James Buckley, the brother of William F. Buckley Jr., who – against all odds – won the New York 1970 U.S. Senate election on the Conservative Party ticket, died Friday morning.
Though casual observers would say Buckley spent his adult life in the shadow of his brother, who founded National Review magazine (NR) and became the face of late 20th-century American conservatism, James was a force of nature in his own right. The Daily Caller has more, outlining Buckley’s contributions to conservatism starting from when he returned home from the battlefields of World War II to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia:
Buckley was instrumental in the passage of the Family Educational Rights and Policy Act of 1974, emphasizing parental rights in education. His legal expertise led to a landmark Supreme Court decision that addressed campaign-finance regulations and their implications for freedom of political speech, according to NR.
Later in Buckley’s career, former President Ronald Reagan appointed him first as an undersecretary of state, then as head of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and finally a 15-year tenure as a federal judge.
Buckley authored four books during his life. He began writing for the Yale Daily News as an undergraduate in New Haven but left his Ivy League education and pet boa constrictor behind to serve in the U.S. Navy following the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. As an officer assigned to an LST (landing ship, tank – an ungainly looking yet reliable vessel immortalized in amphibious invasions across the globe) he saw action in the Southwest and Central Pacific before Japan’s unconditional surrender in August 1945. Upon returning home, Lieutenant Buckley resumed his studies at Yale before proceeding to Columbia Law School.
Though James had visions of becoming a country lawyer, he initially worked in the private sector for his father. His bother’s involvement in politics, specifically William’s decision to run for mayor of New York City on the newly-created Conservative Party ticket in 1965, rekindled his passion for public service. After that, there was no looking back.
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Sad, we can’t afford to lose any level headed common sense politicians at any age. May he rest in peace and always be remembered for the goodness he represented.