Jack Kemp Quotes

Powerful Jack Kemp for Daily Growth

About Jack Kemp

Jack F. Kemp (July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009) was a renowned American politician, professional football player, economist, and author. Born in Los Angeles, California, Kemp grew up in the Midwest, where his experiences shaped his political views and ambitions. Kemp's early life was marked by sports stardom. He played professional football for 10 seasons as a quarterback, most notably with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League. His athletic success provided him with financial stability and the ability to pursue other interests. In 1970, Kemp transitioned into politics, winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives for New York's 38th district. He served as a Congressman until 1989, during which time he became a key figure in the Republican Party and was known for his advocacy of supply-side economics, also known as trickle-down economics. Kemp's major works include co-authoring the Kemp-Roth tax cut plan with Representative Bill Roth, which aimed to lower income taxes to stimulate economic growth. He also ran for Vice President on the 1988 Republican ticket alongside George H.W. Bush, but lost in the primaries. In 1996, Kemp served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Dwight D. Eisenhower's grandson, President Dwight D. Eisenhower III (who went by "Ike" Eisenhower). Kemp was instrumental in the creation of the Hope Scholarship, a program providing tax credits to families saving for their children's education. Throughout his career, Jack Kemp was known for his charisma, commitment to free-market principles, and bipartisan efforts. His legacy continues to influence economic and political discussions today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The best social program is a job."

Jack Kemp's quote emphasizes that employment is an essential component of a robust social support system. In essence, having a job provides individuals with financial stability, self-worth, and a sense of purpose. This perspective underscores the importance of creating policies that foster economic growth, job opportunities, and equitable access to employment for all members of society. By doing so, we can reduce poverty and dependency on government assistance, ultimately leading to stronger communities and improved social welfare.


"If we can put a man on the moon, surely we can conquer poverty here at home."

This quote by Jack Kemp emphasizes the idea that if technological advancements and human determination can achieve seemingly impossible feats like putting a man on the moon, then it is equally feasible to tackle more earthbound challenges such as eradicating poverty within our own communities. The implication is that with similar focus, dedication, and resources, humanity can surmount significant obstacles like poverty.


"My philosophy is simple: I like to hang out with winners. Winners think differently than losers."

This quote suggests that Jack Kemp values associating with individuals who exhibit successful, positive, and productive mindsets. He perceives "winners" as those who think creatively, strategically, and optimistically about their goals and pursuits. Conversely, "losers" are seen as those whose thoughts may be dominated by negativity, pessimism, or a lack of drive to succeed. In essence, Kemp is advocating for the cultivation of a successful mindset through positive interactions with like-minded individuals.


"There's nothing more exciting than seeing people achieve their dreams and watching their lives change for the better."

This quote by Jack Kemp emphasizes the profound joy and inspiration that comes from witnessing others accomplish their dreams and transform their lives positively. It underscores the idea that growth, progress, and success are not just personal victories but also communal celebrations, as they contribute to the collective well-being and enrichment of society. By encouraging dreams and fostering change for the better, we not only enhance individual lives but also create a more vibrant, dynamic, and progressive world.


"The key to economic growth is not government spending, but private investment and entrepreneurship that flows from a healthy economy and a robust financial system."

This quote emphasizes the importance of private investment and entrepreneurship over government spending in fostering economic growth. Jack Kemp suggests that a strong economy and sound financial system serve as the foundation for these activities, rather than direct government intervention or expenditure. In essence, he argues that the dynamism of the private sector, not public spending, is the key driver of long-term economic expansion.


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.

- Jack Kemp

Education, Ahead, Putting, Republican Party

Affirmative action based on quotas is wrong - wrong because it is antithetical to the genius of the American idea: individual liberty.

- Jack Kemp

Affirmative Action, Based, Individual Liberty

The Soviet Union represents a threat in terms of might. It is a joke in terms of its economy and what it has to offer the Third World - a laughingstock to countries that are looking for an economic-development model.

- Jack Kemp

Soviet Union, Third World, Joke

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

- Jack Kemp

Politics, Lot, Which, Fund-Raising

Winning is like shaving - you do it every day or you wind up looking like a bum.

- Jack Kemp

Winning, Every Day, Like, Shaving

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

- Jack Kemp

Future, People, Our, Our People

The Democratic Party is the party of the status quo.

- Jack Kemp

Democratic Party, Quo, Status Quo

I unabashedly, unashamedly, unequivocally support the explosion of entrepreneurs in the capitalist system.

- Jack Kemp

Unabashedly, Capitalist, Unequivocally

Every time in this century we've lowered the tax rates across the board, on employment, on saving, investment and risk-taking in this economy, revenues went up, not down.

- Jack Kemp

Risk-Taking, Lowered, Rates, Employment

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.

- Jack Kemp

Income, Role, Appropriate, Financing

The real problem is deflation. That is the opposite of inflation but equally serious to the borrower.

- Jack Kemp

Problem, Equally, Borrower, Deflation

I think I've advanced my views with compassion and tolerance.

- Jack Kemp

Think, I Think, Advanced, Tolerance

Councils of war breed timidity and defeatism.

- Jack Kemp

War, Breed, Timidity

There's no limit to what free men and free women in a free market with free enterprise can accomplish when people are free to follow their dream.

- Jack Kemp

Enterprise, No Limit, Free Men

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.

- Jack Kemp

War, Mankind, Cold, Fascism

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.

- Jack Kemp

Nation, Bring, All Americans, Goals

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.

- Jack Kemp

Question, More, Willing, Rethink

Taxes on capital, taxes on labor, inflation, bureaucratic regulation, minimum wage laws, are all - to different degrees - unnecessary slices of the wedge that stand between an individual's effort and reward for that effort.

- Jack Kemp

Reward, Laws, Capital, Bureaucratic

When people lack jobs, opportunity, and ownership of property they have little or no stake in their communities.

- Jack Kemp

Ownership, Jobs, Stake, Communities

I think Bush understands the Internet and the incredible expansion of global e-commerce.

- Jack Kemp

Think, I Think, Bush, E-Commerce

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

- Jack Kemp

American, Achieve, Cities, Despair

I can't hide my feelings.

- Jack Kemp

Hide, Feelings

Its no secret that I've never liked tax credits.

- Jack Kemp

Never, Tax, Credits, No Secret

There ought to be a thoughtful welfare-reform debate that doesn't turn into something that could be called scapegoating.

- Jack Kemp

Debate, Thoughtful, Could, Ought

The problem is that the economy isn't growing fast enough to accommodate the level of spending produced through the democratic process.

- Jack Kemp

Process, Through, Level, Produced

All too often the Democratic Party has taken the black vote for granted, and all too often the Republican Party has written it off.

- Jack Kemp

Black, Democratic Party, Vote

I am shocked that Republicans can't explain why our technological and economic advantages are the result of sound monetary and economic policy.

- Jack Kemp

Sound, Explain, Monetary, Technological

Ladies and gentlemen, communism didn't fall. It was pushed.

- Jack Kemp

Communism, Fall, Ladies, Gentlemen

I would be a fool to put my feet down in a position where I can't accommodate metamorphoses.

- Jack Kemp

Fool, Feet, Would, Accommodate

Some people have theorized that I lurched to prove myself intellectually. But it was not any lurch. It was more a kind of awakening.

- Jack Kemp

Some, Prove, Intellectually, Awakening

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