By the standards of the 1960s, Kennedy was a "liberal." Today, he would be considered to be a middle-of-the-roader. While it is true that he favored the creation of programs that expanded the government's role in civil rights and social welfare, he most certainly did not favor making vast numbers of citizens dependent on government largesse, which the modern democratic party has embraced with both hands. If he did favor that, why in Heaven's Name did he make this famous statement during his Inaugural Address..."Ask Not what your country can do for you..."?
Moreover, Kennedy was a veteran, and had the stones to stand up to Khruschev during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I shudder to think what might have happened if one of this year's current non-military background democratic candidates had occupied the White House during that crisis.
Hillary and her like came from a political movement within my own generation that not only opposed the Vietnam War, but expressed disdain for the military in all of its permutations. The draconian military cutbacks during the 1970s were something that she heartily agreed with. If, as she now says, she respects our servicemen and our modern military it is only because her opinions have gone through a sea-change in the intervening years.
If elected, she will revert to her old ways, and favor drastic cutbacks in the military, and withdrdaw our forces from Iraq regardless of any negative consequences....and there will be consequences.
Because of these considerations, I think that she and Obama bear little resemblance to JFK, in their political beliefs or national vision.
