Kerry's populist response, which validates the anger - and lists many valid reasons for it

[karynnj]

KERRY ON TUESDAY’S SPECIAL ELECTION IN MASSACHUSETTS



BOSTON – Senator John Kerry today released the following statement regarding Tuesday’s special election in Massachusetts.



“In Massachusetts, we fight like hell in political campaigns, we debate our differences, and the day after an election we go to work for the state we love. That's what we need to do now.

“I congratulate Scott Brown on his victory, and know that at this critical time our entire congressional delegation will do what's best for Massachusetts.

“Martha Coakley cares deeply about our state, and while we share in her disappointment we are all proud that she broke a glass ceiling in the politics of our party.She returns to the work of being an outstanding Attorney General for the Commonwealth.

“Tonight’s results will be analyzed and overanalyzed by the punditry. I hope as a Party we don't succumb to the temptation to form a circular firing squad. It does no one any good. One lesson Ted Kennedy and I both learned from defeat is, you just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, chart a course forward, and get back in the fight.

“I didn't need any reminders, but this election encapsulated what was clear in 2006 and 2008 and remains clear today: Americans are angry. They're mad at Washington and they're mad at Wall Street. They've seen millions of jobs lost and been left no choice but to bail out those responsible. They're tired of insurance companies that charge exorbitant premiums but don't deliver decent coverage when they need it. They're fed up with sending billions of dollars a day overseas for foreign oil. They hate knowing that they pay taxes while powerful interests evade taxes and hide money overseas in Cayman Island bank accounts. And they expect all of us, Democrat or Republican, to fight for them. That's what I will keep doing in the Senate and will work with everyone who shares those goals."

Hearing this, I remembered one way to deal with one issue that should be popular on a bipartisan basis. it was a little covered issue that seems a win/win for the Democrats - that deals with "They hate knowing that they pay taxes while powerful interests evade taxes and hide money overseas in Cayman Island bank accounts" Here is Kerry speaking of that in late 2008, after the Obama win in a MA townhall. http://www.johnkerry.com/multimedia/entry/john_kerry_on_tax_policy_from_a_town_hall_at_leslie_university_cambridge_ma

Though little covered late last year, Kerry and Baucus introduced a bill to deal with that. Baucus as the chair of Finance the committee with oversight is the right person to push this to get it done.

S.1934
Title: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent the avoidance of tax on income from assets held abroad, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Baucus, Max (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Related Bills: H.R.3933, H.R.4213
Latest Major Action: 10/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. COSPONSORS(2), ALPHABETICAL : (Sort: by date)


Sen Kerry, John F. - 10/27/2009
Sen Shaheen, Jeanne - 10/27/2009

Now what better way to do the right thing and to do something that should be 100% popular - other than among the Cayman Island tax cheats, their lawyers, and the investment companies that create their ability to do this?

For background, the hearing last year on this is informative. The expert here is Jack Blum, who worked for Kerry for years on the BCCI stuff among other things. From the 2008 hearing in the Finance committee when this issue was discussed, it was clear that Kerry was the force behind dealing with this - as a matter of fairness. (if you want Mr Smith goes to Washington type populism, that was Kerry in that hearing starting at about 55:30 - at about 58 minutes in he speaks of the average person in the US pays the difference. Jack Blum is incredible in this hearing on everything including the idea that we should not recognize phony layers created by sham companies that really don't exist. (video - at http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/2008hearings.htm, find the July 24 hearing and click below the listing to get the video. )

Looking for some of the videos, I found one I never saw that had Kerry speaking of activists to keep working - it was obviously pre- 2008 and possibly pre-2006. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS1i7sgWd5I&feature=related

[Jennicut]

1. Kerry is correct but I don't trust Baucus to get it done.

[karynnj]

3. It is Kerry's bill too - and like you I would expect that he will be the force

pushing it forward. Watch the hearing. Kerry and Blum are clearly the ones wholeheartedly behind correcting this inequity, but Baucus's comments and questions show that he is very disturbed by it as well. The fact is in the hearing, he refers to recommendations that after Blum's comments, he sees did not go far enough.

What is clear in Kerry's town hall comments, his comments in committee (there is no way in a hearing that only wonks are likely to download, that this is posturing or just for the cameras), and the inclusion of that point in his response yesterday, that this is an issue that Kerry feels very strongly is one of fairness. He obviously could have introduced something on his own, but it is more likely to be acted upon if it is the Finance chair's bill. Not to mention, what better to improve Baucus' reputation?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

28. They should replace Baucus

[uponit7771]

2. Browns win MIGHT be a hidding blessing...

[karynnj]

5. How so, Kerry has always spoken like this on many issues

He is one of the few Senators who started as an activist.

[politicasista]

102. They want to hold on to a belief that he is actually a

rich DLC corporatist sellout who doesn't have a clue about populism.

[ShortnFiery]

4. It's a sad day when we have to depend on a billionaire politician to give "a populist" message. NT

[karynnj]

7. He is only a billionaire because he married Teresa, who he clearly loves and respects

for all that is good about her. Would you have been happier if he did not have her and was one of the poorer Senators, as he was for about half of his Senate career?

Not to mention, you supported millionaire John Edwards, who did not have Kerry's record of actually working for those less privileged than himself - Kerry wrote the precursor bill to SCHIP with Kennedy, Kerry has sponsored Youthbuild for decades and he was sponsored and pushed the affordable housing fund for decades until it was included in a banking bill a couple of years ago.

[ShortnFiery]

8. He's pushing into his 70s. It's time for much of the Senate to retire already and make

room for "fresh blood" of SOME true non-billionaire/millionaire populists.

[karynnj]

9. Like Brown I guess? Nearly everyone who runs a Senate race is a millionaire

Kerry is 66 and is healthy enough to keep a schedule that many decades younger couldn't and he is sharp as a tack.

The fact is that many of the more senior Senators are also the most liberal. There is no one who would likely be able to run the SFRC as well as Kerry has done this year, though I doubt you have bothered to watch a single hearing.

[ObamaKerryDem]

85. Right on. I get so sick of this sort of ageism. It should depend on the PERSON..

..and what they do on the issues. At least Kerry is a real, Progressive Democrat, unlike many of his younger, "Blue Dog" counterparts..

[ProSense]

10. He's three years older than Kucinich, and one million times more effective. n/t

[wisteria]

14. Good one! n/t

[ShortnFiery]

15. He has no understanding of the average working american. We need to get the WEALTHY out

of the stranglehold on public service.

That's the Senate's problem, they are OUT OF TOUCH.

[wisteria]

24. He was born middle class and worked his way through school. n/t

[a la izquierda]

66. Wishful thinking...

I'm with you, but it isn't going to happen. I suspect you realize this.

[DevonRex]

71. You're AGAINST KERRY? Seriously, what the FUCK are you doing here?

*spit*

[blm]

75. You didn't know Kerry was middle class? That he and Teresa legally separated their funds BEFORE

they married in 1995?

Kennedy had more wealth than Kerry did. Kerry only inherited some wealth when his mother passed on in 2003.

[DevonRex]

76. As far as I can tell she hates all Dems so she believes the worst without checking

any facts. I'm totally pissed off at people who hate Dems today.

[karynnj]

87. Not true at all

His well connected family was upper middle class. When he was a Senator, he could not afford his daugthers' education and child support and carrying the costs of apartments in both MA and DC and the cost of traveling between them every week. He stayed with friends in both places at one point.

Now, Kerry never went without food, clothing, health insurance or shelter, but it shows that his daughters and his job were his priorities. Not to mention, at that point he was likely less wealthy than every one of his friends.

[ShortnFiery]

16. Kucinich didn't denounce his past and vote for an illegal and immoral war.

Kucinich has more integrity in his little finger than Kerry has in his entire body.

[ProSense]

19. Kucinich denounced his pro-life stance to run for President in 2004.

Grandstanding is not integrity.

[ShortnFiery]

21. Being a recovering Catholic myself, I understand what Kucinich had to go through.

But he didn't Flip-flop, did he?

[ProSense]

30. Oh please. Lame excuses. n/t

[ampad]

35. What! double standard much?

Kerry is a Catholic and did not go back on his stance of pro-choice. Even though the right wanted him kicked out of the church. What a crock.

[paulk]

74. being a recovering Catholic, you should have an understanding

of just how fucked up it is to vote your religious beliefs, like Kucinich did vis a vis abortion rights, the first six years he served in the House.

[ObamaKerryDem]

88. +1

Kucinich=All talk and no action or result..

[politicasista]

100. Grandstanding is arrogance n/t

[ObamaKerryDem]

86. +1,000!! :D

:fistbump:

[politicasista]

99. Bingo! n/t

[wisteria]

13. Some people do their best work in their 60's and 70's. And many people are active into their 90's.

With age comes wisdom and experience and the patience necessary to get things done.
Frankly, I resent that you think the only productive people in our society are those that are young.

[ShortnFiery]

18. Bullshit! The Senate is becoming like The Supreme Court or the Popes in Rome.

These people get so "full of themselves" they stay in until death ... way past their most functional time. Hell Kerry's getting his second hip replacement and Byrd can hardly draw a breath. It's time for both of them, et. al., to RETIRE already. For the sake of the country. But no their EGOS won't let go. :puke:

[karynnj]

25. Kerry already had both hips replaced and neither interferred with his work

You might have noticed that he had his second operation and less than a week later was able to speak at a Boston meeting with the Haitian community and in the next week, make three appearances for Coakley. He also did substantial work from home even though the Senate was on recess.

Kerry will likely be completely recovered from his hip operations within months - and back to doing 100 mile charity bike races. Are you as healthy? To equate Kerry's health to Byrd's simply shows that you are completely out of touch with reality, blinded by your hatred.

Kerry won re-election easily a year ago. If MA wanted him to leave, they could have voted him out. He won a primary against a troll with 69% of the vote, even though it was open to independents (including the right leaning ones) and the general election with about two thirds of the vote.

[ShortnFiery]

32. Of course it did. It would ANYONE who's not super-human. But we put up with it because

some seemingly adore these rich folk like they are "the Pope" or something.

We TOLERATE them staying in until they can barely draw in a breath ... that's our fault and I hope it changes.

[karynnj]

43. "Of course it did"

Not if you look at the things he did last year. Not to mention, the Senator has only two hips and they have both been repaired. I suspect if you can do over 100 miles turning in a very good time in a charity bike race, it is pretty silly to say "barely draw in a breath". I would suspect, that even given his age, he is healthier than at least half the Senate.

[ShortnFiery]

49. I don't believe he did half of what you typed above, but continue to adore him

all you wish. I don't buy into the "rich as super-human" meme.

[karynnj]

69. If you mean this last post, he did bike the Pan Mass and was covered by Boston media

I did not list his work - which has been extensive - this year.

If you mean other posts, you need a history book. Kerry's actions in all three cases are as described. Do you seriously deny that he spoke before the Senate in 1971? That he was the only Senator who investigated the claims of illegal gun running by the Contras - until the entire thing broke open or that it was lying to Kerry under oath that earned Oliver North and Elliot Abrams their indictments? Maybe you should listen to last year's hearing on Iran with Morgenthau, who used Kerry's info to close BCCI, Osama Bin Laden's bank.

Or maybe you can just live with your belief that only Kucinich and Edwards were true heroes.

[ObamaKerryDem]

90. Exactly. This poster obviously doesn't know a damn thing about him. n/t

[karynnj]

94. True

To me it was amazing that he was able to go to speak to MA Haitians 9 days after surgery, after his staff did a great job getting information on ways to help - faster than almost anyone.

But, this poster is likely going to find out that the elitist Senator spoke to them in his perfectly fluent French. photo of the not terribly invalid looking Senator - http://www.naplesnews.com/photos/2010/jan/15/143568/

Article from a Boston paper that was proud he spoke French - something appreciated by those there.

"But last night - at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End - Kerry's multi-lingual skills came in handy, as he addressed the crowd of mostly Haitian-Americans who were gathered to get information on a centralized hurricane relief assistance effort in Boston. The senator even earned himself a round of applause. I'm sure that clowns like Rush Limbaugh, Jay Severin, and Howie Carr will knuckle Kerry for his performance, but, for those in need, his fluency helped further assure, in a special way, that people who can make a difference might actually do so this time.
..."
http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/phlog/archive/2010/01/14/john-le-kerry-addresses-boston-area-haitian-americans-in-french.aspx

[ObamaKerryDem]

95. Yeah, the notion of John Kerry as an 'invalid' would be laughable

if it weren't so terribly ignorant, not to mention insulting. He's still younger than much of the Senate and more competent and on top of things than many of his younger peers there. :)

Thanks for the article! I think it's so neat that he was able to use his multilingual skills (something else I've always found impressive and admired about him) to reach out to those people in their time of need. Again, showing REAL leadership and getting things done (unlike the Kucinich types).

[karynnj]

96. Not to mention

It is doing everything that is the opposite of her image of Kerry. He didn't have to go. No one would fault him as he really was suppose to be home recovering. But, it is clear that in the midst of their grief, they were happy to have the Senator there and it sounds like they were even happier when he spoke French which was a variation of their language - that was likely easier for them to follow than English. At a time like that, it probably helped a little and it was a very nice gesture.

[ObamaKerryDem]

101. Oh, definitely. :) And like you said, it shows that he can indeed connect with people..

..completely contradicting this "aloof", "elitist", "out of touch" persona his critics constantly try to give him.

[blm]

34. Replace a Kerry with a knownothing who never even heard of BCCI?

Sorry, but, we already did that in 2007 when we pushed OTHER Dem candidates for President.

[ShortnFiery]

38. Yeah, only well bred ruling elites need apply.

:eyes:

[blm]

51. well bred has NOTHING to do with it. Name ONE working class Dem who risks his neck to uncover the

powerful and corrupt and that lawmaker will earn the defense I give Kerry.

Clinton was from a working class background and he turned into a great tool for the powerful elite, didn't he?

[ObamaKerryDem]

89. Right, so we can get more Scott Browns..

Yeah, THAT will advance the Progressive agenda..:thumbsdown:

[blm]

17. That's not smart to throw away the ONLY lawmaker who bothered to risk his neck uncovering corruption

of our government and around the world. You inadvertently join with the powerful fascist elite who have worked against Kerry for years - from BOTH parties. I know that is NOT your intention, as we are both fighting lefties.

Kerry has NEVER been bought. Clinton came from a poor background and sold the Dem party out to Jackson Stephens and Poppy Bush. How did THAT work out for us?

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[blm]

26. you're wrong there....Kerry was the ONLY senator who FULFILLED his IWR promise, siding with weapon

inspectors who said military force was not needed, as there was no evidence of WMDs claimed by WH. He promised accountability when he made that vote and followed through.

e spoke AGAINST use of force and stood WITH weapon inspectors before, during and after Bush invaded.

Corpmedia kept up the claim that IWR voters were for war, with no distinction for those who spoke AGAINST Bush's decision to invade in contrast to what the weapon inspectors found.

[ShortnFiery]

29. His damn vote was to save his ass for re-election. That's what it's all about. eom

[karynnj]

39. BS - He was running without Republican opposition in Massachusetts

He knew that vote would anger many people who always supported him in MA and it would hurt in the primaries - which it did. There is no way that Dean would have been able to get to Kerry's left had he voted against it. Dean was a moderate VT governor and Kerry was a pretty liberal (but less so than Kennedy) Senator and he had his 1971 antiwar history - not to mention his better environmental record and his eloquence.

In fact, what that vote cost Kerry was being the natural hero of the left - the one who fought Nixon on Vietnam, Reagan on the Contras, Bush I and all the powers that be in both parties on BCCI, and then leading - on Iraq, as he later did with Kerry/Feingold. Only his good manners and cool temper, both virtues, would have worked against that.

[ShortnFiery]

41. Oh, but he could not achieve that big brass ring: The Presidency without behaving

like a craven war monger.

p.s. "Eloquence," rhetoric and super high IQ doesn't mean squat without corresponding ACTIONS. We're learning that hard lesson from President Obama's tenure so far. :(

[karynnj]

57. Kerry's actions

of risking a political career at least 3 times do count:

- It was not a political winner to challenge Nixon on Vietnam. He could have easily won election in the early 1970s, with a softer anti-war message, his war record, his environmental activism and his eloquence by picking the right district (maybe the one he DID run in, where his war record would have been a major plus without being on Nixon's enemies list.

- Fighting Reagan at the height of his popularity over illegally supporting the Contras - who were supported by half the Democrats including Gore and the Clintons.

- Fighting everyone to expose BCCI.

The fact is that Kerry is smart enough to have considered this:

- The war happens and is a "success" per the MSM and America (like the for oil first Gulf war) - Kerry was labeled anti war in late 2002 and early 2003 because he consistently spoke against going to war. No gain

- The happens and is a failure - the vote is a liability

- There is no war as it is averted - the vote is ignored - the elections would be fought on other issues, though national security would still be one.

The ONLY vote for someone like Kerry that could have been political was Against - and to hope things went badly. The fact is Kerry gave just one consistent reason in 2002 before the vote, in 2003 when he spoke out, and afterward.

[ShortnFiery]

60. It won't detract from the fact that Kerry will NOT win re-election.

He has NOT been part of the solution. It's time to CLEAN OUT CONGRESS and Kerry is part of the Problem.

[karynnj]

67. Kerry just ran last year - and it was an extremely easy win

He did though have far more than 19 events in the general election time (the same length of time Coakley had this year).

Despite Brown's idiotic daughter, there is no one in either party who could beat him.

[ShortnFiery]

79. Think again.

IF he gets lucky and is re-elected in 5 years, let's just hope he doesn't hang on until he's slumping over in his wheelchair like Senator Byrd? :shrug:

[karynnj]

83. Yet on another thread, you are ok with Webb and Lincoln

Did the FAR more liberal Senator Kerry step on your toe at a rally or something? Steal the chocolate chip cookie you set aside?

[karynnj]

91. If he gets lucky?

You mean if we get lucky and he is willing to put up with what might still be a dysfunctional system and commit himself to another 6 years of public service?

[blm]

78. Kerry HAS BEEN A PROBLEM for the powerful elite for decades. You can't NAME a Dem who did more

to protect YOUR right to open government than Kerry did. Who did more to uncover corruption of the powerful than Kerry did.

Sorry, Short, but you are siding with the powerful elite when you take up their cause against Kerry - a cause they have worked on for 4 decades.

[blm]

42. no...it wasn't. Black and white framing only serves BushInc and their corpmedia allies.

You know better. You've just invested yourself in your narrow view that parrots the groupthink. You know better.

Kerry was consistent with the hearings on Iraq from 1998 where weapon inspectors like Scott Ritter testified Hussein was acquiring WMDs.

You make no distinction for Dems who stood WITH the weapon inspectors BECAUSE they promised they would stand with the EVIDENCE uncovered, and those who voted for IWR and stood WITH Bush and his decision to invade DESPITE the reports of the weapon inspectors.

Rove loved that lack of critical distinction. It certainly served HIS purpose.

[ShortnFiery]

53. Oh stop! Now I'm as bad as Rove.

:rofl:

Here's a newsflash: Kerry won't get re-elected. There's THAT much populist anger. So you and yours need to decide: Do you wish to side with entrenched power, or push for NEW leadership within both the House and the Senate?

Heaven KNOWS the Congressional democratic leadership as it stands today is "an abject failure."

[blm]

55. I didn't say that - black and white groupthink isn't letting you stick to what's actually said.

It was to Rove's benefit that many on the left accepted IWR vote as the reason Bush invaded. YOU are the one who failed to distinguish those Dems who stood HONESTLY with weapon inspectors and AGAINST Bush's decision and those Dems who paid lip service to weapon inspections and stayed sided with Bush.

[ObamaKerryDem]

92. And you know this how? You have a crystal ball to see to 2014?

:eyes:

If we had more John Kerrys in the Senate and Congress , we wouldn't be in the position we've been in with these last few Special Elections in the first place..

[karynnj]

105. Coakley lost by 5 points - If Kerry runs, he will again win by a landslide

That after running the worst campaign many have ever seen. She created problems for herself in the debates, something Kerry excels at and will excel at again in 2014. The fact is that Kerry had at least half the number of appearances she did in the ge period - and he was stuck in DC voting nearly every day until Dec 24 and had major surgery in the beginning of January. In his own election, he had many walk about appearances speaking to everyone.

She apparently made no outreach to the AA community, Kerry 9 days after surgery - not up for election - was with the Haitian community - and was cheered after speaking to them in French.

Not to mention, this little thing called senority - something valuable to a state and something Kerry has plenty of.

You do know that "new" leadership would come from people already in those bodies. Kerry is NOT in the leadership, he is a committee hair - go bother Reid, Durbin, Schumer and Menendez for a while. Which great progressives would you put in their place?

[politicasista]

106. That's right, he spoke in French too

and had major surgery, plus, Momma T is supposed to have surgery later this month also.

That's multitasking, and it's better to do it in person and complain behind a keyboard.

[cali]

107. bwahahahaahahaha. you know what's going to happen in an election

that's 5 years down the road? OK, you little psychic, you.

[fedupinBushcountry]

109. Don't answer

to your support of consevative Dems like Webb, you are all hat and no cattle. Webb is 100x worse then Kerry and I should know since I live in Virginia. He does nothing for the progressive agenda, he will not get my vote next time around.

[karynnj]

31. Bush could and would have started the war anyway - read the Downing Street Memos

The fact is, to any impartial judge, the conditions that Bush PUBLICLY promised before going to war were not met. Kerry's vote was wrong, but his intentions were what he said they were - he hoped to push Bush to let the inspectors in and push Saddam to allow invasive inspections and to go to war only as a last resort. As soon as it was clear Bush wouldn't, Kerry spoke out.

[ShortnFiery]

36. That's not the issue, Kerry was a warmonger because he knew he would not be

able to get re-elected and/or run for president. That's just plain vile and unforgivable. Kerry was and is part of THE PROBLEM.

http://www.counterpunch.org/kuzminski08182004.html

The right-wing duopoly is now virtrually impervious to challenge, as the careers of figures as diverse as Ralph Nader, Pat Buchanan, Howard Dean, and Denis Kucinich demonstrate. Kerry's right-wing campaign for president, echoing the exploitative domestic and aggressive foreign policies of Bush, confirms the end of meaningful political discourse in the United States. There are simply no remaining effective instruments of political action available to the restless masses, who are probably a majority of the country, and most of whom, as a result, no longer participate in the political process at all.

Voting for Kerry is marginally better than voting for Bush, or wasting a vote for Nader. But it's rather like voting for Marius and Caesar (the Democrats) rather than Sulla and Pompey (the Republicans). A more benevolent despot is always better than a less benevolent one, but despotism it remains all the same. Can we pretend otherwise any longer?

[blm]

44. Plain horsepoo. Mental midget rantings in black and white.

.

[ShortnFiery]

46. First to name call = loses the argument.

Yes, I accept your apology. :-) :hi:

[blm]

52. That wasn't directed at you - it was directed at the writer of that lame-ass article.

.

[karynnj]

48. Counterpunch is as insane as you are - and proves nothing

Kerry did not run a right wing campaign - he was in fact the most liberal of the viable candidates, including Dean and Edwards.

Kerry had no serious opposition in 2002 - he, unlike Coakley, could have coasted to re-election. He got over 80% of the vote.

[ShortnFiery]

50. See post # 46. NT

[karynnj]

68. I never agreed to your rules - when someone says idiotic things

ie - that Kerry's health is remotely like Byrd's - they are insane.

[ObamaKerryDem]

84. Exactly. And, let's faceit it's not like most of the other people in Congress are lacking for funds.

I get so sick of this line of attack on Kerry. He fights for us on the ISSUES. That should be what matters.

[wisteria]

12. You don't have to be poor to understand the populist. What a dumb statement to make. n/t

[ShortnFiery]

22. It's just "a tad" more difficult for the FILTHY RICH. eom

[wisteria]

23. No, look at the Kennedy's they always were champions for the poor.

It is not difficult to understand peoples feeling and circumstances-if you are compassionate. Thomas Jefferson was rich, yet he was popular with the people.

[ShortnFiery]

27. Their primary motivators were their egos. I despise dynasties. eom

[wisteria]

37. You have no proof to back up your statement . People do help other people without ego being involved

To those much is given, much should be returned.

[ShortnFiery]

40. I don't have to have undeniable facts, I'm typing an opinion. You'd be surprised

how many people secretly agree but are too afraid to buck-up against authority. Even the little league authoritarian personalities here at DU. :shrug:

[wisteria]

63. I am sure there are very few that really agree with your idea of what is needed for leadership to

work.

[karynnj]

64. You may be surprised that many reading this might reach a different conclusion

on Kerry and Kennedy, based on their actual lives, and likely find many of your comments in this thread completely over the top.

Step back and read them - do you honestly think that describing Kerry as if he were an invalid is credible?

[cali]

108. you don't belong here. seriously. you have no interest in electing progressive dems

you think Teddy Kennedy was all about his ego. you regurgitate simplistic dogma that's directed against liberals. You actively work against what this site stands for, and you say shit so outrageous that you have to slink off in shame.

[karynnj]

58. So, he shouldn't have married the love of his life?

Without her, he would have been substantially poorer than Edwards, who you had no problem with.

Not to mention, this is the type of thing Teresa's foundation does - funds healthcare programs in several poor communities - http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/new_jersey/20090922_ap_newarkcreatinghealthplanforuninsured.html

and
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newark-healthcare-covered-this-winterlatest-community-safety-net-features-2-prescriptions-78404927.html

You might also note in this article, that it was Teresa, who called together Pittsburgh's foundations to help revitalize Pittsburgh. http://www.journal-news.com/news/nation-world-news/foundations-money-sparks-pittsburgh-s-recovery-251849.html
What do you know a billionaire populist, who likely helped many get a better life.

Is that the action of someone who should disqualify her husband from being a populist? To me, what it shows was best expressed by a NJ woman, transplanted from PA, said in explaining why she was voting for Kerry in the primary - her answer was that if Teresa married him he couldn't be sleazy. His values had to be good.

[ampad]

33. Yea it is a bit dumb

Not to mention that I seriously doubt that a politician ,let's say Kuchinich, is wondering where his next meal is coming from. Sad to say that is the state of poor people in this country. Matter of fact, I'm sure it has been a long time since Kuchinich had to worry about such a thing.

[ShortnFiery]

45. There's a difference between being "well off" and "filthy rich."

But you knew that already, didn't you?

[NYC Democrat]

54. Folks this is what we call a double standard

seriously your trying to tell us that you can have money and be compassionate while at the same time telling us that you can't be compassionate and have money its a very flawed argument.

[ShortnFiery]

61. Yes, there's always MERCY for millionaires. People will fight each other to defend them.

Quite sad, really. :shrug:

[NYC Democrat]

70. I'm fighting you because I believe whether or not some one is a good

compassionate person is not tied to their net worth.

[blm]

72. there's rarely discernment for lawmakers who risked their necks and careers for OUR right to open

government and Dem lawmakers who wouldn't lift a finger to help, let alone take up that risk themselves, eh?

[blm]

73. Kerry was never filthy rich. Kennedy had much more money than Kerry. You're pretending Kerry has

access to Teresa's Heinz and her sons' money. He doesn't. They separated all their money legally before they married.

Kerry always had moderate holdings and only inherited some wealth a couple years after his mother passed on in 2003.

[Jennicut]

65. Kerry has been excellent on the issues. Teddy was rich too. It is not how much you make but

how much care.

[ohtransplant]

6. "pick yourself up, dust yourself off, chart a course forward, and get back in the fight."

This warrior is back in the fight. And he knows the populace is uneasy.

He's also aware there's another MA senatorial election in 2012.

A measured response seems smart today.

[wisteria]

11. Wonderful comments from the Senator. He does understand the anger growing in this country. n/t

[Lydia Leftcoast]

47. If he had shown some of that fire and populism in his 2004 campaign

he might be in his second term as president today.

[blm]

59. he did...DNC refused to do its job for and Dems wouldn't FURTHER Kerry's attacks on

Bush, especially since powerful Dems best known to the public stayed firmly sided with Bush's decisions on war, defending Bush from the very criticisms Kerry was launching at his leadership throughout that campaign.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

56. Grayson is one of th wealthiest in Congress, it's not about how much wealth they have it's about hei...

integrity really.

[ShortnFiery]

62. Grayson is feeding his ego. When push really comes to shove, he'll side with the

corporations. No doubt - he's already promoting this horrible HRC which is just a mandate to the insurance cartel. Many of you folks are buying his arguments because YOU THINK he cares about you. He don't give a damn about you and me. Wake up! :shrug:

[paulk]

77. is there any Democrat that you will defend?

your agenda is obvious.

You attack all of them, liberal, progressive, centrist, conservative.

[Forkboy]

80. She's a misanthrope.

I just pretend to be one, but she's the real deal.

[karynnj]

82. Not to mention, she has completely destroyed what I hoped would be a serious discussion

I'm sorry I used the adjective "progressive", which she apparently feels Kerry lost the ability to be the second he married his wife.

The point is that here is an important Senator, who is saying things that should be what many here want to hear. I almost wish I had posted just the last paragraph and lied - crediting it to Kucinich, Dean, or ... I would have said Grayson, but he is off her list. (Now on another thread, she appears to thing Webb is ok.)

The real question is what things could be done that would calm this anger. Creating more jobs is obvious, but it is easier said than done. Sitting and calmly saying that jobs always are a lagging indicator is fine if you are speaking to a group of economists, who would not take that as complacency, but a statement of fact. While it looks like we have gotten past the bottom - we are still near the bottom of the parabola - and the way it feels to people is pretty much the same as it felt at that level on the way down. The drop from the top is enormous and recovery will come quickly at all.

This would seem to indicate that the government might have to be the employer of last resort. There are so many things in our infrastructure (and I don't mean just buildings) that need fixing. The climate change bill had tons of things that would need people - starting with the need for a new better grid. As long as people see their future as hopeless or scary, there will be anger.

In addition, things that are plainly not fair should be fixed. For people struggling, hearing that the very wealthy avoid taxes in the Cayman Islands provokes anger.

[paulk]

110. there are people who get paid to do that

just sayin'

-------------------

It's an encouraging statement from Kerry - he understands what happened in MA, and I think he's also sending a message to the Obama administration regarding which direction the party needs to go...

[karynnj]

112. If you are right on the second comment, it is good that Obama's comment

and later Gibbs' and Axelrod's comments were less specific versions of what Kerry said - My guess is that they both came to the same conclusion. This is really the same stuff Kerry has been saying for the last year and a half - before Obama was elected.

I hope that they move on some of the anti-corruption stuff. It should surprise no one that I think Kerry is right.

[Cha]

81. And, isn't this exactly what's happening from the

so called left? "pie in the face of Obama"? Please..they're no more into reality now than they were before Martha's defeat.



“Tonight’s results will be analyzed and overanalyzed by the punditry. I hope as a Party we don't succumb to the temptation to form a circular firing squad. It does no one any good. One lesson Ted Kennedy and I both learned from defeat is, you just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, chart a course forward, and get back in the fight."

These are the best fighting words possible and what I was already doing last night.

[TheKentuckian]

93. Kerry is preaching the truth and has been a better friend to the people

than many that came from nothing. You'd think Bill CLinton and/or Barack Obama would remember where they came from but it seems to slip their minds other than for election pitches while people like Ted Kennedy, FDR, and to a much lesser extent Kerry came from more of a silver spoon background but fought for the little people.

Who does the people's business most often is the measure not background.

[Zenlitened]

97. Excellent. Pres. Obama said something similar today:

...The president also said the same voter anger that swept him into office in 2008 carried Brown into office on a stunning upset victory Tuesday night over heavily favored Democrat Martha Coakley.

"Here's my assessment of not just the vote in Massachusetts, but the mood around the country: the same thing that swept Scott Brown into office swept me into office," the president said in an exclusive interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. "People are angry and they are frustrated. Not just because of what's happened in the last year or two years, but what's happened over the last eight years."

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Politics/president-obama-scott-brown-massachusetts-victory/story?id=9611222

Very encouraging to hear this sort of honest assessment from both Pres. Obama and Sen. Kerry.

[politicasista]

98. Another positive Kerry thread turned into another flamewar

6 years later, ain't nothing changed. He ain't liberal enough, He ain't populist enough, He too rich, He should have done this, that, yadda, yadda, yadda. (Yep, they do this with Obama everyday too).


Go figure. :(

[karynnj]

103. Yes, for the "crime against progressiveness" of marrying his wife, a DUer thinks he has to go

- but she also thinks his health is similar to Byrd's

and thinks MA will kick him out in 2014. Can we start a rumour that she is Brown's daughter??

[politicasista]

104. LOL!

:rofl:

[ibegurpard]

111. good words

now follow up on them
RE-REGULATE some of the out of control institutions we have in this country.
PUT SOME PEOPLE TO WORK DIRECTLY...how many dilipated bridges and other crumbling infrastructure is rotting in this country right now?
How about capping diesel prices? It will help truck drivers...it will keep the costs of freight down and it will help keep people working in factories because companies won't have to pay as much to move their freight.