[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 125 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO RALPH SMEED

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 16, 2010

  Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, the liberty movement lost one of its' true 
champions on September 7, 2010 when Ralph Smeed passed away from 
pancreatic cancer. ``Making Statism Unpopular,'' was not just the title 
of Ralph's website but the focus of all his efforts as a political 
activist, columnist, think tank leader, and supporter of numerous pro-
liberty organizations and causes. Without Ralph's efforts, the movement 
to make statism unpopular would not be nearly as strong as it is today. 
I am honored that I was among the hundreds of freedom-lovers who were 
able to call Ralph a friend.
  Ralph was born in Caldwell, Idaho in 1921. His family was in the 
ranching and meatpacking business. His first experience with what he 
referred to as the ``mindless government bureaucracy'' occurred when he 
attempted to register for military service after Pearl Harbor and was 
informed that he could not volunteer, he had to wait till he was 
drafted!
  Following his military service, Ralph entered into the family 
business, becoming the manager in 1949. As a small businessman, Ralph 
had even more experiences with ``mindless government bureaucracy,'' and 
useless government rules and regulations. Ralph's first hand 
experiences and his study of the freedom philosophy lead him to become 
active in efforts to try to change the direction of the country.
  Ralph's interest in, and knowledge of, the freedom philosophy was 
enhanced by his association with the Foundation for Economic Education 
(FEE), the nation's first free-market educational institution. Ralph 
attended a FEE seminar in 1965, where he met Leonard Read, the founder 
and President of FEE. Ralph was an enthusiastic supporter of FEE's 
mission to popularize the ideas of liberty and he worked closely with 
FEE, eventually serving as a member of FEE's Board of Trustees. Just 
recently, Ralph was involved in a special reprinting of Leonard Read's 
classic essay ``I, Pencil.''
  One of the traits that made Ralph a great leader was that whenever he 
saw a task that needed to be done, or any opportunity to advance 
liberty that no one else in the freedom movement was taking advantage 
of; he would simply roll up his sleeves and do it himself. For example, 
in the early 1970s, there were not that many opinion writers providing 
an analysis of the events of the day from a pro-liberty perspective. 
Seeing this void, Ralph launched a successful career as a columnist in 
1974. Years before it become commonplace to find free-market think 
tanks operating at the state and local level, Ralph started a public 
policy and education foundation, the Center for the Study of Market 
Alternatives. When the growth of the Internet opened up new 
opportunities to promote the freedom message, Ralph not only supported 
the efforts of free-market institutions to establish a web presence, he 
established his own site.
  Ralph served as a friend and mentor to many in the freedom movement. 
For example, he copublished a newsletter with Steve Symms, who went on 
to serve in Congress and the Senate. Ralph remained a close friend and 
adviser to Steve through his political career. The late Congresswoman 
Helen Chenoweth-Hague and former U.S. Representative and current Idaho 
Governor Butch Otter also benefited from Ralph's friendship and 
counsel. In recent years, Ralph has been recognized as the 
philosophical godfather of the Idaho Tea Party movement. Fortunately, 
Ralph's influence over the freedom movement will continue thanks to the 
Internet and a collection of his essays that soon will be published.
  As a writer, scholar, and activist for liberty, Ralph fought many 
ideological and political battles. Yet even Ralph's fiercest 
ideological opponents never had a bad word to say about him. This is 
because Ralph was something one rarely comes across in politics: a 
genuinely nice guy. Ralph had perhaps one of the best senses of humor 
of anyone I have ever known, and while he was quick to criticize 
anyone, regardless of position, power, or long-standing friendship, who 
was taking a course Ralph saw as detrimental to liberty, he never 
resorted to personal attacks.
  Madam Speaker, as I reflect on the impact Ralph Smeed had on the 
freedom movement, I cannot help but feel sorry for those freedom lovers 
who will never have the benefit of Ralph's friendship, wise counsel, 
and wickedly delightful sense of humor. I can only hope that all of us 
who knew Ralph as a friend will honor his memory by taking advantage of 
every available opportunity to continue Ralph's work of ``Making 
Statism Unpopular.''

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