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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.
(Page 3 of 4)
So it is worth remembering that when Democrats and their ideas of a static economy ruled supreme in the late 1970s, Jack Kemp never shrank from the seemingly hopeless task of taking on their ideas in a head to head fashion. For as long as it took, dismissing the naysayers. Keeping his eyes focused on his goal of cutting taxes and spurring economic growth no matter the lost votes, the scorn from the media, or the tittering of his fellow Republicans.
Hence, it’s fair to ask on the eve of the 2011 Republican ascendancy:
• When will legislation be introduced to abolish the estate tax — period?
• Who will step forward to push zeroing out capital gains taxes in urban areas — and beyond?
• Who will propose getting rid of the corporate tax?
• What about abolishing the income tax and moving to a flat tax?
• If the current tax structure is the call of the day — why stick with the Bush 35% rate and not move forward once again to a Reaganesque-Kempite 28%?
And so on.
ObamaCare needs to be repealed, and the Republican leadership says it will do just that and let the President send back the inevitable veto, launching a major fight. The victory of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in federal court yesterday is, contrary to White House spin, a major victory in the fight to stop ObamaCare in its tracks. But aside from health care, then what? 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? It is no accident that the House member who appears most determined to do this is incoming Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin — a former Kemp staffer. But Ryan can’t do this alone.
Barack Obama is no supply-sider. He genuinely believes in the leftist dogma of wealth redistribution, its obvious massive failures be damned. But in fact in his ideological resistance to Kemp’s well-proven opposing idea of wealth creation Obama has been, at least for now, stymied. Liberals today, as they were when Kemp was very much alive and on the political field of play, are both furious and flummoxed at being pictured — accurately — as supporting policies that ultimately always prove to be uncaring and out of touch. Obama’s angrily defensive “hostage” imagery of liberalism is a sure sign that the President and his allies have been tackled politically by the GOP as Kemp’s message scores yet again.
The policies that Jack Kemp fought for so fiercely and successfully in the late 1970s and early 1980s restored economic growth as the Lincolnian touchstone of Republican Party doctrine. As Kemp predicted in his 1979 book, An American Renaissance, growth policies launched America into a golden era of prosperity with almost fifty million jobs created between 1983, when the Reagan-Kemp tax cuts took effect, and September of 2008, when the government-induced financial crisis struck. Marginal tax rates never returned to their pre-Reagan level of 70%, although the pressure to raise them incrementally — as evidenced in the current struggle — has been consistent from the left.
Democrats like to claim credit for Bill Clinton’s presidency in the job creation department — and no less than Arthur Laffer agrees. With a smile he pointed out in the late 1990s that the “Reagan-Clinton” presidency had essentially followed the rules of supply-side economics, and the job creation of the 1990s was due to the fact that Jack Kemp’s argument had in fact carried the day.
But the pressure of the Reagan-Kemp success has created a problem for Obama.
The counter pressure, that appeal to the decidedly un-Kempian concept of class warfare, is what is now driving a wedge right through the heart of the Obama-led Democrats. In a disturbing twist, after two years of high-octane class warfare rhetoric from the White House ceaselessly attacking “the rich,” police and fire officials on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod now suspect a serial arsonist of burning houses and leaving behind the liberal message in more graphic form, with “F… the rich” scrawled at the scene.
Kemp would surely be appalled at the violent turn this anti-capitalist crusade appears to be taking. The first home targeted (reported here in the Cape Cod Times) still under construction with only its exterior completed, was said to be worth $500,000 with three bedrooms and a three-car garage. He would understand something liberals never seem to grasp — the construction of this home meant good private sector construction jobs at good wages. Jobs that have now been destroyed along with the house.
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