Kudlow spoke in Keating 1st to about 150 students. Joe Vitale for The Fordham Ram
By Joe Vitale
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College Republicans hosted Larry Kudlow — American economist, political pundit and columnist — in Keating auditorium earlier this week to discuss an array of topics, ranging from healthcare to immigration policy.
The event, which included a lecture and a Q&A session, focused on American politics through the lens of Kudlow’s conservative views. Both College Republicans and Kudlow acknowledged the event’s openness to all backgrounds, ideologies and party associations.
Kudlow’s resume is both prolific and diverse. He was a member of the Bush-Cheney transition advisory committee and served as chief economist and senior managing director of Bear, Stearns & Co. He was also chief economist for ING Barings, Schroder & Co., Inc. and American Skandia Life Assurance, Inc.
In addition, he hosted “The Kudlow Report” and co-hosted CNBC’s “The Call.” He contributes to National Review Online, where he is Economics editor, and can be found on the pages of The Wall Street Journal’s op-ed section. Kudlow also runs a blog, Kudlow Money Politics.
His numerous areas of expertise were evident in the diversity of topics addressed during the talk, which ran for an hour and a half.
In discussing President Barack Obama, Kudlow called out the president for his “lack of confidence shown through economic policy.”
“Obamacare is the biggest example of big government collectors and it is a failure,” he said.
While addressing the threat of big government today, Kudlow turned to America’s success in the past as a proof of its ability to move forward under free market policies.
“What made America the greatest country, what made America have the best economy and what made America the strongest power in the world in the 19th and 20th centuries was our freedom, our entrepreneurship and our innovations,” he said.
He also made a point of listing of a number of foreign countries which have adopted America’s free market principles, most notably China. “Those sons of b*tches are moving fast,” he said, finding laughs in the crowd, which rounded out at about 150 students. Turning to failed policies that have failed in Europe, he claimed, is a sign of poor judgement.
On the topic of civil liberties, Kudlow quickly jumped on the hot button issue of healthcare. “Im here to tell you that the solution to health care is freedom,” he said. “Not mandates.”
Kudlow also touched on tax rates, discussing both the corporate tax and the income tax. He suggested the only alternative to our progressive income tax rate is a flat tax rate.
“What can be fairer than that?” he asked, receiving an applause. “We have a very progressive tax which penalizes success. I want to reward success. The president wants to penalize success.”
Kudlow, who is a former Fordham Board of Trustees member, made note of his mentors, among them Jack Kemp, who served nine terms as Congressmen and as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, as well Ronald Reagan, whom he called the “second greatest president of the twentieth century.”
Students in attendance, many of whom were dressed formally for the event, were impressed by the topics covered during Kudlow’s presentation.
“He is familiar with most positions regarding various topics, is willing to speak his mind, and [this] allowed him to meet some of the biggest names in the political realm,” William Luft, FCRH ’15, said. “His diverse background gives him ample areas to draw stories from which are more entertaining to listen to rather than simple policy ideas.”
Kudlow posed for photos with students following the event. Joe Vitale for The Fordham Ram
Continuing his push of conservative politics, Kudlow briefly touched on the recent attempts of college athletes to unionize, speaking with both experience and a sense of humor.
“I played tennis in college and I wasn’t talking about unionizing,” he remarked. “I was talking about my goddamn serve.”
College Republicans, which hosted James O’Keefe earlier this year, were eager to bring an experienced and lauded speaker to campus.
“As a pundit, he gets one-on-one experience with so many different types of people: politicians from both sides of the aisle, members of all three branches of government, other pundits, economists, academics, journalists, etc.,” Luke Zaro, FCRH ’16, and president of College Republicans, said of Kudlow.
“Having a diverse background can be helpful when addressing college students because it gives someone the experience to know how to adapt to one’s audience,” Zaro added.
Before moving on to field questions from the audience, the speaker touched on America’s immigration policies, encouraging an aggressively open-door approach.
“I don’t want them going to Canada, or New Zealand, or Australia,” he said in reference to foreign-born individuals whom he commended for their entrepreneurial spirits. “I want them here. Come here. This is America.”
Questions from students ranged from the rising cost of education, Asian economic policies, the conservative wing of academia and the dangers of the mainstream media, which Kudlow did not see as a threat.
“You got Fox [News] you got Rush [Limbaugh], you got Sean [Hannity], you got Drudge [Report],” Kudlow remarked confidently, speaking to the wealth of conservative media outlets today.
College Republicans appeared both thankful and fortunate to have hosted Kudlow, who remained well past the scheduled end time. “I’m not going anywhere,” Kudlow remarked during the event numerous times.
“To Mr. Kudlow’s credit, he patiently and without complaint took the time to thoroughly answer every question and smile for every picture,” said Zaro about Kudlow’s visit, who posed for photos with students following the event. “He was on campus for nearly three hours for a scheduled one-hour event.”
“I think students will walk away with a different understanding and perspective of conservatism and the Republican Party,” Zaro concluded.
In the college spirit, Kudlow provided students with a few pieces of advice, which he called his “3 part plan.”
“Finish your school, get a steady job, then find a sweetheart,” he said.
“Im not going to preach faith, it’s not my job,” Kudlow added. “But I will tell you this: There is nothing wrong with faith.”
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Joe Vitale is Managing Editor at The Fordham Ram.
