[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15773]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
my friend, Ron Paul. I have now served in Congress for 24 years, the 
last 16 of which I have served with Congressman Paul. During all of 
that time, I have never once seen him waver or stray from a commitment 
to liberty and freedom and his promise to uphold and defend our 
Constitution.
  I can assure you that no one runs for office wanting to make people 
mad. In fact, it may be that people who run for office have a stronger 
desire to be liked than most people. Thus, I feel certain that at times 
it has been hurtful to Congressman Paul to be the only Member out of 
435 to vote ``no'' on some popular bill or seemingly harmless 
resolution. Yet, on many occasions, he has been the only vote on some 
issue. Yet, because of his courage and sincerity and his steadfast 
belief in free enterprise, private property, and individual freedom, he 
has earned the respect and admiration of almost everyone with whom he 
has served on both sides of the aisle.
  When there was tremendous pressure, especially on the Republican 
side, to vote to go to war in Iraq, only six Republicans voted ``no.'' 
Three of those were very liberal Republicans, and three were very 
conservative. The three conservative ``no'' votes came from John 
Hostettler of Indiana, Congressman Paul, and myself.
  It is probably accurate to say that, during the 16 years Congressman 
Paul and I have served together, no two Members have voted more alike 
than we have. Most of that time we have arrived at our decisions 
separately and independently. But we also have discussed many votes 
over the years, and I have attended most of the meetings of the Liberty 
Caucus Congressman Paul has hosted in his office with a wide variety of 
speakers.
  One national magazine about 4 years ago gave just three Members 100 
percent ratings on a freedom index--Congressman Paul, Congressman Jeff 
Flake of Arizona, and myself. Last year I was very surprised when the 
National Taxpayers Union ranked me as the most fiscally conservative 
Member on all 338 spending votes. But the only reason Congressman Paul 
was not first was because he missed many votes during his run for the 
White House.
  There have been articles and comments and questions about who would 
be the next Ron Paul in Congress, but, really, no one can replace Ron 
Paul or fill his shoes or be the next Ron Paul. He has achieved a fame 
and a following and a position of influence that is almost miraculous 
considering his unique independence.
  He is such a kind, humble, almost bashful person that I know he has 
been amazed by the numbers that have turned out to support him, and 
especially the following he has among young people. After all, there is 
nothing cool or hip about him, but several million college students and 
20-somethings love the man. I think his appeal lies in his principled 
stands on the issues, the concern young people have for their future 
and where this country is headed, and the fact that Congressman Paul is 
real. There is nothing fake about him. He believes what he says and 
says what he believes and then sticks by it even when it is not 
``politically correct.''
  Financial columnist Charles Goyette probably summed up Congressman 
Paul's time in office best in a column a few days ago. He wrote:

       Politics has ways of bending such lesser men and molding 
     even the well-intentioned to become servants of the State. 
     The tools are many: Congressional leadership bribes and 
     bestows its favors from plum committee assignments to nicer 
     Capitol offices. The parties reward the lockstep marchers, 
     too. For those who stay in step, there are endorsements and 
     campaign funds. Meanwhile, for those who march to a different 
     drummer--well. And then there is the simple social pressure 
     to which men whose eyes are not focused on a polestar of 
     principle soon succumb. The description you've heard of 
     Washington that you have to go along to get along is all too 
     true.

  Mr. Goyette concluded by writing:

       Ron Paul never succumbed. He never sold out for a better 
     assignment, a nicer office, lobbyist largesse, or shallow 
     conviviality.

  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I think words written in a 1930 novel called 
``The Lion's Den'' fit Congressman Ron Paul. The words described a 
fictional Congressman named Zimmer. The author, Janet Fairbank, wrote:

       No matter how the espousal of a lost cause might hurt his 
     prestige in the House, Zimmer had never hesitated to identify 
     himself with it if it seemed to him to be right. He knew only 
     two ways; the right one and the wrong, and if he sometimes 
     made a mistake, it was never one of honor. He voted as he 
     believed he should, and although sometimes his voice was 
     raised alone on one side of the question, it was never 
     stilled.

     

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