Jack Kemp

By Richard A. Viguerie, CHQ Chairman
One of the great strengths of Citizen Newt is to remind readers that the more things change in Washington, the more they remain the same. Thus, Citizen Newt is full of lessons for today's movement conservatives and conservative - populist supporters of President Trump.

It is now 13 days since Donald Trump clinched his status as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Which is to say, Speaker Ryan, a man who styles himself as Jack Kemp’s disciple, has another six days to match Kemp’s record of endorsing a man with whom Kemp vigorously disagreed, but had the Republican nomination sewn-up. Kemp went from saying Bush’s election would mean “the end of the Reagan agenda” to campaigning at his side.

Paul Ryan likes to imagine himself as the inheritor of Jack Kemp’s brand of pro-growth economic conservatism, but he has missed the essential element of Kemp’s appeal – his willingness to fight for conservative principles, even at the cost of his standing with the Republican establishment leadership and Ronald Reagan himself. 

Mort Kondracke takes down the New York Times' assertion that Kemp’s signal achievement—the across-the-board supply-side tax cut proposal (“Kemp-Roth”) that became the basis of Reaganomics-- “was a disaster.”

Like Kemp, Ryan acts as if he’s the tribune of blacks and Hispanics, chastising Republicans for “preaching to the choir.” He prefers to preach to the mariachi band — one of which serenaded him on his visit to an immigrant rights group in Chicago, a few months after his failed vice presidential bid.

In an opening statement that masterfully indicted over-regulation and crony government’s debilitating effect on outsider and minority opportunity, Senator Cruz seized the late Jack Kemp’s mantle as the conservative movement's premier spokesman for the power of equal opportunity under constitutional liberty to create wealth and raise people out of poverty.

Jack Kemp was popular among the general public as well as Repubs. because he stayed true to principle while also thinking outside the proverbial box. It appears Rand Paul is carving a similar niche in today’s political world, and it will be fascinating to see if he can ride his approach to the White House.

Outsider Curt Clawson, a former Purdue University basketball standout and corporate CEO, who is strong on life and is an inspired advocate of a Ronald Reagan – Jack Kemp-style of growth-oriented conservatism is our choice in the FL-19 Special Election. Learn more about Curt Clawson or to volunteer or donate to his campaign HERE.

Conservatives would do well to provide opportunity and means for marginalized citizens to improve their lots in life with prison reform. The new task force on federal corrections might help make important strides in one front of this battle.

If you want a principled limited government constitutional conservative Republican, who shares the optimistic pro-growth ideas of Jack Kemp and Phil Gramm, then get in this primary and back conservative Frank Roche in the NC-2 Republican congressional primary.

Boehner, another Bob Dole neo-statist, is the new tax collector for the welfare state. His latest gift to the American people is a 124% tax increase on air travel — can aptly be called The Air Boehner Tax.

Jeb Bush, speaking as the honoree at the annual Jack Kemp Leadership Award Dinner, laid out ways conservatives can advance the “American idea” that the dinner’s namesake advocated. Bush advocated free market principles, especially in energy policy, and repeal of OCare.

One of the most damaging political developments of the Reagan years was the silence of most conservatives, Democrats have exhibited no such compunction in criticizing Barack Obama. Movement conservatives should never hesitate to speak out when our friends in government show any inclination to give way on conservative principles.