-
A Novel Solution to the Immigration Problem: The NAFTA Angle
January 30, 2013 | 10 comments
-
Keeping Eastern Europe in Mind
April 25, 2012 | 1 comment
-
Why Some Government Spending Is Better Than Others …
February 24, 2012 | 3 comments
-
The End of Secularism and the HHS Mandate
February 15, 2012 | 2 comments
-
The Reversal of Proposition 8: A Dangerous Precedent
February 8, 2012 | 9 comments
The Spectacle Blog
The year was 1988. Jack Kemp came to my hometown, Pensacola, Florida, where Navy pilots trained and the kids hung out at the beaches with the sugar white sand.
A friend and I were hooked on the old Crossfire with Pat Buchanan and Tom Braden/Michael Kinsley. We identified Kemp as the best hope to continue Reagan’s reign.
Kemp stopped at the airport just long enough to shake the hands (including mine which I considered not washing) and give a speech. I was one of a hundred or so who came out to see him that day. His prospects already looked shaky. He asked us, “Do you want me to give up?” We all shouted, “NO!”
There could probably be a great alternate history written with the premise of Kemp being elected that year.
He lost, of course, but went on to serve in Housing and Urban Development in the Bush administration. His many young fans held out hope his time would come. When Dole put him on the ticket as a running mate in 1996, it seemed like destiny for those of us who thought Kemp would rejuvenate the party. He would bring back Reaganomics. He would break the back of monolithic African-American support for Democrats and big government.
Instead, he lost the Vice-Presidential debate to Al Gore (truly performing with less verve than Dan Quayle in 1992, who BEAT Gore!) and the GOP ticket made way for Clinton’s second term.
After that, Kemp ceased to be the man many of us felt we were waiting for and the party has lacked a true iconic figure since that time. There was Reagan and then there was the one who would take up Reagan’s mantle. Kemp was supposed to be that man.
While Kemp failed to become the party’s leader (and, of course, the nation’s), his career was one of the most consequential in American politics in the second half of the twentieth century. Kemp was a winsome evangelist for the Reagan project in Congress when the need was great. He was part of a group that performed the near impossible in politics. They promised. They delivered.
View all comments (48) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Hunter Baker
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/05/03/the-great-jack-kemp
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Pingback| 5.3.09 @ 10:20AM
The Great Jack Kemp | But As For Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Tom | 5.3.09 @ 12:59PM
Jack Kemp was our friend here in low income America but he failed to do much to help. His loyalty to the Republican party campaign contributors kept him from doing anything of substance. At least in St. Pete, Florida.
As a congressman with Reagan's ear and a HUD secretary he could have put free market principles to work in redevelopment projects; and enforced the law in public housing. It was Bill Clinton who ordered drugs out with "One Strike and You're Out" zero tolerance for crime in subsidized public housing projects.
On theory Kemp was great, in practice, business as usual. I remember 1980 and the Reagan Revolution. Down here in the ghetto of St. Pete we were facing massive black removal from the most valuable downtown property. A large transfer of wealth was taking place reminiscent of the Indian’s loss of Black Hills gold mines or Oklahoma oil wells.
One of Reagan’s advisers wrote a book titled “The Federal Bulldozer”, telling us that urban renewal tore down 2 low cost homes for every 1 built. His message was “We Republicans won’t do much to help but at least we won’t make things worse.” As a homeowner in the path of redevelopment that thought resonated with me. HUD continued federal subsidies for forced removal of black families and businesses to make way tor the Rays baseball stadium and other projects that a true conservative would let private enterprise do on their own.
In BartlettPark.Net I write:
“The Module 16 Advisory Committee was empowered to study and prepare a master plan for the old neighborhood bounded by I-275 and 22nd Ave South. Under President Carter “Citizen Participation” became an important HUD policy. All of a sudden the city found itself in need of Mod 16 support for federal funding to demolish the historic Gas Plant neighborhood for the baseball stadium (then called an industrial park and affordable homes). Many promises of better days were made to residents.
Roser Park and Bartlett Park were given the highest city burglary rates in a police department report released in June of 1979. This was a relatively peaceful and hopeful time but we were sliding into a decade of chaos. The city, public institutions and the federal government were busy demolishing black owned homes and businesses, moving thousands to clear the way for I-275, the Dome, hospitals, the university and whats now called Bay Walk. White senior citizens were included in this forced relocation program. How many were displaced? (I’ve seen an estimate of 25,000, or about 10% of the cities population. If any reader has seen another number documented please share it with us.) Segregation created an unusually strong, stable self sufficient community where professionals and unskilled workers lived close together and helped each other. Children were raised by extended families with lots of help from neighbors who knew each other as if they were small town residents. Redevelopment put its costs on those least able to pay, the fragile social safety net of the poor was torn to shreds. Homeowners were making plans and fixing up their homes unaware of city plans to demolish the entire section south of downtown.”
http://www.bartlettpark.net/2009/04/weve-been-here-before.html
Interested Conservative| 5.3.09 @ 1:16PM
Nice try Tom, but you're about twenty years late, and dozens of politicians off in trying to bootstrap this blame onto Kemp.
Who were the local elected officials, the state elected officials, and so forth presiding over these developments? I'm sure you can assign blame with a partisan angle, and I especially like the reference to Indian displacement in Oklahoma. How about a cite to the role of Cortes and the Tlaxcalteca in the conquest of the Aztecs?
Tom Paine| 5.3.09 @ 2:27PM
As I read Mr. Kemp's obituaries, I'm reminded of his interest in political and economic ideas, and the intellectual creativity he brought to conservative politics. I think it's because of men like Kemp that the G.O.P was called "the party of ideas" for a while there. Kemps accomplishments since leaving electoral politcs demonstrate how much conservatism has to offer the country when people of good faith who are intellectually curious and articulate carry out its principles.
But now we gape in disbelief: were Jack Kemp, Ronald Reagan, William F. Buckley members of the party of Joe the Plumber and Ann Coulter. We all have embarrassing relatives, and we learn to live with it love them as best we're able. But today's G.O.P doesn't offer many people like Kemp, and it's home to too many who are simply aggressive hacks.
Basil Plumley| 5.3.09 @ 2:42PM
Thank you Tommy Pain/Jeremiah for proving the old adage; The only good Conservative is a dead Conservative.
Where were you when Kemp was alive? Yup, sniping at him from the Left. Please spare us the phony pity.
The world is a lot less brighter with the death of Jack Kemp. That does not excuse the dimness of your post.
Tom Paine| 5.3.09 @ 3:36PM
Plumley --
You are an ass and a bore -- a perfect illustration of my point, actually. What makes you think you know I was "sniping" at anyone at anytime?
If you read my posts you'd know how quick I am to acknowledge when an interesting argument has been made.
Instead, you project your own shallow ideological reflexes onto me.
BD57| 5.3.09 @ 4:34PM
Oh, I don't know, Tom .... using the death of a distinguished public servant as another opportunity to repeat the talking points is pretty crass.
Jack Kemp understood the basic economic realities of life and, unlike most politicians, he thought the vast majority of the people capable of doing quite well for themselves without the 'help' of government.
I don't know what possessed him to accept the premise of Algore's false praise in the 1996 Vice-Presidential Debate. I do know Gore struck much the same tone as you have today.
You want to be taken as sincere? Take note of the passing of a good man without the shots at the living.
Alan Brooks| 5.3.09 @ 5:05PM
Tom Paine only likes Kemp because Kemp liked blacks.
I heard "Kemp doesn't have a racist bone in his body" from commies(!)
btw, Paine is Jeremiah? and Daphne doesn't even use a name, just something along the lines of :
America Will Fall And I Will Be Vindicated
Basil Plumley| 5.3.09 @ 5:14PM
Dear Tommy Pain/Jeremiah
You want to be taken as sincere? Take note of the passing of a good man without the shots at the living.
BD57 is correct. I will only add that sincerity has never been one your virtues. Perhaps, the reason for the name change?
Tom Paine| 5.3.09 @ 5:14PM
BD57 --
I understand your criticism of my post, and believe it or not, I thought twice before sending it.
However, reading again the Times article on Kemp's life after 1996 made me want to post it. This man was responsible for dozens of initiatives to help people less fortunate than himself: he wanted to use free market principles to improve inner cities and the lives of --- yes, Alan Brooks, you cur -- minorities.
I understand that there are many conservatives who do devote their lives to improving society and helping others. Unfortunately, this is not the face of conservatism we see, and the fault is not with "media bias," its with those conservatives who hog the microphone -- quite literally -- and ensure that all we ever learn about conservatism is its bitter insistence upon all those things that cannot be done.
So, I accept your criticism, BD, and even offer something of an apology; however, I'm also just being honest about the ways things appear from the outside.
With Kemp you had a real conservative who did not confine his sense of what or where "real America" was to a few congressional districts outside of town. I hope his legacy proves powerful in your ranks.
Interested Conservative| 5.3.09 @ 5:45PM
Tom Paine - among all the other critiques, here's an idea - for all the scripted attacks as the GOP as a party bereft of ideas (whether commenting on election results, obituaries or rainy weather) how about actually attacking a GOP idea.
Ann Coulter and Joe the Plumber? Between them, they have how many years in policy making positions, let alone elected office? If anything, Joe at least got one or more essentially useless bureaucrats terminated and exposed how precious his state government views his privacy rights. Has Paul Begala accomplished as much?
For heaven's sake, there must be dozens of truly useless democrats I could think of in a moment or so.
If nothing else, what new ideas is the present administration tossing around? Hint - hope and change aren't really "new".
Alan Brooks| 5.3.09 @ 6:01PM
Tom Paine,
you call me a cur? What are you? that is, WHO are you? Are you the losel cad Jeremiah?
are you the Jeremiah who-- as DaphneKenward-- wont use your real name because using an AKA (whatever your real name may be) gives you wiggle-room?
And do you enjoy shedding crocodile tears for Kemp?
Attract Prosperity | 5.3.09 @ 6:02PM
I was able to spend some time with Mr. Kemp at a fundraiser. I found him to be both personable and genuine. Meeting him was one of the thrills of my life since I also met Earl “The Pearl” Monroe on the same occasion.
Jack excelled both on the football field and in the political arena. The level of regard he attained in sports and politics speaks to his success consciousness.
He will be missed.
Alan Brooks| 5.3.09 @ 6:07PM
you hesitated to post the comment, Tom? perhaps you shouldn't have posted it.
At any rate, we can expect flowers from you to be sent to Jack's funeral, right?
btw, wasn't there a comedy film about you?:
the film 'Major Paine'?
Tom Paine| 5.3.09 @ 6:09PM
Interested --
I assure you I'm capable of "attacking" conservative ideas.
However, my own more pressing concern is with political speech and how conservatives go about defending their ideas.
For weeks, I've watched as conservative bloggers and commentators offered this argument: "Barack Obama is a fascist."
No evidence is offered, no reason is employed. How does one attack that "idea"?
Thus, my remarks about Kemp were simply to remind you people that conservatives once did have "ideas." Other than you believe in Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve; and other than your desire to see taxes cut for people making a quarter of a million dollars or more; and other than bombing Arabia and torturing people in dungeons, I'm not at all certain what conservative "ideas" are anymore.
Alan Brooks| 5.3.09 @ 6:19PM
for the fortieth time, this is a CONSERVATIVE/RIGHTIST blog; what do you expect Tom/Jerry, bloggers here to sing "all we are sayyyyiinngggg, is give Barack a chance".
you go to a liberal blog you can say all the nice things you want; but you blog at AS and expect us to schmooze you? what do you want? what is it you require from us?
Basil Plumley| 5.3.09 @ 7:01PM
Tommy Pain/Jeremiah
You said--I assure you I'm capable of "attacking" conservative ideas.
However, my own more pressing concern is with political speech and how conservatives go about defending their ideas.
While a great man lies in state? Can't you find the decency to put off your asinine rhetoric while the body is still warm?
If you had second thoughts about posting your tripe, then you should have gone with your instincts.
You also said--For weeks, I've watched as conservative bloggers and commentators offered this argument: "Barack Obama is a fascist."
No evidence is offered, no reason is employed. How does one attack that "idea"?
Do not defend your stupidity by posting more stupidity. I would rather you insincerely apologize and stop posting for a while. At long last, have you no decency?
Sue| 5.3.09 @ 7:13PM
I too admired Jack Kemp. Too bad the Dole/Kemp ticket was not reversed. I think Kemp would have won big if he were left to be "Kemp."
Interested Conservative| 5.3.09 @ 10:51PM
TP - OK - that makes more sense, but it sounds as if you're pre-disposed to looking for the MSM's idea of conservative ideas rather than conservative ideas.
You've thrown up the common straw men which are the run of the mill for Kossites and so on.
If anything, conservatives have had the lion's share of "ideas" over the past 40-50 years.
Since you're not too keen on offering up the liberal ideas of the current administration (fascist/statist/collective/governmental/whatever), and you're not too interested in confronting conservative ideas however new or old (try this - the Tea Party movement is, at core, about individual freedom), I suppose we're left with stale nothing.
Here's another conservative idea - given the POTUS remarks just this past week, when will it be safe to invest (invest as defined without political corruption - i.e. private capital deployed for profit) again without being a "speculator"? Are all investors "speculators"? Are speculators evil? Is George Soros?
There's some ideas to discuss.
PS - what direct relevance does Jack Kemp's passing have to any of this?
you're looking in the wrong place fro conservative
Tom Paine| 5.4.09 @ 1:38AM
Interested -
My own thought about the relevance of my point to Mr Kemp's death was that he seemed to represent a dynamic and thoughtful conservatism I find very much lacking in today's more vocal proponents of conservatism.
Again -- I just don't hear many ideas coming out of the "tea party" types about -- say -- government initiatives that use free market forces to solve urban problems. I hear plenty of people saying they don't like taxes (even those whose tax burden will be lighter next year than it was last year). I hear plenty of people saying Obama is an Arab and a Nazi, whatever the hell that could mean. But I don't hear much sense, and I don't hear much that matches the caliber of what I read about in the stories about Jack Kemp this morning.
As for defending liberal ideas, I think I could do that. I think the government needs more money. I really do. I think our schools need more investment; I think our roads and bridges need work; I think we need better food inspection; I think we need better port security and airport security; I think we need 250 people in Afghanistan who speak local languages, not FOUR, for Christ's sake. There are many things the government can do that the market can't or won't. (And yes, monitoring volcanoes and preparing for flu epidemics are among them.)
The market is great; free enterprise is wonderful; people making things and reaping the rewards of the labor is right and true. But the private sector is private; it doesn't have the public good as a priority. For that you need government, and that's why I'm a liberal.
Tom Paine| 5.4.09 @ 1:54AM
And one final thought, Interested.
Our government is good. Go get arrested in Turkey or Cuba or Somalia, and come back and tell me our government is a "necessary evil" that should be so small "you could drown it in a bathtub." Do you think Exxon or IBM or Rush Limbaugh is staying up nights tracking loose nukes or flu pandemics? They're not; but people in the government are, and if you don't like the job they're doing, you get to VOTE them out of office. I think that's a great thing.
And as to our "big" government -- we have a big country. 300 million people; one of the largest land masses of any country in the world; the largest military; the largest economy; one of the highest standards of living in the world. Of course we have a big government. Somalia has a small government; Mexico has a small government. No thanks.
Basil Plumley| 5.4.09 @ 9:29AM
Tommy Pain
When one is digging a hole for themself, it is best to quit digging.
As IC correctly points out concerning your posts; what direct relevance does Jack Kemp's passing have to any of this?
Have you noticed your cohort Bob has had the decency to refrain comment? He could have posted about the non-stimulation of tax cuts.
Your solipsism is quite amazing and unrealistic.
Mary| 5.4.09 @ 9:52AM
I'm in Buffalo, where Kemp was/is very well loved.
He was all American. Had lived his dream; he wanted to be quarterback since he was 6. A natural leader, but I don't think much of a lover of power which is exactly what you want, however unlikely it is that those qualities will lead to becoming president.
So much of the time one's death tells the story of one's life. He was loved. Rest in peace!
Mary| 5.4.09 @ 9:55AM
Oh, I forgot to add that he wanted everyone to be able to grasp the American dream he lived.
But we're not exceptional anymore; we're exceptional the way Greeks think of their nation as exceptional and Lebonese, and Germans, and Norwegians, and Spaniards, and, well, you get the ideas.
Mary| 5.4.09 @ 9:58AM
Make that you get the idea.
Tom | 5.4.09 @ 5:08PM
Interested Conservative, I hope I was wrong about Jack, perhaps you can cite a few examples of HUD reforms where public housing improved, free market principles were used to guide redevelopment, or efficiencies reduced costs. Do that and I'll gladly cheer. Remember him for his success. But also look at failures and learn lessons from mistakes.
I know a lot about urban renewal and HUD programs in St. Petersburg, Florida but maybe not as much as you know about it on the national level.
I did say Jack was our friend and I apologize for being disrespectful of a great man on the sad occasion of his death. BD57 called my post "crass". I realized that after I hit the submit button.
Kemp made a sincere effort to reform government and I trust that his accomplishments will be talked about and inspire a new generation to continue on.
It makes me sad to look at the wasted resources and wonder what might have been had my city not been given so much money to play with. At city hall "federal dollars" were talked about as if they weren't real tax money taken from our paychecks.
I hold some bitterness against HUD policies that turned the once quiet neighborhood I call home into a war zone. For the past several years we have been under attack by a gang known as the Bethel Heights Boys who are based in a nearby public housing project. Gunfire is common, teen age boys often the victim. Bethel Heights was renamed Citrus Grove but violent crime continues to fester in this government funded social experiment gone bad. Several completely innocent bystanders were killed in recent years in the blocks near my home. A mother at home killed by a bullet coming through her wall. Another mother leaving a store with a loaf of bread. A few weeks ago a drive-by ended with the shooting death of 8-year-old Paris Whitehead-Hamilton as she tried to run to safety.
The biggest drug dealer in this area once lived 3 houses away from me in a Section 8 home. We were able to get him evicted and banned.
Bill Clinton didn't prevent this but he gets credit from me for trying to set strict standards for recipients of housing assistance.
You may be interested to know that the revolutionary communist Uhuru group received HUD funds to open a youth indoctrination center named to honor infamous St. Pete crack cocaine dealer TyRon Lewis. I kid you not.
candyxiaoxiao| 8.28.09 @ 3:34AM
Ultra Short Ugg Boots
biniki| 9.1.09 @ 9:50PM
bikini
bikini swimwear