Speaking as a MA voter (a progressive one but not a young one), I too have never really understood any positive reason for Kennedy to be gunning for Markey's seat, especially right now, in our current political moment. Is Markey old? Yes. Should he retire? Ehn, maybe, but he clearly feels he still has work to do, and things like partnering with AOC on the Green New Deal show that he's willing to keep current with the issues. Should we have term limits? Overall, probably? But that's not what this is about. Kennedy should have stuck to his seat in the House and kept building seniority there. It's his own fault that so many people have seen this race not as "we need new blood" (do we?) but rather as "we need a Kennedy" (*do* we?).
A well-researched political history explainer, which is what I've come to expect from Paul. The choice is obvious to me: there's no upside to voting for Kennedy, unless you really want the next generation of the Democrats to be Buttigiegified e.g. smooth packaging of a younger politician as The Next Obama who is hated by his own generation. Markey can at least continue to advocate for his Green New Deal bill before hopefully handing over the reins to someone far more authentic and with more left bona fides than a literal Kennedy.
In many ways, Markey is pretty important. If he wins, it's a signal to other incumbents that adopting more progressive positions can be electorally advantageous. Since most of them only give a shit about winning in the first place, this is one of two ways to finally start moving things in our favor. We can't trust all of these politicians, but hopefully, we can trust that plenty of them will do what's in their best interest.
I think Kennedy is going to win out of a combination of inherited Kennedy fealty and a desire to "see something new." Markey should win, no reason for him not to and Kennedy is only a good candidate because he is a Kennedy, but he's always been low-key and a lot of people in MA don't know who he is. Friends and family I know are voting Kennedy, which sucks, but he is basically a prince of the Commonwealth.
The local debates between the two were putrid, especially in a time when we would hope that to reasoned candidates on the left could do better. Kennedy making low blow pot shots that Markey doesn't are about people of color because he didn't do enough for these two families. Markey, trying to counter the point by saying "But, I wrote two letters!" Markey has a track record of voting for progressive policies, but also a track record of being the guy who grabs onto the coattails of others and hollering "See! Look, I'm relevant" without actually amassing the power and influence to make it happen. And that's after FORTY FREAKIN' FOUR YEARS. Which is gross. Kennedy's just as gross. The familial political dynasties have always seemed antithetical to the democratic ideals of America, even if they have been present since its founding. The Kennedy's are a much a part of that as any other family with scandals by the score to show just how corrupting that power can be. I can't wait to see what the Trump spawn will do to this country for decades to come. Frankly it's race that got too much attention, because both candidates seem radical left compared to some of the legit extreme right wing psychos that keep bubbling to the surface, even here in Peoples Republic of Massachusetts (sarcasm). Regardless, I want the media age of Congress (~60) to start looking like the median age of the U.S. population (~39) and I vote accordingly.
Speaking as a MA voter (a progressive one but not a young one), I too have never really understood any positive reason for Kennedy to be gunning for Markey's seat, especially right now, in our current political moment. Is Markey old? Yes. Should he retire? Ehn, maybe, but he clearly feels he still has work to do, and things like partnering with AOC on the Green New Deal show that he's willing to keep current with the issues. Should we have term limits? Overall, probably? But that's not what this is about. Kennedy should have stuck to his seat in the House and kept building seniority there. It's his own fault that so many people have seen this race not as "we need new blood" (do we?) but rather as "we need a Kennedy" (*do* we?).
A well-researched political history explainer, which is what I've come to expect from Paul. The choice is obvious to me: there's no upside to voting for Kennedy, unless you really want the next generation of the Democrats to be Buttigiegified e.g. smooth packaging of a younger politician as The Next Obama who is hated by his own generation. Markey can at least continue to advocate for his Green New Deal bill before hopefully handing over the reins to someone far more authentic and with more left bona fides than a literal Kennedy.
Voted for Markey and Morse!!!!
In many ways, Markey is pretty important. If he wins, it's a signal to other incumbents that adopting more progressive positions can be electorally advantageous. Since most of them only give a shit about winning in the first place, this is one of two ways to finally start moving things in our favor. We can't trust all of these politicians, but hopefully, we can trust that plenty of them will do what's in their best interest.
I think Kennedy is going to win out of a combination of inherited Kennedy fealty and a desire to "see something new." Markey should win, no reason for him not to and Kennedy is only a good candidate because he is a Kennedy, but he's always been low-key and a lot of people in MA don't know who he is. Friends and family I know are voting Kennedy, which sucks, but he is basically a prince of the Commonwealth.
The local debates between the two were putrid, especially in a time when we would hope that to reasoned candidates on the left could do better. Kennedy making low blow pot shots that Markey doesn't are about people of color because he didn't do enough for these two families. Markey, trying to counter the point by saying "But, I wrote two letters!" Markey has a track record of voting for progressive policies, but also a track record of being the guy who grabs onto the coattails of others and hollering "See! Look, I'm relevant" without actually amassing the power and influence to make it happen. And that's after FORTY FREAKIN' FOUR YEARS. Which is gross. Kennedy's just as gross. The familial political dynasties have always seemed antithetical to the democratic ideals of America, even if they have been present since its founding. The Kennedy's are a much a part of that as any other family with scandals by the score to show just how corrupting that power can be. I can't wait to see what the Trump spawn will do to this country for decades to come. Frankly it's race that got too much attention, because both candidates seem radical left compared to some of the legit extreme right wing psychos that keep bubbling to the surface, even here in Peoples Republic of Massachusetts (sarcasm). Regardless, I want the media age of Congress (~60) to start looking like the median age of the U.S. population (~39) and I vote accordingly.