HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, September 16, 2010
2010 Ron Paul 51:1
Mr. PAUL.
Madam Speaker, the liberty
movement lost one of itsí true champions on
September 7, 2010 when Ralph Smeed
passed away from pancreatic cancer. “Making
Statism Unpopular,” was not just the title of
Ralphís 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 Ralphís 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.
2010 Ron Paul 51:2
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!
2010 Ron Paul 51:3
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. Ralphís 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.
2010 Ron Paul 51:4
Ralphís interest in, and knowledge of, the
freedom philosophy was enhanced by his association
with the Foundation for Economic
Education (FEE), the nationís 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 FEEís mission to
popularize the ideas of liberty and he worked
closely with FEE, eventually serving as a
member of FEEís Board of Trustees. Just recently,
Ralph was involved in a special reprinting
of Leonard Readís classic essay “I, Pencil.”
2010 Ron Paul 51:5
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.
2010 Ron Paul 51:6
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 Ralphís friendship
and counsel. In recent years, Ralph has been
recognized as the philosophical godfather of
the Idaho Tea Party movement. Fortunately,
Ralphís influence over the freedom movement
will continue thanks to the Internet and a collection
of his essays that soon will be published.
2010 Ron Paul 51:7
As a writer, scholar, and activist for liberty,
Ralph fought many ideological and political
battles. Yet even Ralphís 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.
2010 Ron Paul 51:8
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
Ralphís 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 Ralphís
work of “Making Statism Unpopular.”
