Kemp Takes GOP Message To Bay State

CALLING himself a genuine ``bleeding heart conservative,'' Republican Jack Kemp ventured into liberal territory last week when he delivered an address at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Mr. Kemp said America's greatest resource is an economy based on free enterprise, and he made reference to the economic theories of 18th century British economist Adam Smith who wrote ``Wealth of Nations.''

In this high-technology era, political leaders must work within a global economy that operates without borders in the transfer of capital or information, said the former United States Housing and Urban Development secretary under President Bush.

In order to compete internationally, Kemp said, the US should lower taxes, reform welfare by giving low-income people more opportunities for home ownership, and open up trade. Kemp said President Clinton's tax proposals stifle economic growth and are, in fact, opposite to President Kennedy's more conservative tax policies, which got America's economy moving in the early 1960s. Kemp also said markets and competition should play a greater role in health-care reform.

``We need the type of health-care reform that will take what is good in our health-care delivery system and not turn it over to the federal bureaucracy,'' said Kemp.

When asked if he'll run as a GOP presidential candidate in 1996, the former New York congressman and 1988 presidential candidate said he won't speculate on the idea until after this fall's congressional elections.