Here's a bit of good news from the Republican presidential race: at least two of the candidates are talking about President Kennedy as a model.
Senator Cruz, unveiling his plan for a 10 percent flat individual income tax — and no payroll tax — in a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece, writes, "As President Reagan showed—and before him, President Kennedy in the 1960s (average annual growth of 5.3%) and Presidents Harding and Coolidge in the 1920s (4.7% growth)—tax reform is a powerful lever for spurring economic expansion."
Governor Jindal, in last night's debate, said:
I want to quote to you a president. A previous president said this. He said, The problem is, is that tax rates are too high. Government income/revenues are too low. He said, paradoxically, lowering tax rates now is the best way to produce higher government revenues later.
No, that wasn't President Reagan, as many are probably guessing at home. That was President Kennedy. I see you know the answer. That was President Kennedy. Imagine if he were alive today and if he was at that last Democratic debate. Imagine if you try to say that in a party that's gearing towards socialism, that wouldn't be welcome in today's Democratic Party. ...
This is a fundamental choice. We mustn't become a cheaper version of the Democratic Party, a second liberal party. We need to proudly say we're willing to cut taxes, shrink government, grow the American economy.
President Kennedy said it to the Democratic Party, why can't we say it in the Republican Party in 2015. Let's cut taxes.
There's a book about this...