THE PACK Message Boards

February 22, 1932 — August 25, 2009.

Yup... ditto. RIP

The only one of four brothers to die of natural causes. Such a tragedy.

RIP, sad.

Though it was inevitable. Nearly 80 and had brain cancer. Was merely a matter of time.

RIP.

The end of the Kennedy Dynasty.

<< Doesn't know who this dude is

It's sad, yes, and also very strange. I'm 47 years old and I can't remember a time when there wasn't a Kennedy on the Hill. It's weird without him.

On the other hand, though — yes, he is the only brother of 4 that died of natural causes. And 77 is a good, long life. A life in which he accomplished a great deal of significant changes to our society. Nothing to be sad about as far as that goes.

Sebiale, you either need to crack a book and pay more attention to this country's system of governance, or your civics teacher needs a good, sustained and resounding chops-smacking for letting the Kennedy Brothers slip by without a mention. They're a pillar of American Democratic politics.

I know who JFK is, but any relations are unknown to me.

Sebiale wrote:<< Doesn't know who this dude is

Okay, first, he's been in the senate for 30+ years, and second, he's the guy that was leading the push for the health care reform bill. How could you possibly have not known anything about him?

Think about Ted Kennedy as being to politics what Mario is to gaming. He was a big deal twenty years ago, and he was a big deal in recent memory. . . So how could you possibly not know who he is?!!

I. Do. Not. Like. Politics. Not matter how vital they are to a functioning society. Besides, I'm not really that old, I'm still in college.

Well I didn't, or if I ever learned it I forgot about it a long time ago.

real tragedy, great man he was

Sebiale wrote:I. Do. Not. Like. Politics. Not matter how vital they are to a functioning society. Besides, I'm not really that old, I'm still in college.

You know, coming from somebody listed as being from the state which elected the first third party senator, that's really depressing.

I don't like politics either. . . But I still care about them!

Matt's right, that is the mode of thought that got George W. Flush elected twice. I. . . Gyaah, my brain can't take anymore.

I didn't say I didn't care, but I still don't like them.
I'm one of those people who only really starts caring around election time, just don't have the patience for it the rest of the time.

that's just sad, the only way anything can get done is for everyone to get involved. we can't afford ignorance in this time of need, yes we finally have a level head in office, but he needs us all to be on the ball, to be able to get done what needs be done. please let your boredom be the red hot poker to get you swiftly out of your desk chair and out into the sunlight of a better tomorrow.

It's sad when political know-how is considered mandatory...

Sebiale wrote:It's sad when political know-how is considered mandatory...

I fail to see how knowing who and what is running your country is "sad."

Democracy doesn't work if you sit on your a**.

Aki wrote:

Sebiale wrote:It's sad when political know-how is considered mandatory...

I fail to see how knowing who and what is running your country is "sad."

Democracy doesn't work if you sit on your a**.

Being expected to know the names, views, policies, and actions of every governmental figure is ridiculous, just the president, sure. Every figure, no way. Kennedy was never a senaor for my state...

Sebiale wrote:

Aki wrote:

Sebiale wrote:It's sad when political know-how is considered mandatory...

I fail to see how knowing who and what is running your country is "sad."

Democracy doesn't work if you sit on your a**.

Being expected to know the names, views, policies, and actions of every governmental figure is ridiculous, just the president, sure. Every figure, no way. Kennedy was never a senaor for my state...

That is ridiculous, sure, but Kennedy was in way a small figure in the Senate- the man's:
1) A Kennedy
2) Been in the Senate for four decades.

He's a guy worth knowing about. Anyone who can keep a seat that long is - because they're either really really well liked be their constituents for some reason, or they've got shady business going on.

Aki wrote:He's a guy worth knowing about. Anyone who can keep a seat that long is - because they're either really really well liked be their constituents for some reason, or they've got shady business going on.

Shady business...like his son's lobbying firm?

Aki wrote:Anyone who can keep a seat that long is - because they're either really really well liked be their constituents for some reason, or they've got shady business going on.

That must mean Robert Byrd and Carl Hayden were/are pure evil 0.0 Or, you know, angels in disguise.

Sebiale wrote:It's sad when political know-how is considered mandatory...

Democracy does not function well without the people having at least some political knowledge. No one says you have to know EVERYTHING. You don't have to name each member of Congress backwards or something but knowing at least some basic facts is important. It helps you make more informed voting choices on who you think will run the country/state etc better which in turn, helps you potentially as well. Besides this is 2009, knoweldge is easy to get and it's not hard to catch up.

Gevaudan wrote:

Aki wrote:He's a guy worth knowing about. Anyone who can keep a seat that long is - because they're either really really well liked be their constituents for some reason, or they've got shady business going on.

Shady business...like his son's lobbying firm?

Or that, yes. I was being pretty general.

Sebiale wrote:

Aki wrote:Anyone who can keep a seat that long is - because they're either really really well liked be their constituents for some reason, or they've got shady business going on.

That must mean Robert Byrd and Carl Hayden were/are pure evil 0.0 Or, you know, angels in disguise.

Well, not quite that cut and dry, but yeah, sorta.