Republicans are outraged that Democrats may "inappropriately politicize" the death of Senator Ted Kennedy to advance the passage of health care reform. And they're right to be, because there is absolutely no precedent for using the tragic passing of a liberal hero as inspiration for action on legislation of which he was in favor. Except for that time in 1963 when President Johnson went to Capitol Hill and insisted that

no memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy's memory than the earliest possible passage of the Civil Rights Bill for which he fought so long. We have talked long enough in this country about equal rights. We have talked for a hundred years or more. It is time now to write the next chapter, and to write it in the books of law. I urge you again, as I did in 19 and 57 and again in 19 and 60, to enact a civil rights law so that we can move forward to eliminate from this nation every trace of discrimination and oppression that is based upon race or color. There could be no greater source of strength to this nation both at home and abroad.