Tribute: Edward "Ted" Kennedy

Ted Kennedy passed away last night of brain cancer, yet his legacy in American Politics will not be forgotten. Throughout his 47 years as senator of Massachusetts he worked hard for Civil Rights, Education, Health Care and was the defining voice of American Liberalism... He is considered the most progressive senator in  US history and for this reason he will long be remembered as a Great Revolutionary...

He was the youngest child of the iconic Kennedy family... A well established political family that brought many privileges yet also many curses... He followed in the footsteps of his progressive brothers John F. Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy and in 1962 became a senator of Massachusetts. Yet the 60s were a terrible time for Ted Kennedy...

• His brother John was assassinated in 1963
• He nearly died in a place crash in 1964
• His brother Bobby was assassinated in 1968
• Then there was the infamous Chappaquiddick incident of 1969 
  

In the Chappaquiddick incident, Ted was out drinking and partying at Martha's Vineyard, when he decided to go on a little drive with Mary Jo Kopechne... He drove off a bridge and into a pond, and managed to escape the vehicle, while his passenger, Mary Jo, died in the car. He left the scene that night and did not notify the authorities... He was later found guilty for leaving the scene of the accident. He still managed to win senate  re-election in 1970 yet this incident ruined his chances to ever become president...

In the 70s he spoke out against the Vietnam war, pushed for a Universal Health Care plan, and passed many other progressive bills. He finally made a run for presidency in 1980 against the incumbent Jimmy Carter, which was a very unusual move.Yet unfortanetly he lost the primaries to Carter, much due to the Chappaquiddick incident. It was at the 1980 Democratic Convetion in New York City where he gave his most famous speech...

"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end... For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."


Following his defeat, he decided to dedicate the rest of his life to working as a senator, passing laws that would favor the lower and middle classes. He fought hard against the Reagan Conservative Movement of the 1980s, and by the 1990s had become the famous liberal "Lion of the Senate" we know him as today... He passed many labor laws in the 80s and 90s most notably he helped increase the minimum wage in 1996 with President Bill Clinton... He strongly opposed the Iraq War during Bush's presidency, and was quick to favor Al Gore and John Kerry in their unsuccessful bids as president. In 2008 he endorsed Obama early on in the heated primaries against Hillary Clinton. Once Obama became president, Ted spent the last few months supporting him, and working on a way to pass the Universal Health Care plan...

Ted was the 2nd oldest senator in office next to Robert Byrd, and the third longest-serving senator in US History. Throughout his 47 years as senator he helped pass many important laws such as limits to federal campaign funds, amendments to improve retirement benefits, Disabilities Act of 1991, Civil Rights Act of 1991, Health Insurance Act of 1996, Mental Health Act, No Child Left Behind Act, and many others... He became a Democratic Icon and the face of American liberalism... It truly is a tragedy to lose such a great American leader...