THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS THAT CAL RIPKEN, JR. NEVER KILLED A WOMAN



Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) cast his fifteen thousandth (15,000th) vote in the Senate, becoming only the third senator to achieve such a milestone. His colleague from Massachusetts, Senator John F. Kerry (who served in Viet Nam) honored the bloated one in his remarks to the Senate.


Notable is his "...titanic record of legislation affecting the lives of virtually every man, woman and child in the country." (Note the delicious irony in the use of the word, "titanic", another vessel that sank, causing drowning.)


Indeed, Senator Kennedy has affected countless millions by his misguided politics, his bloviating, and his idiocy.


Senator Kennedy has compared American soldiers to Saddam Hussein's goons, has sold out the American working class with immigration and minimum wage legislation, and has criticised an education bill (No Child Left Behind) that he authored. He has allowed, in his 1994 re-election campaign, his attack dogs to question Mitt Romney's religion, and has put party politics above the needs of the American public.


He has become the antithesis of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in that he has fought to pervert the intent of Social Security, welfare programmes, and national pride.


President Roosevelt interned tens of thousands of Japanese-Americans for national security reasons. It is hard to imagine Senator Kennedy supporting such a measure. President Roosevelt ensured the execution of German (and German-American) citizens who were determined to do America harm during World War II. Senator Kennedy has criticised this administration for steps far less draconian.


And finally, as to the comparison to Baltimore Orioles shortstop, Cal Ripken, Jr., who played in 2,632 consecutive games, it is true that both feats are amazing. It is, however, unfortunate that there is not the Senatorial equivalent of a Roger Clemens/Pedro Martinez fastball, thrown high and tight.