“It is a matter of faith for Democrats to believe that the most important social program we can have is a sound economy.”
Those were the words of Senator Edward M. Kennedy in 2004 during what turned out to be his final appearance before a gathering of America’s Building Trades Unions.
I paused to reflect on those words upon hearing the news of Senator Kennedy’s passing on August 25th, because to me they are indicative of the true nature of his political philosophy and his vision for an American Dream that is accessible by all.
For the better part of his career, conservatives have rallied their faithful, and raised untold millions of dollars, by trumpeting the coming catastrophes associated with “Ted Kennedy liberalism.” They would trumpet their claims that Ted Kennedy and the congressional Democrats would bring socialist-style, government control to every aspect of business and commerce in this nation.
But, nothing could have been further from the truth. Yes, Ted Kennedy was a liberal. But, that is a far cry from being a socialist. To Ted Kennedy, liberalism was about creating economic opportunity for all; where anybody and everybody who works hard and plays by the rules will have the opportunity to share in our collective prosperity. But, to achieve that goal, he often times had to make his voice heard and in so doing, he made many people uncomfortable by bringing important subjects to light.
When people would have just preferred to not talk about race relations and the decay of American inner cities, Ted Kennedy spoke up and put his stamp on the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
When more and more workers were dying and suffering debilitating injuries on the job, Ted Kennedy spoke up and secured passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
When America’s manufacturing based was being shipped overseas, and more and more Americans found themselves working minimum wage jobs to support their families, Ted Kennedy spoke up time and time again to secure raises in the federal minimum wage.
When conservatives continually and regularly tried to eliminate prevailing wage laws designed to ensure that contracts for federally-funded construction projects do not undermine local community standards for wages and benefits, Ted Kennedy made his voice heard and helped us beat back those attacks.
And when more and more American families and businesses found themselves overwhelmed with the increasing costs of health care and health insurance, Ted Kennedy made it his life’s work to seek a solution that would ensure affordable and universal health care coverage for all Americans.
Through it all, Ted Kennedy had an unyielding belief in American capitalism, and the effectiveness of a healthy American economy to move people out of poverty and into the middle class.
The most important social program we can have is a sound economy. Those are not just words…they are an entire belief system that has defined the modern Democratic Party and the American Labor Movement. And it is a philosophical outlook rooted in the ideal that the American economic model is preferable to any other, and that government should pursue policies that ensure maximum growth and shared prosperity.
That is the essence of Ted Kennedy’s liberalism. It is not anti-capitalist…and it certainly is not socialist. Ted Kennedy believed in a strong American economy. He believed that America ought to make things…not outsource our manufacturing base to third-world countries that rely upon slave labor. Ted Kennedy believed in using the apparatus and influence of government to steer the American economy on a path of sustained growth and prosperity for all. And he believed in providing people with the education and training that would enable them to secure family-sustaining “careers,” not just jobs. That is why Senator Kennedy was such a strong supporter of the building trades’ national system of apprenticeship training.
Yet, at the same time, Ted Kennedy also understood that the very nature of American capitalism rested upon the pursuit of profits…and as such there would always be people who embraced a perverse version of capitalism that is premised upon the abuse and exploitation of workers in pursuit of greater profits. To confront those darker angels in our midst, Ted Kennedy was not bashful, nor apologetic, for using the levers of government policy and regulation to ensure that the health and welfare of American workers was protected from such abuse.
The legacy that Ted Kennedy leaves is certainly immense. But what will be missed the most was his ability to recognize and distill the impact of vast, complicated policy proposals on the average American working family. Many people will mourn the fact that Ted Kennedy was never elected President of the United States. We must recognize that the Almighty had a different plan for the youngest of the Kennedy brothers. His imprint, and his legacy, are defined by the hundreds of major pieces of legislation that were the result of his burning desire to see an America that provides opportunity, security and health for all.
For many years, he may have lived in the shadows of his brothers, but he has now managed to cast a significant one of his own. Because Ted Kennedy lived his life in accordance with the Irish blessing that says, “We’re on this Earth together…And if we would be brothers…Fight not just on our own behalf…But for the sake of others.”
Gra dilseacht cairdeas: Love, loyalty, friendship