Lion’s absence at centre of ‘life’s cause’ leaves huge void

SENATOR Edward Kennedy’s death comes as a political struggle appears to be chipping away at the Democratic power-broker’s vision for what he called “the cause of my life”, providing affordable healthcare coverage to all Americans.

After decades of laying the groundwork to overhaul the US healthcare system, Kennedy was forced into a limited role in the fight to enact such legislation since being diagnosed in May 2008 with brain cancer. Yet despite being away from Congress most of the year, Kennedy, one of the most effective lawmakers in US history, managed to help draft a preliminary bill to overhaul the $2.5 trillion (€1.7tn) health system.

Between chemotherapy treatments, the ailing liberal lion stayed in contact, the best he could, with colleagues and President Barack Obama, who at Kennedy’s urging, made healthcare reform his top domestic priority.

But Kennedy’s physical absence on Capitol Hill created a void. “Kennedy was a powerhouse in face-to-face negotiations who was sensitive to the need for bipartisanship,” said Paul Light of New York University’s Center for the Study of Congress.

“The debate is now stalled and getting vicious. Kennedy wouldn’t have allowed it.”

In June, Republican senator John McCain noted the difficulties in reaching a healthcare deal without him. “The absence of Ted Kennedy is a very big factor,” McCain said.

However, Kennedy’s death could actually jump-start the effort for legislation that would be seen as a tribute to his lifetime of work. Many congressional analysts figure a healthcare bill will be signed into law this year. But they say it is certain to fall far short of Kennedy’s goal of covering all of the estimated 46 million Americans without health insurance. As a senator, Kennedy was a popular and polarising figure and reached out to Democrats and Republicans, but also took on members of both parties when he saw fit.

After a dispute with Democratic president Jimmy Carter over healthcare, Kennedy challenged Carter for their party’s 1980 presidential nomination. Carter won, but was damaged and lost in the general election to Republican Ronald Reagan.

Kennedy worked with Republican president George Bush in 2001 to pass legislation, “No Child Left Behind”, to bolster schools. But Kennedy later accused Bush of inadequately funding the programme.

Kennedy got much of his passion to expand health insurance to all Americans in 1973 when his then 12-year-old son, Teddy, battled cancer. He survived, but lost a leg to the illness. “He couldn’t imagine not being able to pay the bills for my brother. He believed all should have affordable and quality healthcare,” recalled Patrick Kennedy, who now serves in Congress as a member of the House of Representatives.

In recent months, with Kennedy’s condition deteriorating, the drive torevamp healthcare ran into increased delays and opposition, but Kennedy remained upbeat. At least he tried. On July 30, Obama named Kennedy as a recipient of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom Award, the nation’s highest civilian honour for lifetime achievement.