With sadness, I write that former congressman and Republican vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp has died fighting cancer.
Mr. Kemp was a former pro football quarterback that led the American Football League Buffalo Bills to two AFL championships in 1964 and 1965.
When he entered politics in 1970 winning a House seat in suburban Buffalo, it was no doubt that his playing experience, working for his father's trucking company and marrying his high school sweetheart, Joanne, were what motivated him to be the real compassionate conservative.
It was Mr. Kemp along with former Delaware Republican senator, William Roth, that proposed the then radical 30% across-the-board tax cuts that were the highlight of former President Reagan's economic plan.
But, Mr. Kemp was a lone-wolf for he was a voice for those on the margins.
Mr. Kemp wanted to see what were then called Enterprise Zones. That is where businesses and entrepreneurs would be given tax breaks to go into low-income and otherwise undesirable neighborhoods and lead economic and social revitalization.
Eventually, that would occur in a form during the Clinton years.
This passion eventually made him the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the one term of former President Bush 41.
In 1996, former Senator Bob Dole tapped Mr. Kemp to be his vice-presidential nominee. While many, including this blogger, thought he had a terrible debate performance against then Vice-President Al Gore, it was his overall ideas-and he had so many-that gave him an appeal to many.
And, he always had a smile and was a jovial type that while even in a debate setting made all feel at ease.
Jack Kemp was a one-of-a-kind type that we really need in politics today. He will be very missed.
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1 comment:
I also pay appropriate tribute to Jack Kemp at my blog.
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