Better Off Ted: Senator Kennedy's Death and the Special Election

In August 2009, the nation lost the last of its princes. America has now said good-bye to Jack, Bobby, and Ted. Whether or not you'd rather be hunting with Dick than driving with Ted, the fact remains that Senator Kennedy was a powerful politician and filling his now empty seat will have serious implications depending upon who takes over. The former Lion of the Senate was a huge champion of healthcare and a key player in stopping Republican attempts to filibuster on the topic of healthcare. With Senator Kennedy's death, the special election for Kennedy's seat has become more heated than originally expected. Our contenders? Republican state senator Scott Brown and Massachusetts Attorney General Democrat Martha Coakley. Brown is against the healthcare bill; Coakley behind it.

Here's where it gets a little more interesting, although anything involving a Kennedy is pretty interesting to begin with if I do so myself. Can we talk about some of the prettiest politicians around? Obama has nothing on the Kennedy boys. The Democrats want to make sure the Senate seat remains with a Democrat. The seat hasn't seen a republican since 1972. The same year cynical hippies across America coined the phrase, "don't switch Dick in the middle of the screw; vote for Nixon in '72!" Democrats are opening up their wallets or at least trying to open their wallets. Maybe it's the recession or maybe it's the absence of Joe Kennedy's bootlegging money, but Democrats are scrambling to provide Coakley with the funds she needs.

Healthcare is a hot topic, and this special election is serious to the bill's own health. And this time, the Lion can't step in and set things straight.