Today marks forty-five years since the fateful day in Dallas. John Kennedy had been elected president at the age of 43, more than three years younger than our current President-elect. I mention their ages because of the simply inane likening of Obama with Lincoln, FDR, and Kennedy. In particular, the Kennedy comparisons center on youthfulness, style, and swank. Here the media is behaving with the unhinged and irrational adoration that one would only expect from a teeny-bopper fan club. The fact is that JFK as a presidential nominee, whether you like him or not, presented credentials that far exceeded Mr Obama's abbreviated history of deeds.
In 1940 at age 23, Kennedy was slated for induction in the US Army. His poor health record was a problem, however, so he had his family pull strings to allow his induction into the Navy. Initially stationed in the United States, he asked and received sea duty. In 1943, as a commander of PT 109 in the South Pacific, Kennedy's boat was split in two by a Japanese destroyer. In what became a six-day ordeal, he displayed great courage in finding rescue for his crewmen, including a four hour swim to safety while hoisting a wounded crewman. At twenty-three, Obama was a community organizer in Chicago. Little to compare at this stage in their life.
After his military service, Kennedy went on to serve six years in the U.S. House followed by eight years as a U.S. Senator. This is national congressional experience that far outweighs Obama's four years in the Senate, two of which were dedicated to his presidential run. Not much of a comparison here.
As president, Kennedy bucked his own Democratic party when he pushed hard for a tax cut as part of the 1963 budget. He declared that to promote economic growth "one step, above all, is essential - the enactment this year of a substantial reduction and revision in Federal income taxes ... it is increasingly clear ... that our obsolete tax system exerts too heavy a drag on private purchasing power, profits, and employment". Apparently Kennedy was a bit partial to private purchasing power, he did not regard "profit" as a cardinal sin, and knew that lowering corporate taxes increases employment levels.
To combat temporary deficits from a tax cut, Kennedy proposed tightly controlling government expenditures. Close your eyes. Can you really imagine those words coming from a President Obama, the new Kennedy? No comparison to speak of. There is a night and day difference when it comes to going against one's own party and the merits of a tax cut.
Interestingly, in the tax cut debate, JFK's main opposition in the Senate came from Al Gore - senior that is. Seems that this Mr Gore feared that a Kennedy tax cut would only favor the rich, would not be good for social justice, and so on .. boring ... yawn. (Note: Gore Sr was so concerned about social justice that he voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Who knows, perhaps Al, Sr. may have won the day had he convinced the nation that the planet would soon enter another ice age. Unfortunately for Senior, the precocious young Al was still a few years away from inventing the internet and developing a nifty powerpoint presentation to help drive home dad's argument.
JFK demonstrated at least one true act of courage and heroism. He did not necessarily heed the party line and he was certainly not labor's pushover. To be fair, Mr Obama will surely have his own opportunities to show his mettle. Although there is little in his past that points to deeds of valor or shows of individualism, he will have his chance.
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