[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 166 (Friday, December 21, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO GEORGE RESCH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2012

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor H. George Resch, who passed 
away last week. George was a lifelong champion of liberty, sound money, 
and peace who played a key role in the development of the modern 
liberty movement. I was privileged to know George as a business 
associate and a friend.
  George was one of the liberty movement's leading experts on the 
dangers of government control of education. One of his most significant 
contributions to libertarian scholarship was an essay titled ``Human 
Variations and Individuality,'' published in the 1974 anthology The 
Twelve Year Sentence. In this essay, George convincingly challenged the 
popular idea that government must control education in order to ensure 
``equality of opportunity.'' As George made clear, because all people 
differ in their abilities and interests, the only way the state can 
ensure ``equal opportunities'' is to prevent any student from 
excelling.
  As important as George's scholarship on educational freedom was, his 
main contribution to the liberty movement was his work supporting 
libertarian scholars--especially younger scholars, who often lacked 
opportunities available to their peers who were willing to promote 
statist academic orthodoxy.
  George began supporting promising libertarian scholars in the 1950s, 
when he met Professor F.A. ``Baldy'' Harper at Robert LeFevre's Freedom 
School. Harper immediately recognized George's qualities of mind and 
strong character, and eventually recruited George to work with the 
William Volker Fund. At the time, the Volker Fund was one of the few 
organizations dedicated to the development and promotion of libertarian 
ideas.
  At the Volker Fund, George worked with many leading libertarians 
thinkers of the day to identify books and authors worthy of promotion 
and support. One of the people George worked with was Murray Rothbard, 
Ludwig von Mises' heir and the founder of the modern libertarian 
movement. George and Murray's friendship began when they discussed 
monopolies. George had heard that Rothbard was developing a theory of 
antitrust more ``radical'' than Mises', and wanted to learn more. The 
conversation resulted in a friendship that lasted until Murray passed 
away in 1995.
  In 1961, George helped Professor Harper create the Institute for 
Humane Studies (IHS). IHS's goal was to expand the Volker Fund's 
mission of promoting libertarian scholarship by identifying and 
supporting young people with the potential to become leading 
libertarian scholars. George played a major role in helping to sustain 
and grow IHS in its early years. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to 
say that Baldy Harper never would have gotten IHS off the ground 
without George's help. The thousands of young people who have been 
introduced to the ideas of liberty through IHS's programs, as well as 
those who received academic and career support from IHS, all owe a debt 
of gratitude to George Resch.
  In 1965, George helped his friends Murray Rothbard and Leonard Liggio 
publish Left and Right, a journal dedicated to preserving the ``Old 
Right's'' limited government and anti-imperialist ideals. As the title 
suggests, Left and Right also sought to create an alliance with the 
anti-imperialist and anti-corporatist elements found on the left. Left 
and Right was published until 1968. However, its influence is still 
felt today. The seeds that Rothbard, Liggio, and Resch planted are at 
last bearing fruit as a new left-right coalition has embraced the ideas 
Left and Right championed. This coalition of libertarians, liberals, 
and constitutional conservatives is working together to oppose 
militarism, protect civil liberties, end corporate welfare, and reduce 
the power of the Federal Reserve.
  George also had a successful private-sector career working with Burt 
Blumert at Camino Coins. Burt and George truly were kindred souls, both 
tireless promoters and supporters of the ideas of liberty. Burt and 
George made Camino one of the country's top coin businesses.
  George also worked with Burt at the Center for Libertarian Studies. 
The Center published the Journal of Libertarian Studies (among many 
other projects), the first academic journal devoted to the ideas of 
liberty. George also helped Burt and Lew Rockwell establish and develop 
Lewrockwell.com, the world's most-visited libertarian web site.
  When I left Congress in 1984, Burt and George assisted me in 
establishing Ron Paul Coins. I worked with Burt and George until I 
returned to Congress in 1996 and had to end my involvement in the 
company. Getting to know George was one of the most enjoyable aspects 
of working in the coin business. You could not ask for a better 
business partner or friend than George. He never treated anyone with 
anything less than complete respect. He had a wonderful understated 
sense of humor, and like our mutual friends Murray Rothbard and Burt 
Blumert, a Menckenesque appreciation of the absurdities of modern 
American politics. George also never lost his ability to spot potential 
young leaders or counsel, assist, and spend time talking to young 
people interested in advancing liberty. My Legislative Director, for 
example, benefited from George's advice and friendship.
  Mr. Speaker, George Resch's many friends in the liberty movement are 
deeply saddened by his passing. We are also grateful for all he did to 
build the liberty movement, and for the example he set for all of us 
who continue his work of advancing freedom.

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