Steve Forbes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Forbes
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Forbes in 2024
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| Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting | |
| In office c. 1985 – January 20, 1993 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan George H.W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Frank J. Shakespeare |
| Succeeded by | Dan Mica |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Malcolm Stevenson Forbes Jr.
July 18, 1947 Morristown, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Sabina Beekman
(m. 1971) |
| Children | 5, including Moira |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | B. C. Forbes (grandfather) |
| Education | Princeton University (AB) |
| Signature | .jpg) |
Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes Jr. (born July 18, 1947) is an American businessman and politician. He is the editor-in-chief of Forbes, a famous business magazine.
His father, Malcolm Forbes, and his grandfather, B. C. Forbes, also ran the magazine. Steve Forbes ran for president of the United States in 1996 and 2000. He also worked for the U.S. government under two presidents.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Steve Forbes was born in Morristown, New Jersey. He grew up in a town called Far Hills, New Jersey. As a child, he went to school with Christine Todd Whitman, who would later become the governor of New Jersey.
In 1966, he graduated with honors from Brooks School in Massachusetts. After that, he went to Princeton University and studied history.
While at Princeton, Forbes started his first magazine, Business Today, with two other students. Today, it is the largest magazine in the world run by students. He graduated from Princeton in 1970.
Political Career
Forbes has been involved in politics for many years. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Working for the Government
In 1985, President Ronald Reagan chose Forbes to lead the Board for International Broadcasting. This group managed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which sent news and information to countries in Europe.
When George H. W. Bush became president, he reappointed Forbes to the same job. Forbes led the board until 1993.
After leaving that role, Forbes joined groups that promoted conservative ideas. He worked with well-known politician Jack Kemp. He also helped his childhood friend, Christine Todd Whitman, with her plan to cut taxes in New Jersey. This plan helped her win the election for governor.
Running for President
Steve Forbes tried to become the Republican candidate for president twice, in 1996 and 2000.
The Flat Tax Idea
His main campaign idea was to create a flat tax. A flat tax means that everyone pays the same percentage of their income in taxes. Forbes believed the tax system was too complicated and needed to be simpler.
Because he talked about the flat tax so much, some people called him a "single-issue candidate." Forbes said this was not true and that he had many other ideas.
Campaigning Style
Forbes was not able to win the Republican nomination either time. Some people thought his campaign style was a bit "awkward." Time Magazine once joked about his serious way of speaking.
To fund his campaigns, Forbes sold some of his shares in the family company. He and his team often traveled between events in a "big silver bus."
After his second campaign, he went back to running Forbes magazine.
What Forbes Believes In
Forbes has supported many common Republican ideas.
- Taxes: He is famous for his flat tax plan. Under his 1996 plan, people would not pay taxes on the first $33,000 they earned.
- Economy: He supports free trade between countries and giving people more control over their retirement savings.
- Government: He believes in making government smaller to help balance the budget.
- Social Issues: Forbes supports tough laws on crime and the death penalty. He is against gun control laws.
- Foreign Policy: He believes the U.S. should make its own foreign policy decisions, rather than relying on groups like the United Nations (UN).
Over time, some of his views changed. In his 2000 campaign, he began to speak more about his support for social conservative ideas, like prayer in public schools.
Other Political Work
Forbes has stayed active in politics. In 2007, he was an advisor for Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign. The next year, he advised John McCain on economic issues during his campaign.
He is a member of several organizations that promote conservative and free-market ideas, such as The Heritage Foundation and FreedomWorks. He often appears on the TV show Forbes on Fox to talk about business and politics.
Personal Life
In 1971, Steve Forbes married Sabina Beekman. They have five daughters, including Moira Forbes, who is also a journalist.
Forbes often travels by Amtrak train. He was a passenger on a train that was involved in an accident in 2016 in Chester, Pennsylvania, but he was not hurt. He lives in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Appearances on Saturday Night Live
The comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) is known for making fun of politicians. Actor Mark McKinney played Steve Forbes in several skits.
In 1996, Forbes hosted an episode of SNL himself. In one skit, he pretended to be a roofer, which was funny because it was so different from his usual intellectual personality. In another, he tried to answer voters' questions, but they only asked him about how rich he was. He even did a skit where he interviewed the actor who played him, Mark McKinney.
See also
In Spanish: Steve Forbes para niños
