Prescient and Powerful Video: JFK’s Speech at the Economic Club of New York


If conservative activists have twenty minutes, I urge them to listen to John F. Kennedy’s speech at the Economic Club of New York in 1962. It is an amazing speech for a couple of reasons. It is surprisingly relevant and it is an effective tool for conservative advocacy.

I love a good fight, but I also know that sometimes insulting people or yelling at people or lecturing people accomplishes little. Often, it is counter-productive. Many people have a mental block against the “Republican” brand and the “Conservative” label.

I was arguing with a bunch of friends about fiscal policy. Like I stated, they have a mental block against all things Republican, no matter how conservative their instincts may be. So, I decided to break out one of my favorite weapons: JFK.

When I got home, I pulled some old clips of JFK to email them because I know from past experience that it works every time. Many Democrats are too caught up in partisan rivalries and loyalties to realize how far the Democratic Party has drifted. By force of inertia, many Democrats have sold out their roots and have become socialist enablers. A good JFK speech is often eye opening for them.

But watching these clips, I was amazed by the prescience of JFK’s speech to the Economic Club of New York. Its hard to believe that speech was given by Democrat nearly fifty years ago. It could have been given by a conservative today. Its that poignant.

I wish moderate Democrats in the House and Senate would watch it. Many of them are still clinging to some old Democratic ideal. The party they think they support is dead. But they are blinded by party loyalties and continue toeing the line for their radical bosses. They may not listen to a Republican, but they may listen to one of their own heroes.

Put aside your hostility to all things Democratic and Kennedy for a moment and listen to these clips carefully. From freedom, to fiscal policy, to monetary policy, to natural resources, to public expenditures; Its truly an amazing speech given some of the issues we face today:



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7 Comments Leave a comment

JFK as a conservative, FTW

Hermes (Diary) Friday, December 11th at 1:00PM EST (link)

Thank you for posting these, Swamp_Yankee. I have always said that President Kennedy was the conservative in the 1960 election (Nixon was a paranoid, authoritarian statist). If more Democrats would actually read and understand Kennedy’s political beliefs rather than simply worshipping him, I honestly believe that their party would be in much better shape. Sadly, the Kennedy legacy was hijacked by crackbrained lunatics and swaggering drunks. Oh for another JFK (or heck, even another RFK).

 

Wow, look how that contrasts Obama

Common_Cents (Diary) Friday, December 11th at 3:18PM EST (link)

Obama is doing all the short term faux fixes JFK points out.

My, Obama and the left sure have brought plenty of change since then.

Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from, behind, the Back Nine.
Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.

This could be good campaign stuff.

Common_Cents (Diary) Friday, December 11th at 3:25PM EST (link)

It’s hard to tell how far to the left we’ve come when experiencing a gradual slide.

Contrasting this to Obama pointing fingers, blaming prior Presidents, and doing short term faux fixes, today shows how radical the left thinking really has become.

Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from, behind, the Back Nine.
Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.

 

He Specifcally Rebukes The Use of Credit, Monetary Policy and Public Expenditures

Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Friday, December 11th at 3:27PM EST (link)

I thought that was pretty poignant given the issues of the day.

I always knew he was a tax-cutter, but I underestimated his comprehensive understanding of fiscal policy.

If I could, I would orgainze a public screening of this video for the entire Blue Dogs caucus and Republicans.

 
 

Whatever happened to Democrats you could respect?

Marcus_Traianus (Diary) Friday, December 11th at 3:58PM EST (link)

For all his personal Shakespearean flaws, you could at least have honest disagreements with guys like Jack Kennedy. He was not the complete counter revolutionary, ideologue that proceeded with mindless, counter intuitive, contra democratic and unconstitutional ideas.

“Both of our political parties, at least the honest portion of them, agree conscientiously in the same object—the public good; but they differ essentially in what they deem the means of promoting that good. One side believes it best done by one composition of the governing powers; the other, by a different one. One fears most the ignorance of the people; the other, the selfishness of rulers independent of them. Which is right, time and experience will prove.”.Thomas Jefferson

 

Kennedy didn't know these big spenders...

revivefederalism (Diary) Monday, December 14th at 3:43AM EST (link)

Near the end of the second video he said that the lack of growth rather than spending was the main cause of deficits. I guess he didn’t envision a Congress primarily composed of people as uncontrolled as his brother Ted. I don’t really know if JFK would have taken the country on a Club for Growth trajectory if he hadn’t been assassinated, but LBJ sure found ways to increase spending!

 

Ha'vad education of yesteryear

Deskpilot (Diary) Monday, December 14th at 8:42PM EST (link)

earns an understanding of economic and active fical and montery policies.
Today, your get an arming switch and the media fuse to an economic bomb (torpedoes)

Transcript and mp3 audio:
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset+Tree/Asset+Viewers/Audio+Video+Asset+Viewer.htm?guid={A138FFB8-5B6A-4C6A-A8CC-70C6E4FF39DA}&type=Audio

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can still read it in English, You’re Welcome
Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)