Last night, the most influential Senator of my lifetime died. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) was 77. His hands were on hundreds of laws, most importantly civil rights, education and health care.
Kennedy believed in social justice -- his faith informed his politics. Despite being reviled by the grassroots of the right wing, he was beloved by the some of right wing elected officials of the GOP. Sen. Orrin Hatch, the conservative Republican of Utah was his best friend in the Senate.
Earlier this month, Sen. Kennedy, as he lay dying, penned this article for Newsweek where he called universal health care the "cause of my life".
(I also think it's worth reading the statement he issued when the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee pass the health care bill earlier this summer.)
I don't know if the Congress will pass health care reform or not. But I do know that Sen. Kennedy inspired a legion of Americans who will continue to fight for universal health care.
Don't you worry, Sen. Kennedy, the dream will never die.
Cross posted at Fake Virginia.