Ted Kennedy's passing leaves Massachusetts without full representation in the US Senate, and the nation without our greatest champion for Universal Health Care right when we need him the most.
With respect to the probability that Massachusetts will change it's law to appoint a temporary Senator until a new Senator can be chosen in a Special Election in February - most of those suggested in the media as replacements are not going to be interested in a temporary position from which they will be barred (as seems likely) from running in the special election
What Massachusetts, and the nation, needs is an strong interim Senator with no interest in a permanent position, but who has the stature, ability and connections to step into Kennedy's very large shoes and push Ted's health care reform through. Even better if that is someone with a long commitment to universal health care, who would find this temporary role as a chance to fulfill one of his own greatest goals.
I can think of one person who perfectly fits those needs:
Bill Clinton
He'd have to change his address, yet again, but he can afford it. He's been vetted - both as a former president and most recently during Hillary's confirmation.
The Big Dog can carry Kennedy's water for 5 months, working to get Universal Health Care passed, while Massachusetts works out who they want to elect for the permanent position. Then he can retire with his greatest legislative failure as president redeemed, and Ted Kennedy's legacy fulfilled.
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I like the notion, but...
Bill's ego probably wouldn't allow him to serve as senator having once been prez. And...
That insufferably pompous prig Mitt Romney, I think, has the druthers on naming an "interim" senator. Which muddies the opportunity for a fall resolution to the health care reform charade.
However, it only takes 51 senators to pass a budget bill and much of health care (especially public option, Medicare reform) could be put in budget bills to move them along with 51 Dem votes and to hell with the GOP.
But, that still leves us with what to do about Bill.
Fortunately the Mitt is only a former governor, but it was because of him that MA changed the rules on filling a vacancy in the Senate because the legislature couldn't stand the idea of him naming John Kerry's replacement if Kerry had been allowed to become president after winning the 2004 election ...
But that is long past, and MA changed the law and had a temporary appointment of one of Ted's former aides.
Unfortunately, it was temporary until a special election that is about to be held, and it looks unusually close for a Massachusetts election. The Democratic caucus could lose its 60th seat next week - which would mean that the only way Health Care Reform passes is if the House votes for the bill exactly as the Senate passed it.
Turns out that the Mitt is not even a resident of Massachusetts anymore, having sold his MA home last year (he still owns homes in New Hampshire and California).
However, he has voted at least twice now in MA elections registered at his son's address.
Isn't this the kind of fraud that the Mitt accuses of ACORN?
Anybody Home? Romney Voted In MA Election Using Son's Address
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