Inside Opinion

If you have questions about how the Daily News makes editorial decisions, this blog has the answers. Editorial page editor Matt Zencey and writers Frank Gerjevic and Rosemary Shinohara will discuss what they're working on, answer questions and ask your perspective on issues facing Alaska.


Contributors

Matt Zencey

Matt Zencey joined the Daily News as an editorial writer in 1985 and was named editorial page editor in May 2007. He has won several. "Best editorial writing" awards from the Alaska Press Club and was a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He lives on the west side of Anchorage, where he enjoys the best weather in town and easy access to the Coastal Trail. E-mail Matt at mzencey@adn.com

Frank Gerjevic

Frank Gerjevic has worked at the Daily News since 1978, where he's been sports editor, copy editor, reporter and columnist. He's been an editorial writer since 1998. He began his newspaper career with the Anchorage Times in 1975. E-mail Frank at fgerjevic@adn.com

Archive

Me and Nicholas Kristof - 10/12/2009 5:02 pm

Those pricey city union contracts...What ADN said at the time - 10/7/2009 6:03 pm

Home heating haiku - 10/6/2009 12:42 pm

"He got more than 175 words for his letter!" - 9/24/2009 6:23 pm

Dividend haiku - 9/23/2009 5:12 pm

Garage doors debate - 9/23/2009 4:12 pm

What Alaska members of Congress say about financial reform - 9/21/2009 4:49 pm

Why the federal court dismissed the challenge to Alaska's way of picking judges - 9/16/2009 10:58 am

Dead-on investment? - 9/14/2009 5:01 pm

Wednesday haiku - 9/9/2009 11:14 am

The president's speech to schoolchildren - 9/8/2009 10:23 am

George Will, peacenik? Exhibit A: Why are we sticking around so long in Iraq? - 9/3/2009 2:36 pm

George Will, peacenik? Exhibit B: "Time to Get Out of Afghanistan" - 9/3/2009 2:31 pm

High praise for Nunaka Valley softball team - 9/2/2009 12:23 pm

More about sarcasm in letters - 9/1/2009 1:03 pm

Sen. Lisa Murkowski re Senate Energy Bill - 8/31/2009 2:30 pm

Sen. Lisa Murkowski re Cap and Trade (climate change) Bill - 8/31/2009 1:55 pm

Friday haiku - 8/28/2009 6:28 pm

The perils of satire II... - 8/27/2009 5:46 pm

What Kennedy said in 1980 is still true today . . . - 8/26/2009 10:17 am

No sheep - 8/25/2009 4:57 pm

The perils of satire . . . - 8/25/2009 11:38 am

full archive »

What Kennedy said in 1980 is still true today . . .

Posted by Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

Posted: August 26, 2009 - 10:17 am

Comments (0) |

Ted Kennedy said the following about health care in 1980, in his concession speech to the Democratic presidential convention. What a sad commentary that these words from 29 years ago are just as true and relevant today...
- Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

"We cannot have a fair prosperity in isolation from a fair society. So I will continue to stand for a national health insurance. We must -- we must not surrender -- we must not surrender to the relentless medical inflation that can bankrupt almost anyone and that may soon break the budgets of government at every level. . . . let us resolve that the state of a family's health shall never depend on the size of a family's wealth."

"The president, the vice-president, the members of Congress have a medical plan that meets their needs in full, and whenever senators and representatives catch a little cold, the Capitol physician will see them immediately, treat them promptly, fill a prescription on the spot. We do not get a bill even if we ask for it, and when do you think was the last time a member of Congress asked for a bill from the federal government? And I say again, as I have before, if health insurance is good enough for the president, the vice-president, the Congress of the United States, then it's good enough for you and every family in America."


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