Easterbrook's tribute to Jack Kemp...

Kemp was certainly an interesting man. From among those who were in politics since I've been paying attention (the late 1970s), I'd rank him in the top 5 in terms of categories like empathy, knowledge, breadth of interests, intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm. Putting it another way: he's one of the few politicians I've seen who seem to be more than two-dimensional.

Here's a bit from Gregg Easterbrook on Kemp's passing (hat tip: Dave Carlsen)...

Kemp had been reared in the young California interpretation of politics, which gave rise to the Reagan movement beginning in 1967 when he was elected to the Sacramento statehouse and later to the libertarian worldview. California political thinking of the 1960s emphasized low taxes, few federal programs, self-reliance and pursuit of wealth. It would all be summed up in Reagan's dictum, "Government is not our solution to our problem, government is the problem."

Though believing this, Kemp would spend his next 22 years in government. Kemp ran for Congress in 1970 and was elected to represent the affluent suburbs north and east of Buffalo, the Republican area in a mainly Democratic working-class area. He would be re-elected to 18 total years of House service, though from three different districts, as Buffalo political lines were redrawn when the area's population began falling. In the House, Kemp advocated the Reagan agenda. Reagan's 1981 tax cut legislation was known on Capital Hill as the Kemp-Roth bill, for him and Delaware senator William Roth. (That bill, technically called the Economic Recovery Act of 1981, was promoted as a stimulus package. The combination of unemployment and inflation was then much worse than it is today, despite today's fashionable negativism on the economy.)

Unlike many conservatives, Kemp was keenly concerned with the plight of the poor. The libertarian side of his personality viewed tolerance as crucial. Kemp often broke with other Reagan supporters on women's and minority issues, respect for labor and an end of discrimination against homosexuality; and though a devout Christian himself -- prayer circles are a regular event at his home -- he was disgusted by all forms of religion-based bias. His signature issue became Enterprise Zones. Kemp was dismayed by the decline of mostly minority inner cities, and hardly just Buffalo. He felt excessive regulations and legal liability discouraged businesses from investing in urban areas where jobs were needed, while in effect encouraging business to develop unplowed land that ought to be preserved.

In 1988, Kemp left Congress to run for the Republican presidential nomination, ultimately won by the elder Bush. When Bush was elected to the White House, he named Kemp Secretary of HUD, a position from which he implemented Enterprise Zone ideas.

EZ is one of those ideas that's nice in theory, but tough to implement in practice-- and a mixed bag in how they played out in reality.

Easterbrook also provides a link to Kemp's open letter to his grandchildren. Here's a great paragraph from that:

My advice for you all is to understand that unity for our nation doesn't require uniformity or unanimity; it does require putting the good of our people ahead of what's good for mere political or personal advantage.

Many people misunderstand the first sentence-- even those who claim to be "tolerant". And sadly, the latter is very difficult to find in political life.

Jack, RIP...I look forward to meeting you down the road...