What's In A Name?

It looks like the Democrats want to rename Obamacare in memory of Ted Kennedy to try to pull in those Democrats abandoning the bill to support it.

'Win One for Teddy,' Say Dems Pushing for Health Reform

Democrats are hoping that the memory of Sen. Ted Kennedy will revive the Democratic Party's flagging push for health care reform.

"You've heard of 'win one for the Gipper'? There is going to be an atmosphere of 'win one for Teddy,'" Ralph G. Neas, the CEO of the liberal National Coalition on Health Care, told ABC News.

Democrats are hoping that Kennedy's influence in death may be even stronger than it was when he was alive as they push for President Obama's top domestic priority. Democratic officials hope that invoking Kennedy's passion for the issue will counter slippage in support for health care reform.

I propose those opposed to this bill rename it to Kopechne-care after the young woman Ted Kennedy killed in 1969, and was never tried for. What a perfect tribute for Teddy's accomplishments in life!

[edit on 8/27/09 by Ferris.Bueller.II]

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


Banking on emotion much?

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Health, Education and Labor Pensions Committee chaired by Kennedy, has been the panel's point person on health-care reform in Kennedy's absence. Today Dodd said that he hopes Kennedy's death will revive a spirit of bipartisanship.

His death hopefully will revive bipartisanship??? Isn't that a little sick? I wonder if Dodd could expound upon that idea just a tad. If bipartisanship couldn't be accomplished successfully when he was living, how is his death going to change anything?

I really despise politicians.

This is the basest form of opportunism imaginable.

What'd they do, pull the plug on the hapless geezer to maximize his political capital?

Did he get death counseling?

"You're a burden on your family, Ted, but if we just pull this plug, your contribution to the greater good will go from negative to positive in a heartbeat. Get it, Teddy? Heartbeat? HAHA!"

Seriously folks, did you except anything less? I think in the back of minds of everyone, especially on ATS, when Ted Kennedy passed was when they would try and push the health care bill using his name.

[edit on 27-8-2009 by IKnowNothing]

A good article on how the Democrats are trying to take advantage of Ted's death.

Democrats accused of using Edward Kennedy’s death to promote reforms

Democrats were accused of exploiting the death of Senator Edward Kennedy yesterday after immediately trying to use his name to revive President Obama’s flagging attempt to overhaul the US healthcare system.

Within hours of Mr Kennedy’s death on Wednesday leading Democrats were trying to turn it into a rallying point for healthcare reform — something that he had called the “cause of my life” — and suggested that any legislation should carry his name.

Attempts to use the emotion of the moment to revitalise hopes of healthcare legislation quickly ran up against the harsh political realities of Washington and the immediate practical impact that Mr Kennedy was perhaps the only politician on Capitol Hill who could have forged a bipartisan compromise.

His death, and the news that a special election to fill his seat will not take place until January, also means that Mr Obama will be without a 60th majority Senate vote in the critical weeks ahead, when the fate of his healthcare plan will probably be decided.

At least it looks like Governor Patrick of Massachusetts isn't going to change the law from when Kennedy had it changed when Kerry was running for President. That'd be so funny if a Republican got voted in to replace Kennedy in the Senate.

[edit on 8/28/09 by Ferris.Bueller.II]