Jack Kemp: Reinventing Party Platform

Over the weekend, the New York Times published a piece about Jack Kemp, a former football star who later on used his fame to begin a career in politics. He passed away at the age of 73 on Saturday due to complications from cancer. As a congressman for Buffalo, Kemp played a pivotal role in reshaping the Republican party's agenda with sharp rhetoric in regards to the idea of supply side economics and tax cuts to promote economic growth. Besides pushing a tax cut agenda that was accepted by the party and is still a strong part of the Republican platform till this day, Kemp advocated for more support for blacks and other minorities. He said after the 2008 election that, "the party of Lincoln needs to rethink and revisit its historic roots as a party of emancipation, liberation, civil rights and equality of opportunity for all.” (New York Times)

Jack Kemp represents progress, an individual who allowed his fervor for politics to open up new doors and opportunities that created enormous amounts of change for his party along with the constituents he represented. He embodies a sense of responsiblity and hard-work, that led to the foundation of Reagonomics and should be viewed as a role model for all those who aspire to make some sort of social impact during their lives here in the United States. He was a shining star among a world of greed and fight for votes that make politicians timid and irresponsive to change and he will be deeply missed.