Jack Kemp dies

[Bradley in DC]

Fromer RP Congressional staffer Bruce Bartlett on Kemp:

Jack Kemp
Today at 11:25pm
I first met Jack Kemp in December 1976. He was in his congressional office putting on a tuxedo to attend the last formal event in Gerald Ford’s White House and I was there interviewing for a job. I remember that he asked me if I was a “supply side fiscalist,” a term I had never heard before in my life. So naturally I said yes; what did I have to lose? I got the job and worked for Jack as his staff economist for the next two years, during which time supply-side economics was born.

The thing I will most remember about Jack was his enthusiasm. He had the amazing capacity to say the same thing over and over and over again with equal enthusiasm every time. He had the soul of an evangelist and was, therefore, the perfect spokesman for supply-side economics. He was able to do what none of the “eggheads” like Art Laffer, Bob Mundell, or Jude Wanniski could do—Jack could make people believe that tax cuts were their salvation.

No matter how many years went by, whenever I would see Jack it was always as if I was still one of his staffers. And whenever I heard him speak I always continued to hear bits and pieces of ideas and rhetoric that I think I may have planted in his mind.

Jack Kemp was a great man. America is a better place because of him.

EDIT: more from Barlett on Kemp:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/03/jack-kemp-reagan-republican-gop-opinions-columnists-obituary.html

 

[Bradley in DC]

WP on Kemp:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/02/AR2009050202501.html?hpid=artslot

On a personal note, I voted for Kemp in the primary in '88. I still remember him getting a standing ovation that interrupted his speech before the 1984 Republican National Convention when he said, "We need a dollar as good as gold."

 

[Bradley in DC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kemp#Congress_.281971.E2.80.931989.29

At several Republican National Conventions, Kemp has delivered speeches. He addressed the convention on July 15 at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan and on August 21 at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas.[104] During the 1984 Convention, with Trent Lott as Republican Party Platform Committee Chairman, Congressmen Kemp and Newt Gingrich claimed control of the party platform to the consternation of G.O.P. senators Bob Dole and Howard Baker.[66] Kemp's official role was as the chairman of the platform subcommittee on foreign policy. However, the three platform planks that he proposed involved tax hikes, the gold standard and the role of the Federal Reserve.​

Kemp opposed money for the IMF too
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,955187,00.html

 

[Bossobass]

I was a fan of Jack Kemp in those days. Sorry to hear of his passing. Thanks for the heads up and great inside info Brad.

Bosso

 

[Brian4Liberty]

He was one of the good ones...

 

[Bradley in DC]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/03/jack-kemp-dies-doles-running-mate-1996/?page=2

Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation, a Kemp family friend and his former campaign deputy chief of staff, said Kemp's legacy will be his compassion.

"The idea that all conservatives really should regroup around and identify with is that this is not an exclusive club," Feulner said. "Freedom is for everybody. That's what Jack Kemp really stood for."

 

[sarahgop]

he was the greatest and he will be missed.

 

[Pericles]

[url]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/03/jack-kemp-dies-doles-running-mate-1996/?page=2[/URL]

Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation, a Kemp family friend and his former campaign deputy chief of staff, said Kemp's legacy will be his compassion.

"The idea that all conservatives really should regroup around and identify with is that this is not an exclusive club," Feulner said. "Freedom is for everybody. That's what Jack Kemp really stood for."

Quite true - I thought he was at his absolute best when he was detailing how various federal programs were hurting the people they were supposed to be helping and how market based solutions could achieve better results.

 

[angelatc]

I didn't know much about him because I wasn't "awake" yet, so I'll take your word for it that he was one of the good guys.

I found a blog entry that made me snicker: http://retiredfireman.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/farewell-jack-kemp-1935-2009/

There was some guy on that I understood to be the incumbent that was fighting for his seat against that beautiful woman in the wheelchair. Jack, out of nowhere, yells for all to hear backstage, “Who the F*** is this a**hole? Why the hell won’t he shut up? I want to get out there so we can get out of here!”

It was at that moment that I knew without a doubt that the wrong guy was running for President. As far as I was concerned, we needed someone who was a straight talker and didn’t care who was around. <clip>

So there is my Jack Kemp story. You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake…and even more by the way they treat the people that work for them.

So swearing and shouting because you don't think the speaker in front of you deserves stage time makes you a nice guy and qualifies you to be President.

This was my favorite part though:

George Stephanopolous who, and I need to be very clear in this, was an obnoxious, prick with one of the worst cases of Short-Man’s Syndrome I had the displeasure of meeting.

 

[fj45lvr]

this is Jack Kemp CFR member and co-author of CFR reports with John Kerry of Edwards????


I fail to see how he qualifies at being anything good for liberty.

 

[johnrocks]

I always liked Jack Kemp, he was indeed a class act,imho.

 

[JK/SEA]

Anything out there on his solid support and positive rhetoric of RON PAUL running for President?

Thought so. Probably getting his ass kissed by Tim Russert now.

 

[anaconda]

He was one of the good ones...

See the story of the Assistant Secretary of HUD, Catherine Austin Fitts, on how monstrously corrupt HUD and its director, Jack Kemp were.

http://www.stewwebb.com/HUD Bushwacked Ex Assit. Sec. of HUD Catherine Fitts gets Bushwacked.html

 

[He Who Pawns]

RIP. I met him twice, and he was a great guy. Will be missed.

 

[JK/SEA]

RIP. I met him twice, and he was a great guy. Will be missed.

from all accounts, Ted Bundy was a great guy too.

 

[weslinder]

Jack Kemp was the best man in the Reagan Administration at getting the message of freedom out to the poor. He really cared about people, and in a conservative movement that tended to concentrate on economic issues, it gave him a more authentic point of view. I don't know, but I'd bet that Ron Paul and Jack Kemp got along well.

 

[anaconda]

from all accounts, Ted Bundy was a great guy too.

HUD was the poster child for corruption, apparently (Kemp's agency under Bush I).

http://74.6.146.127/search/cache?ei...itt's+jack+kemp&d=EjmXZkxISsW0&icp=1&.intl=us

 

[Bradley in DC]

HUD was the poster child for corruption, apparently (Kemp's agency under Bush I).

http://74.6.146.127/search/cache?ei...itt's+jack+kemp&d=EjmXZkxISsW0&icp=1&.intl=us

Actually, Kemp was brought in to clean up the previous corruption.

 

[Bradley in DC]

1984 platform:

Monetary Policy

Just as our tax policy has only laid the groundwork for a new era of prosperity, reducing inflation is only the first step in restoring a stable currency. A dollar now should be worth a dollar in the future. This allows real economic growth without inflation and is the primary goal of our monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Board's destabilizing actions must therefore stop. We need coordination between fiscal and monetary policy, timely information about Fed decisions, and an end to the uncertainties people face in obtaining money and credit. The Gold Standard may be a useful mechanism for realizing the Federal Reserve's determination to adopt monetary policies needed to sustain price stability.​

 

[max]

Kemp was a fraud.

His attacks on Pat Buchanan were vicious.