Posted on 04/22/2013 7:59:27 AM PDT by JohnPDuncan
A truly great American passed to heaven this weekend. Howard Phillips was a Christian, a patriot, a proud family man; and I was honored to have him as a friend.
Howard grew up in Boston, where he became an avid baseball fan--he knew all the teams and all the players, and remained a passionate fan throughout his life! He fought hard to get into Boston Latin School, and from there invaded the liberal bastion that is Harvard; where he upheld conservative principles and even served as chairman of the Student Council.
Howard made national news during the Nixon administration when he fought to abolish the Office on Economic Opportunity (OEO), a radical agency which funneled taxpayer dollars to left-wing groups. When he was unable to defund that agency, he left government rather than preside over a radical government agency, and turned his energies to creating an organization which could build the coalitions necessary to give conservatives legislative victories in Congress; The Conservative Caucus (TCC).
Founded in 1974, TCC rapidly became one of the few major nationwide conservative organizations at that time; and TCC made headlines opposing Jimmy Carter's Panama Canal treaty, and supporting President Reagan's efforts to rebuild our defense and to cut taxes and spending.
The conservative movement will not be the same without Howard; in fact, the conservative movement would not be what it is today without his leadership. In 1960, he helped found Young Americans for Freedom which became the model for conservative campus political action; and in the 1970's, Howard, Paul Weyrich, Richard Viguerie, Jerry Falwell and a few others key leaders were in fact the founders of what we know as the modern conservative movement.
Over the years, Howard stood firm to conservative principles when it was often easier to compromise with establishment RINOs. When he saw the GOP tilting too far to the left, he founded the U.S. Taxpayers' Party; now the Constitution Party, which nominated him as their presidential candidate in 1992, 1996 and 2000.
It was a distinct pleasure for Howard to see the new generation of conservative leaders, as they founded Tea Party organizations, promoted Constitutional government; and just a few years ago he applauded the initiative of a young journalist I helped train, James O'Keefe, who's brilliant exposé of the radical ACORN organization resulted in partial defunding--following in Howard's footsteps, for he had first defunded ACORN while at OEO.
Howard's work lives on through the Constitutional government movement he helped build; through The Conservative Caucus which he founded; through the good works of his large family; including his son Brad's Persecution Project, which supports embattled Christians in Sudan; and his son Douglas' Vision Forum, which is a major home schooling ministry.
Howard is survived by his wife Peggy, six children, and 12 grandchildren. I invite you to join me in praying for Howard and the Phillips family. God bless you, Howard.
This was written by Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX)
I met Mr. Phillips once, in 1982 in College Station, TX, where he was warning that Jim Baker was undermining the Reagan administration. The year before he had correctly warned against one Sandra Day O’Connor, another Reagan disappointment.
I remember Howard Phillips... The man had NO FEAR of saying what needed to be said. RIP...
Thanks for posting that Theordore.
Was that at a TAMU Political Forum event?
..brings back memories ...
Unfortunately Howard Phillips was a “Reconstructionist”/dominionist loony.
A very erudite and principled man. My sympathize to his family.
Yes, it was at TAMIU, and Phyllis Schafly was there once too but the auditorium was so packed I had to sit outside in the gallery and could barely see her. I seem to recall that when John Tower, who by then had moved to the left, came, hardly anybody was there. I also met defeated Senate candidate James Collins at one of those forums, but at the time TX believed in “Lord Benson”, as they kept calling Lloyd Bentsen.
He was a jew who converted as I understand?
Either way he fought some good fights on behalf of conservatives.
He could’ve made a nice living being a Reaganbot. But he was too honest.
I was privledged to come of age when the conservative movement was real and not a vehicle to get sissyboy Republicans elected and sell adjustable beds.
RIP
BTTT
Good for him! We need some Christian reconstruction of this godless anti Christian country.
RIP, Mr. Phillips...another good man gone from this world.
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