Wednesday, 10 December 2003

Tribute. TalkLeft reports that Illinois favorite son and two-term U.S. Senator Paul Simon passed away earlier today after undergoing heart surgery.

I was five years old when Paul Simon went to Washington for the first time, representing my Congressional district at the far southern tip of Illinois; by the time he retired from the Senate in 1997, he'd been my voice in Congress for as long as I could remember. He was, and I do not say this lightly, someone I was proud to have representing me. Simon believed that government could be a force for good, and that fiscal responsibility was a duty of public office: His legacy included co-sponsoring the balanced budget amendment, leading a major overhaul of federal student loan programs, supporting campaign finance reform, and principled opposition to the death penalty.

He was one of only three Senators who voted against holding Whitewater hearings, having recognized a smear campaign against the President for what it was, and he retired because he thought he'd have to spend too much time fundraising if he wanted to serve again. He wrote 22 books, founded a bipartisan think tank, was a role model of integrity and candor, and, as a Republican from across the aisle put it, "He was an example of what every Congressman and Senator should aspire to be."

Paul Simon's last political act, from his hospital bed the day before the surgery, was to endorse Howard Dean. I've been following Dean's campaign for a while now, watching as it gains momentum—and while I haven't exactly swooned over everything he's done and said ("re-regulate?"), I think he's more likely to stabilize Iraq, and to pursue a foreign policy that reflects American values. (Unless, of course, you believe that America should be a beacon of petty vengeance. Whatever happened to the "shining city on a hill" idea?) I know this week's big endorsement news was that Al Gore is backing Dean, but to me Paul Simon's blessing matters more.

Rest in peace, Senator.

- Posted by Scott Forbes at 9:04 am. comments.