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The Obama Watch
Jack Kemp Warned Obama: Don’t Raise Taxes
A last open letter predicted policies would fail; Lincoln, arson attack on rich.
“Dear Barack,
“Greetings, it’s me again, giving more advice….”
It was April 17, 2008, and Jack Kemp, the one-time Buffalo Bills quarterback turned congressman, presidential candidate, Bush 41 HUD Secretary and 1996 GOP vice presidential nominee, was at it again. This time, sadly, one of his last “in print” outings before his tragic early death from cancer just over a year later, he was writing an open letter in the Wall Street Journal to then-Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential aspirant Barack Obama.
On tax cuts.
And while he was at it, in typical Kemp style, reminding his fellow Republicans about the GOP’s heritage of economic growth — their legacy from party founder Abraham Lincoln.
Kemp has been recently identified in the six-part Fox News history of the conservative movement hosted by Brit Hume, The Right, All Along: The Rise Fall & Future of Conservatism, as the most important Republican of the late 20th century who never became president. He won that label not because of his titled political positions or a personality frequently understated as “ebullient.” The source of Kemp’s reputation came about because of an entirely unofficial title as the godfather of what is known as “supply-side economics.”
The fury from Democrats rises at what many of them see as an Obama sell-out over the Bush “tax cuts for the rich.” Kemp would surely be the very first to point out that preventing a tax increase for two years is not exactly a serious pro-growth Kemp supply-side policy, to say the least. One can even say that by doing the minimal — and that under extreme pressure from voters — the Obama White House is looking to blame supply-side economics without actually putting supply-side policy into place.
In other words, Obama is trying to say “I did what you asked and it didn’t work” if in fact there is no Reagan-Kemp style success from Obama’s bow to the Bush tax rate. But of course, no taxes have been cut at all. The Bush tax “cuts” are not cuts. They are, after all these years, what Kemp might call the static status quo. There is in the Obama acceptance of the Bush tax rate no serious dealing with the principles that were the spur to real economic growth, Reagan-Kemp style. Were this, say, 1492, Obama would be the flat earth president. Willing to sail under duress to the horizon as long as he could see the last visible geographical landmark — but no further. Why? Because Columbus or no Columbus, Reagan and Kemp or no Reagan and Kemp, science and fact be damned, Barack Obama and liberals at large still believe in the primitiveness that is the economic equivalent of believing in a flat earth.
The Kemp warning to Obama came in an article that was nominally about race. The fact of Obama’s African-American heritage had become something of an issue in his tightening tussle for the Democratic presidential nomination with then-New York Senator Hillary Clinton. But a conversation on race — or for that matter anything — with Kemp always ended up eventually as a discussion on his passionately held belief in economic opportunity.
And so that fine April morning, Journal readers were treated to yet another Kempian pitch on supply-side economics — this one directed personally to Senator Obama.
“In my opinion,” wrote Kemp in his open letter, “people of all colors and income levels don’t hate the rich. They want to get rich. They’re more interested in generating wealth than they are in redistributing wealth. They want to own property, educate their children and build a nest egg that can be passed on to their heirs.”
In a handful of sentences Kemp answered now-President Obama’s left-wing critics who have repeatedly spent their time — as has the President himself — demonizing the “rich.” A class warfare man Jack Kemp was decidedly not, and he was not hesitant in trying to politely tell Obama the politics of class warfare would eventually bring the country — and the Democrats — to grief. .
Kemp warned Obama that “you’ve pledged to raise income tax rates to 39.5% and capital gains to 28%, plus you want to return to a confiscatory 55% ‘death tax.’” In a line that sadly rings too true today as an “I-told-you-so” moment amidst the news of a 9.8% unemployment rate and angry, desperate demands to extend unemployment compensation at Christmas, Kemp directly addressed Obama by predicting: “Your economic ideas, sincere as they are, would weaken the economy, weaken the dollar, and weaken our chances of reducing poverty and unemployment.”
Jack Kemp was right.
Clearly, Kemp’s message was taken to heart by the GOP and the Tea Party in the 2010 elections as well — and the American people responded overwhelmingly. This is worth remembering as the so-called Obama-McConnell agreement meets its congressional fate this week, with Senate Democrats grudgingly signing on at the urging of not only Obama but former President Bill Clinton. The two presidents have stepped daintily if distastefully aboard the fenders of the Kemp idea after a career’s worth of doing everything they could to derail the American people’s access to capital, from massive health care bills to tax increases.
About the Author
Jeffrey Lord is a former Reagan White House political director and author. He writes from Pennsylvania at jlpa1@aol.com.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (26) | Leave a comment
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ggoblue| 12.14.10 @ 6:55AM
what a spectacle we have seen! after 2 yrs of blaming everything on the policies of Bush, obama blinks and embraces the Bush tax rates....
and then bill clinton steps in to help save the country from reverting to....THE CLINTON TAX RATES!
the democrats have ceased to exist as a party. they just don't know it yet.
Eric Cartman| 12.14.10 @ 9:16AM
You're right, ggoblue. While it's no 100% guarantee, we can safely assume the house that was burnt down belonged to a Democrat. So when they are interviewed on the Sob Story Media (if they ever are) ya just have to laugh when it gets to the point when Mrs Democrat will blubber and say something like "We voted for Obama. We're not those evil republicans" They don't understand that their party has been Frankensteined by the left and is now stumbling about the town wrecking the place. Glad it's happening in the Northeast - couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of Dems.
PsychoDad| 12.16.10 @ 9:12PM
I've got no idea where this or the other houses were, although I used to live on the Cape and still spend a lot of time down there. I can tell you this, though: a lot of the Cape is more conservative than the rest of Mass. -- in relative terms anyway! To the point that the owners of this house were as likely R as D. Not that it matters -- the local fishwraps -Boston Glob, Cape Cod Times, etc. - will STILL manage to blame it on the violent, lackwit, Teabaggers .
Waldo| 12.14.10 @ 8:01AM
A foolish consistancy is the Hobgoblin of little minds. I contradict my self/I contradict myself I contain multitudes!
Pelligrino| 12.14.10 @ 8:05AM
Even as a much younger man, I thought that President Reagan should have teamed with Rep. Jack Kemp as the Vice President for the 1984 election.
Thus placing Mr. Kemp firmly on the national stage (and giving him easy access to more international exposure, the thing that everyone seems to think is sooooo significant when we are considering a potentail presidential candidate).
The Jack Kemp of 1988 would have won the presidency. And I think he'd have been far more resolute than George H.W. Bush. Thus, we would never have had the immoral idiot Bubba Clinton.
But that is not what occured. What did occur was a very respectable Congressman who always forced listeners and readers to really think. He was a strong voice.
He was the much better half of the Dole-Kemp team.
He was very important for economics; he was important for a lot of other things as well.
We miss you, Mr. Kemp.
Mel Torme| 12.14.10 @ 10:36AM
Indeed, there are a lot of what-ifs we could think about in history. I think it would have definitely kept the Reagan way going, if Mr. Kemp had been the VP. The whole Bush thing was a damn disaster, both of them.
Kemp was a good man, even as a "potentail" (as in "running down the bunny trail"?) candidate. ;-)
WMurphy| 12.14.10 @ 8:06AM
One peril Mr. Kemp never seemed to recognize in my limited experience with him was the debt bomb in Social Security and other entitlement programs. In 1996 I had an opportunity to speak with him and my question was what will we do when the IOUs in the "trust fund" come due and must be paid out of general revenues.
Mr. Kemp had obviously not considered even the possibility that this could be a problem. His reply was an uncomprehending look and the simple statement that all the IOUs were backed by the Full Faith and Credit of the US Government.
Now the Government is faithless to the people and its credit is that of the spendthrift who cannot avoid the bankruptcy whose approach it studiously ignores. As if that weren't enough, the "progressive" party whose power is waning a bit has poured on massive spending commitments while the supposedly "conservative" party can only muster the gumption to call for a roll-back to merely unsustainable profligacy.
I doubt very much the Republic can survive the bankruptcy men like Mr. Kemp were unable or unwilling to see.
Chef Schnauzer| 12.14.10 @ 9:06AM
This tactic of 'recreating' conversations with the dead man is an old, disgusting cheap shot. Paging Mr. Dummar, Mr. Melvin Dummar you have a letter to write. XXOO - Clifford Irving.
Shamus| 12.14.10 @ 8:12AM
I'm always amused by leftists trying to say that the economy really suffered under Reagan. Rewriting history is a favorite pastime for this bunch.
Chef Schnauzer| 12.14.10 @ 8:16AM
If the general public required evidence that the republican party is a joke it need look no further than this tax-compromise-BS. The tan sniveler from Ohio is a fraud - but so are the rest of them. He cries at the drop of a hat because he knows that he and the rest of the 'world most respected body' have sold America down a Yellow River. I know they did it for the children, China's kids! The best case scenario is that the First World passes America by... the worst case scenario is what the useless parasites called 'Official Washington' deserve most.
hardcard| 12.14.10 @ 8:23AM
Jack Kemp a great American, a great Quarterback.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.14.10 @ 8:39AM
Mr. Lord,
Thanks for the reminder.
We seem to hava sort of "generation gap" among conservatives in governance don't we?
Right now, some of our best are a leetle green. (yes a leetle).
Louis Jenkins| 12.14.10 @ 9:03AM
They are, after all these years, what Kemp might call the static status quo.
It is doubtful, no,certain, that the Bush "tax cuts" will not be enough to pull this nation out of the nose dive. Kemp was a good man and an excellent choice for President.
R Martin| 12.14.10 @ 10:17AM
Mr. Lord has written a commendable tribute to Jack Kemp. However, the simple mention of Robert Mundell understates Mundell's important contribution to the evolution of supply side thinking. Kemp was an important player in the movement to push supply side economics on capital hill, but the intellectual force behind the movement was driven by Laffer, Mundell and Norman Ture.
Mel Torme| 12.14.10 @ 10:31AM
No argument on your economics here, Jeffrey and readers, but, let's get real here. Everyone and his brother can write an "open letter". Pretty much every pundit does write an "open letter" now and then - it's nothing but another article, saying "hey, if this guy would read it, that would fix everything."
You know what, Jeff, these open letters just preach to the choir. Do you think MaoBama read Jack Kemp's open letter? Heck, even I wouldn't admit to reading anyone's open letter to me - if I didn't sign for it at my front door, you can't say I've read it (that's what my lawyer told me to say). Even if I did sign for it, I probably threw it directly into the fireplace; yes, that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
I can't recall getting an open letter addressed to me lately, though. Anyone, anyone, Buehler, Tyrell? Maybe Bob Tyrell may want to write an open letter to Mel Torme apologizing for his anti-freedom stance on the TSA a month or so back. I did read his apology to the readers via American Spectator site, but I could use a direct apology.
Come on! An open letter to me from Bob Tyrell would make my day. Bring it!
Reagan Loyalist| 12.14.10 @ 11:44AM
"Which Members are going to pick up Kemp's economic growth football and run with it, get tackled with it, get up and get in the game again… and again… and again… until the political goal line of a restored and vigorous American economy is a reality?"
The historical evidence that growing the economy by lowering tax rates, which increases revenues, produces jobs and new wealth is abundant. Yet, I do not hear any of our conservative politicians preaching Kemp's core message. So the question remains, as Mr. Lord wrote - Who is going to take up the gauntlet today?
Perusha| 12.14.10 @ 2:15PM
I always loved what Kemp brought to the political table, especially his supply side legislation and his "ebullient" personality.
In 1996, it was thus a good sign that Dole picked him as his running mate.
But, when Jack Kemp failed to attack Algore in the only veep debate, I was not only surprised and shocked, but disillusioned and mad at him.
It was almost as if he was satisfied to have been NOMINATED to be second fiddle, and who cared if he won.
Sort of like the McCain candidacy, eh?
My take is that almost all the highest level politicians who end up even running for president are at their core just regular guys and gals, which means they are born Narcissists.
Thus, the animating factor is, “What will History think of me?” They keep this question in mind as they make their choices---ergo, a McCain couldn’t bring himself to get down and dirty with our first black candidate for the presidency, and even educate voters about Obama’s sordid associations.
A very UN-patriotic omission.
See what it brought us---the NEEDED crisis!
Ah, so---maybe McCain was an unwitting patriot!
Yosemeti Sam| 12.14.10 @ 4:45PM
" ... But, when Jack Kemp failed to attack Algore in the only veep debate ...."
Indeed!
That telling shortcoming is my recollection as well - which did not redound to Kemp IMO.
Didn't lend a helping hand to Dole - at all!
Anthony| 12.14.10 @ 2:53PM
Yep, the next two years are bound to increase man made global warming, as the class warfare really heats up. We already see the lefty "deficits hawks" now at every turn.
Obozo will be screaming in 2012, when unemployment remains above 10%, that it was all the fault of the "tax cuts for the rich".
As the class warfare against supply side economics reaches a fevered pitch,. Obozo will scream that unemployment benefits for 5 years will create a robust economy, as all that spending will send business profits through the roof. By election day 2012, Obozo will have Americans at each others throats.
So, as 2012 turns into a true gunfight at the O.K. Corral, or a prelude to another 1776, either way, get ready, and I do mean get ready.
mames| 12.14.10 @ 4:54PM
Kemp, unfortunately was a RINO. 'Hate to see him go the way he did but we don't need his ideas around anymore. He was a stopped clock on occasion.
Alan Brooks| 12.15.10 @ 3:00AM
You will elect another RINO in '12 or '16.
Oldefarte| 12.15.10 @ 10:21AM
One of this article's points is that the political purpose should be the potential ability of everyone to become rich/wealthy. Liberals/Democrats' philosophy is that government is the ultimate religion [and as such has the powers to control our lives]. Accordingly, they desire/want to prevent people from becoming rich/wealthy [since the result of same would dilute their/governments' power over peoples' lives]. This is why they purposely prevent public education from being effective in educating children [in order to prevent same from succeeding in becoming financially independent of governments' control]. The solution to the economic/financial problem is not whether government confiscates more income and redistributes same to indigents, or whether governments' powers are diminished to allow greater freedom for the rich/wealthy; but rather that government should facilitate the potential obtaining of riches/wealth by everyone possible. This can/should be
accompolished through government's insuring public education superiority that results in truely educated graduates capable of obtaining personal wealth for themselves and their families. Instead of graduating an uneducated, moronic bunch of idiots yearly as is done today, why shouldn't governments be forced to insure a graduate's ultimate education by means of non-unionized dedicated [well-paid] teachers instructing yearly/twelve months each/every school child? If a child is not educated properly in order to successfully pass grade by grade achievement testing, then same should be regulately forced to re-attend the same grade until adequately educated. Once all school graduates are truly educated, then they are rightfully capable of going forth into the world and obtaining income by properly using their previously obtained education!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nobody special| 12.15.10 @ 12:06PM
Obama said "I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money".
He forgot to finish his sentence. What he meant to say is "I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money, and when you reach that point you should retire, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labors."
Larry| 12.18.10 @ 11:55AM
The overwhelming majority of problems that the economy faces today are due to lack of demand, not lack of supply.
I still support the current tax package, but more to prevent a decrease in demand, rather than to help out the supply side. If there is a demand for the products and investments that we have to offer, the producers and investors will be more apt to take risks. It has much less to do with the current tax rates, which are LOWER than the rates of the Kemp-Roth bill.
Chris Jackman| 12.19.10 @ 8:32PM
Jack Kemp was first class. Not many like him around now. We could use 538 like him. March 2008 he put the little puke in his place on Fox. I think that was his last live appearance on Fox. Class act all his life. RIP