Jack Kemp Quotes

A collection of quotes by Jack Kemp.

Jack Kemp (1935-2009) was an American professional football player, politician, and influential advocate for supply-side economics. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Kemp displayed remarkable athletic abilities from an early age. He gained prominence as a star quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) during his 13-year career, most notably with the Buffalo Bills. Kemp's leadership abilities and strong arm earned him recognition, and he was instrumental in helping the Bills reach two consecutive American Football League (AFL) Championships in the 1960s.

Following his retirement from football, Kemp pursued a career in politics. He served as a congressman from New York from 1971 to 1989, maintaining a reputation as a passionate and articulate advocate for conservative principles. Despite unsuccessful bids for the Republican presidential nomination in 1988 and 1996, Kemp's ideas greatly influenced economic policy during the Reagan administration. As Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, he championed his belief in empowering individuals with market-oriented solutions to address societal challenges.

Throughout his life, Kemp remained an exponent of supply-side economics, emphasizing the importance of lowering taxes to stimulate economic growth and create opportunities for all Americans. He co-authored the monumental Tax Reform Act of 1986, which significantly simplified the tax code. Although Kemp passed away in 2009, his legacy as a dedicated public servant and economic thinker continues to inspire and shape political discourse in the United States.

My passion for ideas is not matched with a passion for parti

My passion for ideas is not matched with a passion for partisan or electoral politics.

There are a lot of grotesqueries in politics, not the least

There are a lot of grotesqueries in politics, not the least of which is the fund-raising side.

Our goals for this nation must be nothing less than to doubl

Our goals for this nation must be nothing less than to double the size of our economy and bring prosperity and jobs, ownership and equality of opportunity to all Americans, especially those living in our nation's pockets of poverty.

Just as the left has to be more willing to question 'Governm

Just as the left has to be more willing to question 'Government knows best,' the right has to rethink its laissez-faire attitude toward government.

There are no limits to our future if we don't put limits on

There are no limits to our future if we don't put limits on our people.

American society as a whole can never achieve the outer-reac

American society as a whole can never achieve the outer-reaches of potential, so long as it tolerates the inner cities of despair.

Republicans many times can't get the words 'equality of oppo

Republicans many times can't get the words 'equality of opportunity' out of their mouths. Their lips do not form that way.

The zeitgeist is for cutting spending and balancing the budg

The zeitgeist is for cutting spending and balancing the budget. But I do not want the Republican Party to be perceived as putting the budget ahead of people, jobs and education.

Democracy without morality is impossible.

Democracy without morality is impossible.

There is a kind of victory in good work, no matter how humbl

There is a kind of victory in good work, no matter how humble.

I learned about the market's power when I was traded to the

I learned about the market's power when I was traded to the Buffalo Bills for $100.

I can't understand why the Democratic parties seem so hostil

I can't understand why the Democratic parties seem so hostile to economic growth and business.

To Republicans, I humbly suggest that we make it possible fo

To Republicans, I humbly suggest that we make it possible for Democrats to give up their quest for redistribution of income and wealth by our acceptance of an appropriate role for government in financing those public goods and services necessary to secure a social safety net below which no American would be allowed to fall.

Councils of war breed timidity and defeatism.

Councils of war breed timidity and defeatism.

The only thing I can do is tell the truth as I see it and le

The only thing I can do is tell the truth as I see it and let the chips fall where they may.

With the end of the cold war, all the 'isms' of the 20th cen

With the end of the cold war, all the 'isms' of the 20th century - Fascism, Nazism, Communism and the evil of apartheid-ism - have failed. Except one. Only democracy has shown itself true the help of all mankind.

Pro football gave me a good sense of perspective to enter po

Pro football gave me a good sense of perspective to enter politics: I'd already been booed, cheered, cut, sold, traded and hung in effigy.