Another Perspective
Republicans Looking for a Modern Inspiration?
Jack Kemp cared — in the best sense, often misunderstood by both left and right.
There has been much press coverage these days about the problems of the Republican Party seeking a new identity that resonates with Americans. Too often Republicans and conservatives seem to lack compassion and concern for many social issues of interests to too many Americans. In the 1960s Conservatives had little involvement in the historic battle for civil rights. Many Republicans opposed the civil rights act in 1964 and a great deal of resentment grew within the African American community over this apparent indifference.
It was of course Republicans with President Lincoln that led the battle to end slavery and liberate blacks from the intolerable practice. Thirty-two years earlier, William Wilberforce, a noted Member of Parliament and British Christian leader, had led the battle to end slavery in England. Unfortunately during the last half of the 20th century too many conservatives, Republicans specifically, were uninvolved in the battle. That disinterest was tied not to bigotry but rather other priorities, including a major battle to oppose the spread of Communism from the Soviet Union and “Red China.”
It was a warm summer day during the 1996 campaign that the National Association of Black Journalists held its annual convention in Nashville. The organization, like most journalism groups, invites presidential candidates to address its members. On that humid Tennessee day Republican Presidential Candidate Robert Dole and Vice Presidential Candidate Jack Kemp were slated to speak to several thousand African-American journalists from around the nation. Most Republicans would have described this group as anything but a friendly organization to GOP candidates.
Senator Dole was introduced with polite applause. Then Jack Kemp was introduced and he received a standing ovation. I sat in awe as these black American applauded a Republican leader. Jack stayed after his speech and shook the hand of every young journalist who wanted to meet him. There was no story about this incident and it has received no notice that I have ever seen. Why did Jack get this reception? It is easy to understand why — Jack Kemp cared and he demonstrated that care over a lifetime. He was committed to the wisdom of a free market but he also saw that sometimes people fell through the cracks and that government has the responsibility to help people.
Jack was committed to giving people opportunity, not handouts. He had the strong respect of millions of Americans. In my many personal conversations with Jack and my work with him, that caring attitude came through like a laser beam! Jack in the past decade spoke strongly for a guest worker program for illegal immigrants and a method for these folks to become legal residents of the United States. Jack saw these people as hard workers who were trying to achieve the American dream, one sought by millions from throughout the world.
Jack observed one time, “Republicans many times can’t get the words ‘equality of opportunity’ out of their mouths. Their lips do not form that way.” He also declared, “There really has not been a strong Republican message to either the poor or the African American community at large.”
He also noted, “When people lack jobs, opportunity, and ownership of property they have little or no stake in their in their communities.”
In 1964 Senator Barry Goldwater was defeated for the presidency. Look magazine shortly after the solid defeat asked writer Richard Cornuelle to write a piece entitled “A Positive Agenda for the Republican Party.” In 1965, Cornuelle published a new book, Reclaiming the American Dream. Cornuelle, like Jack Kemp, called on Republicans to have answers and a positive agenda instead of constant opposition to government. He coined the phrase “the independent section,” which described the vital role that associations, churches, and individuals play in meeting the needs of society.
Unfortunately, Dick Cornuelle like Jack Kemp were not seen as providing direction for the future of the Republican Party. Jack Kemp was a dynamic individual who, like Ronald Reagan, always saw a glass half-full rather than half-empty. If the Republican Party is to begin carrying a positive banner of hope and leadership, it will need the likes of Jack Kemp. Perhaps with the loss of Jack Kemp, the time has come for the Party and Conservatives in general to reexamine their priorities and reach out to all Americans.
Indeed it is a time for all Americans to rekindle their faith in an America of strong commitment to a free market system which strives to reach all Americans, not with hand out by with a hand up. Kemp reminded us, “There are no limits to our future if we don’t put limits on our people.”
At the same time, Jack never lost his commitment to the idea is that growing economy is the only answer to enriching more Americans instead of fewer. He saw redistribution of wealth as a policy for failure. His vision for government was simple: “Every time in this century we’ve lowered the tax rates across the board, on employment, on saving, investment and risk-taking in this economy, revenues went up, not down.” It was interesting that another dynamic leader in the Democratic Party held that same view, John F. Kennedy, another inspirational leader.
Finally, as the Republican Party thinks about is future and the Democrats, now in power, contemplate how to responsibly use their power, we should remember Jack Kemps words “Democracy without morality is impossible.” I, like so many others Americans of all colors and all parties, will miss Jack Kemp.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (30) | Leave a comment
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frost| 5.4.09 @ 12:18PM
The first sentence of the 4th paragraph says a lot!
In the meantime, Quin Hillyer touched on it a little, and (of course) Michael Gerson in the WaPo ignored it completely: what I view as Kemp's finest accomplishment, something that achieved 'way too little attention and never came to fruition, his very wonderful suggestion that all that ugly, subsidized "Public Housing" be turned-over and sold at very, very low prices to those low income people who might then achieve the "pride of ownership" and actually Take Care of the apartments/buildings/property in which they lived - - 'cause there is NOTHING like Ownership to turn a sorry situation into a potentially Great one.
They just might stop trashing their neighborhoods? What a concept!
Perhaps this very substantial (and WONDERFUL) idea/suggestion (which was never acted upon, darn it) might be brought up again and, just maybe, get enacted, eventually. So far it's been totally ignored by Republicans as well as the demented bunch on the left.
I doubt if it will ever get the much needed attention it deserves, especially in Obama's socialist world, but, perhaps - someday...
Now, as a Libertarian-leaning independent Independent, no, I certainly don't advocate the aforementioned "public housing" debacle - - BUT, since the government is already "in the business" and will never extricate itself from screwing-around in areas where it doesn't belong (not covered by our Constitution), his suggestion of Private Ownership appears to be the only practical solution -- if, indeed, one does exist.
Mark Bonchek| 5.4.09 @ 12:38PM
Thanks for a fitting tribute to a man who exemplified leadership that transcends party. We need more Jack Kemps on both sides of the aisle. You've honored his memory well.
Old Texican| 5.4.09 @ 2:58PM
(cut and paste quoting myself)
Old Texican| 5.4.09 @ 2:49PM
Romney can't win for constitutional restraint!
(Conservativism)
He is a clean, fine man but he has no lightning and thunder in his makeup.
We true Americans need a leader with some fire in his belly for the Constitutional Republic we once had.
A couple of years from now, our country is going to be in the midst of the biggest train-wreck since 1861.
We are going to need leaders...who can joyfully lead us BACKWARDS toward freedom and personal dignity.
In my mind, if we cannot still produce those kinds of leaders, and convince them to lead, then the last best hope on this planet on the human level will be gone.
The lights "will go out" for a thousand years, (or ten thousand years), or until Jesus comes again.
Ladies and gentlemen we are looking "end times" right square in the eye...right in these days. We can earn one last chance to clean up our act and get serious.....or we can be the observers of the end of human kind we could even recognize
Bob| 5.4.09 @ 4:08PM
In this way, Romney is a lot like Specter -- he is more interested in winning than in ideology. You just can't win in the Northeast with a strict conservative ideology. Romney is a smart, successful guy and he clearly knew that in MA.
Carey Rowland | 5.4.09 @ 4:08PM
Thank you, Jack, for the informative article about Mr. Kemp.
Here are few points to remember:
1.) We need to get back to our first principles. President Lincoln, in commemorating the service of those men who had given their "last full measure of devotion, " reminded us of our purpose as a republic: to insure that government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" shall not perish from the earth. This is our highest purpose.
2.) The last-minute arrangement that was ramroded through Congress by Mr. Bush and Mr. Paulson--the one that appropriated $800 billion of public money for "too big to fail" financial institutions--was not consistent with the goal of preserving responsible government for the people. It was a bad precedent; as soon as the administration changed, the Democrats followed in the Republican wake and sliced themselves a cut of the the action, appropriating $767 billion. Republicans trickle down; Democrats trickle up. But it's all taxpayer money, and now it's public liability that irresponsibly puts our government itself in and unsustainable position hopeless hock. This is not favorable for preserving the US government as an instrument of the people, by the people and for the people.
3.) During the next four years, we need someone who is willing to denounce both of these--the TARP and the Stimulus--as the irresponsible boondoggles that they are. That bold soul, whoever her or she is, must be a great communicator--like Reagan was, like Kemp was, like Obama is, because 2/3 of great leadership is just about talking clearly and honestly to the American people in language that they can understand and believe. Obama has this gift, and that's why he's in the oval office now. I'm a Republican, but must say it's refreshing to have a President who is willing to talk plainly to the American people, even though I don't agree with his Keynesian tendencies.
4.) What we need to preserve, at all costs, is this: the freedom and viability of all Americans to conduct business at the lowest levels. This means that all of our people, of all ethnic identities, are free to initiate enterprises and operate them prosperously, unobstructed by superfluous regulation and burdensome taxes.
5.) The American people, if allowed to remain free and resourceful, will build, from the ground up, new free markets and enterprises on the ruins of this present fallen economic chaos. But if people look to the government, or the banks, or the Fed, or even Wall Street, to bail them out of this mess--then they will become indentured servants. People must learn, once again, what real value is--to produce value, and sell it. This is a fundamentally more stable foundation for new prosperity than irresponsible lending and speculating on derivatives and credit default swaps.
6.) The bold leader who is willing to call this nation back to these first principles will receive that sought-after standing ovation, just like Mr. Obama did on January 20, and just like Mr. Kemp did in Nashville back in '96. That guy, or gal, is the one we're looking for. He/she has about three years to remember, and to call forth from the American people, those principles of enterprising freedom that made this country great.
Carey Rowland, author of Glass half-Full
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Vaughn Winslett| 5.4.09 @ 6:18PM
The republicans have one last chance. Unless they put CHRISTIAN , constitutionalist men, who oppose sodomite rights and abortion and ALL gun control , as well as big spending and big government they have lost me. I stopped giving them money already. I will go to the Constitution party. They Newt who betrayed us in the brady bill. Find a good conservative and noy yhese loosers.
PCP Smoker| 5.4.09 @ 6:22PM
This is grief combined with white guilt.
This one got to me: "the Democrats, now in power, contemplate how to responsibly use their power". Wow. Contemplating how to responsibly govern, ehh? Yeah, I'm sure that's what the Dems are contemplating as they shutdown Gitmo, nationalize the banks and car industry, and apologize for America.
Hey Cox, it's guys like you and Kemp who drain me of the will to fight.
jim| 5.4.09 @ 7:23PM
the suggestion that Republicans lost touch with blacks by no voting for the 1964 act does not cover the actual event. a larger percentage of Rep than Dems voter for the act which would not have passed without their votes. the number of dixiecrats came from the Dem party.
stmichrick| 5.4.09 @ 7:59PM
Uhhhh;
Democrats needed Republican help to pass the Civil Rights Act and;
A higher percentage of Republicans voted for it than Democrats.
Let's try and refute dis-information please.
stmichrick| 5.4.09 @ 8:02PM
AND;
when are more African Americans going to realize that Republicans and conservatives prefer to appeal to them as AMERICANS,
NOT A PERMANANT VICTIM CLASS.
PolishKnight| 5.5.09 @ 2:27PM
Sounds like another defense for selling out: If Republicans could only sell their working class white male constituency down the river and guarantee blacks a special victim-class status, forever, then they might get liked more. In the meantime, they drive their loyal base to stay at home and get few converts from the goodie-handout party.
While they snidely praise illegals for doing jobs that "Americans" don't want to do, they remain silent when working class white men are ground up in divorce court and ordered to pay usurious child-support whether they can afford to or not. In Washington, the only real people that exist are well-to-do white males, white women, and special interest groups that represent everyone else. Their main constituency, the working class white male and his family are forgotten.
Here's some issues for you:
1) Enforce employment laws including H1B visas where companies spend MORE to pay foreigners for work that could be done locally.
2) Eliminate racist affirmative action policies.
3) Reform family court laws that do more to harm marriage than gay marriage.
4) Energy policies that work: Nuclear and drill for oil.
5) Re-enact successful welfare reform and take it to the next level: No more financial rewards for women bearing children out of wedlock.
6) Eliminate women-minority only contracts on roads and get back to building roads rather than entitlements. Eliminate congestion in major metro areas (including DC) and see gas consumption ease.
7) Reform the prison system to give men, including black men, a second chance.
Those are all off the top of my head and would ultimately result in a hero's welcome even if they would get initial strong opposition from the press and the usual suspects. Unfortunately, Jack Kemp and other moderates (and even many conservatives) don't care that much about these issues as much as easy slam-dunks (but ineffective) policies such as "lowering taxes" from the Reagan era. I have to agree somewhat with Jeb, that era is over and time to move forward.
Or they can just have us stay at home at the polls next time around... Good luck with getting the illegals vote.
Yvelaine Colas| 5.6.09 @ 10:22AM
“Republicans specifically, were uninvolved in the battle. That disinterest was tied not to bigotry but rather other priorities…” – Seriously? Republicans weren’t capable of fighting communism, or any other issue, and racial discrimination at the same? Many Dixiecrats left the Democratic Party to become Republicans during the 1960s; and like-minded John Birch Society members were more than happy to receive them. Johnson knew that he was signing away the South to Republicans when Congress passed the Voting Rights Act. In spite of his ‘Southern Strategy’, Richard Nixon did more for urban Blacks than Johnson and Kennedy combined, much to the dismay of Southern conservatives.
Jack Kemp was a Yankee Republican who understood that the Republican Party could make slow and steady gains within the African-American community if it really wanted to. The Democratic Party supposedly represents and helps the African-Americans, but what has it really done for them since the 1960s; especially the inner cities? During every electoral cycle, Democrats raid community centers and black churches to recite Negro spirituals and eat ‘soul food’ in order to garner votes. Yet inner-city public schools haven’t improved, crime continues to rise and young black women are still having too many kids with absent fathers.
Most of the inner-city adult population is lost, but conservatives could actually teach young African-Americans to help themselves and rebuild their own communities (a win-win for closet segregationists).
Conservative groups could:
- get involved with faith-based organizations in order to instill young AAs with stronger moral values and self-respect
- provide realistic birth control and STD prevention services
- provide opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, micro-loans…
- teach entrepreneurial and managerial skills
- sponsor more African-American conservative think tanks and publications
- organize after-school programs and offer scholarships to Christian universities
Today, average African-Americans actually have a lower standard of living than their parents did. You may not give a damn, but eventually all the prisons and gated-communities you’d like to see built won’t be enough to protect you from drug-addicted, ex-convicts with nothing to lose.
Sean Daley| 5.6.09 @ 11:22AM
Yvelaine Colas, interesting arguments, with some good, yet somewhat liberal ideas. But I can’t really see that happening. Maybe Michael Steele could have helped in that regard, but right now, he’s blowing it.
I also can’t imagine Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush or Eric Cantor ‘in da hood’.
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