The Fiscal Times: Bruce Bartlett- 'Jack Kemp Showed GOP How to Appeal to Minorities'

Source:The Fiscal Times- Jack Kemp, Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty & U.S. Delegate Eleanor H. Norton.

"Tuesday, the Jack Kemp Foundation held its annual dinner in honor of the late congressman, HUD secretary and 1996 Republican vice presidential nominee. The two featured speakers were Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Marco Rubio, both of whom cite Kemp as a major influence on their thinking. Both are also thought to aspire to the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

From the The Fiscal Times

Jack Kemp could appeal to non-traditional Republicans, racial minorities, as well as people who live in big cities, especially in the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast, because he was basically a Classical Conservative-Libertarian on social issues. Rather than with the Religious-Right. 

Jack Kemp spoke about economic conservatism in a way that showed non-traditional Republicans how economic conservatism worked for them. That if people get themselves a good education and there's economic opportunity for them, then they can be successful in life and have a much better future. Instead of living off of public assistance most of their lives, as well as raise their kids on public assistance. Which tends to be the message of so-called Progressive Democrats (Democratic Socialists, really) to people who live in poverty. 

Jack Kemp believed that government can help you help yourself, so you can live a productive life. And be able to take care of yourself and not have to live off of public assistance.

Jack Kemp was a classical big tent Republican, not in the sense that he was a moderate who votes Conservative on some things and liberal on others but that he was inclusive of people who aren't traditional Republicans. Who don't live their lives the way a typical Bible Belt Republicans might live. 

Jack Kemp used the message of conservatism to bring people into the GOP, rather than telling non-traditional Republicans that they are Un-American or lazy. Unlike Mitt Romney, Jack Kemp didn't put people down who lacked job skills and depended on public assistance. 

Kemp was interested in empowering these people to be able to take care of themselves. And hopefully this is the direction that people like Senators Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and Representatives Paul Ryan, Jason Amash and others people who look up to Jack Kemp, will try to move the GOP into this direction.