Ron Paul Says Goodbye to Congress

Exiting Republican 'revived an honorable political tradition'

Ron Paul bid the political world adieu yesterday in a farewell address to the House of Representatives.

In a speech that ran nearly an hour, the The Washington Post notes, the outgoing Texas congressman and staunch advocate for limited government touched upon everything from the gold standard - an issue among those closest to his heart - to the regulation of raw milk and the prospect of his son Rand Paul running for president one day.

Jim Antle at The American Conservative fleshes out the elder Paul's contribution to politics in more detail:

When Ron Paul's remarkable congressional career comes to a conclusion, he can return to Texas with the satisfaction of knowing that his educational mission revived an honorable political tradition: an American conservatism dedicating to conserving, not destroying. The Texas congressman leaves behind a new generation of leaders, both libertarian and conservative, who challenge the disastrous bipartisan consensus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyBsWoASNyk

Via The Washington Post and The American Conservative.

What's Ron Paul's most important legacy, in your view?

[DARSB]

On the map of political philosophy Dr Paul drew a bright line. There was nobody on the other side of it with him, of course, but there's a line nonetheless.

[Fishbone345]

Yah, it's a shame the two parties care more about re-election and Lobbies than they do Liberty and Americans best interests. Alas they will likely fill his seat with another puppet.

[DerivePI]

Rand

[AceLuby]

Lol... Rand is no Ron, that's for sure.

[Chromalord]

We'll miss your service buddy! Wish things could have worked out better for you in your presidential bid. You had a lot of fresh and interesting ideas, untethered by the subversive and dogmatic stranglehold of Washington bureaucracy. Thanks for your tireless service.

[CanisCanemEdit]

Thank you, sir. For making me THINK.

[AceLuby]

His most important legacy is his unwavering opinions, right or wrong, and sticking with what he believes his entire tenure. Voters would be wise to take notice of this and start holding their own representatives to the same standard.

[Fishbone345]

They should, but they won't. As evidenced by the mess we call The 2012 Presidential Election.

[Fitz]

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

[marine1]

@Fitz This goes against every fiber of current day goverment

[Fishbone345]

Sad day when those with Integrity and Honor call it quits. You sir will be missed.

[MongoAPillager]

he was the only one who really had the nads to go after the Fed,now that cancer will continue to grow unfettered ...Truly,alieni generis

[jessejaymes]

I like Ron Paul. I think he is probably an honorable and truthful man who believes what he says. I also think he's a loon.

[MrGreenHerb]

Loon? Explain.

[jessejaymes]

@MrGreenHerb Do you agree with Ron Paul that it's not a problem if Iran gets nukes? Do you agree with Ron Paul that we should just open the border with Mexico? Come on now.

[MrGreenHerb]

@jessejaymes Do you agree that we should be policing the world? Be bombing Iraq? Do you agree on killing MILLIONS of people? Without cause, only because the Government believes they are terrorists? I believe if Iran sends nukes to America, it's only because they're doing what we did too them.

[jessejaymes]

@MrGreenHerb And as usual I see a middle ground between the far right wanting to nuke and saying that "if Iran nukes us it's only because of what we did to them". You a Muslim are you? Or just an extremist?

[MrGreenHerb]

@jessejaymes Actually no, I'm not Muslim. I have a friend who is Muslim though, he believes America is as corrupted as any other American out there. He also believe what America is doing over there is wrong. But what Americans don't know, and maybe you have this view also is that. You're to focused on what happened on 9/11 to ACTUALLY KNOW the truth on why it happened. Do you also want me to tell you that also?

[MrGreenHerb]

Marry me Ron Paul.

[MarkJM]

I liked that he stuck with his guns on the issues. But out of numerous pieces of legislation he proposed only a small handful went through. I don't like how the GOP crapped on him either, he could've easily garnered a lot more support for the GOP. Overall, I would sit down have and have a beer with the man, which is a lot more than I can say for many of the Yahoos that currently work in CONgress.

[Bobolinsky]

Economic Liberty, Sound Money, Smaller Government, Individual Liberty... Sounds like a Tea Party rally.

[DerivePI]

I'll drink to that!

[truthsayer]

@Bobolinsky Damn you almost had me there for a second. If they (Tea Party) wouldn't make me feel like I was at a prayer meeting I'd bring my Bourbon and join the party.

[Bobolinsky]

@truthsayer-- No Tea Party rally I've ever been to has felt like a prayer meeting. Why do I get the feeling that you've never been to one?

[truthsayer]

@Bobolinsky At the very beginning of the movement I supported the Tea party and still do in most aspects. The fact that you all contentiously challenge the status quo of the GOP is great. I believe the base of the party are patriots and have my total support. With a slight purge of the Bachmann crowd I would be on board a 100%.

[thejimbo]

Why couldn't we have him run against Odumbo instead of Flip-Flop Mittens? smh

[PNWest]

Bye Ron Paul. You were a strange little man who had some interesting ideas. Better than most of your brethren republicans though.

[GetAwake]

That he's 100-times the man our president or ANY 2012 candidate, save perhaps Herman Cain, could ever dream of being.

[GetAwake]

...and Gary Johnson of course, but you guys in the mainstream media refused to recognize him as such.

[Canoochee]

Does this mean we won't have to deal with Paulistas any more?

[Chomsky0]

Voting no so many times in Congress. Sticking to his values in the face of Corporate strong arming. Getting young people to pay attention to what is going on in the world in which they find their selves in.

[truthsayer]

@chomsky0 The Republican party had a chance to bring in a bunch of young voters with Paul and just let them slip away. The whole time calling them nuts and loons. When in reality these kids are the fresh blood the party's going to need in the future to remain viable.

[Chomsky0]

@truthsayer Yeah, the Republican's really dropped the ball when they didn't support Ron Paul. Paul really appealed to the disenchanted Obama voters and the Republican's didn't capitalize on this. The party alienated the young, as they did in the last couple presidential elections and the young showed them how important their vote is.

[Angela]

Mr. Ron Paul job well done.

[expat915]

I believe that history will vindicate Ron Paul’s ideas. However, this generation voted for a different path. After the Goldman-Sachs derivatives Ponzi scheme inevitably collapses there may well be a revival of the Ron Paul movement, sadly without the figurehead Ron Paul.

[Keyjo]

Happy trails, Congressman Paul.
Thanks for your service.

[FollowTheMoney]

I wish he could take a couple hundred with him.

[truthsayer]

534 others sounds like about the right number to me.