the modern conservative movement. Most of the Democratic opposition to the act came from the segregated south, many of these folks subsequently became Republicans after its passage (e.g. Strom Thurmond). LBJ predicted that he had given the Republicans the South for the next hundred years for his work on Civil Rights-- his prophecy has proved to be largely right.

There where still many moderate Republicans in those days of the Eastern Liberal, Nelson Rockefeller variety and Midwesterners like Everett Dirksen and Gerald Ford. I doubt very seriously they would feel at home with the culture warriors, birthers and other fringe elements that consititute a large segment of the current Republican party.

Very accurate summation.