No Sugar Coating

Just read this article in on the National Review Online...

It expressed just about everything I would want to say about Senator Edward Kennedy, but in probably a more charitable manner than I would have put it. As with so many liberals (not lefty communists/fascists like Obama, mind you), Kennedy had, this article contends, only the best intentions for unfortunate and poor people when crafting some of his longest-lasting legislation. As with so many liberals, he was utterly wrong in everything he did, even if his intentions were good.

Illegal immigration problem...goes back to a Kennedy-sponsored bill in the mid-60s. Don't like the way your HMO is treating you? Blame Kennedy's 1973 legislation that created the HMO mess we now have. Have a problem with Bush's "No Child Left Behind"? Well, Ted Kennedy wrote the thing so talk to him...well, too late for that I guess.

As is usually the case with liberal ideas--they just don't work. Libs never seem to take into consideration the "law of unintended consequences" when they craft legislation. Things like: raise taxes on tobacco products to pay for children's health care, causing people to buy fewer tobacco products, leading to the unintended consequence of less money being available for the program than originally intended. Another one: give out food stamps and other welfare benefits to poor, unwed mothers...unintended consequence: a massive explosion in the numbers of poor, unwed mothers.

Liberalism assumes that people are, at heart, noble and will do the right thing whenever given the choice. Because of our sin-nature, this assumption is utterly flawed and useless. Capitalism assumes that people will probably try to take whatever advantage there is available to better themselves--if you don't take the advantage, someone else will. This promotes bettering of yourself and those you care for. Coupled with a Christian worldview, this means you can work to make your own position in society better and more stable and then use your largesse to help those around you to be better as well. This is called charity and it is a noble thing. When done with a gun pointed to your head, it is called "progressive tax policy," "spreading the wealth," fascism, or communism.

So, to expand on what I said yesterday about Ted Kennedy...yes, he was a very bad man...and so am I. I am a sinner saved only by God's grace. Maybe Kennedy was, too. I still have a very hard time, though, forgiving or forgetting the political carnage he left behind around people like Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. I will try to think of him in better terms, though--completely and utterly misguided, although with mostly good intentions.

On the other hand, what Rush said yesterday makes sense, too..."People keep calling him the 'Lion of the Senate'...we were his prey!"