HARRY BROWNE 1933-2006
Congressman Ron Paul from the floor of the House of Representatives, March 30, 2006
From THE NEW YORKER Book of Dog Cartoons
"She's very like her father
and has something of his sense of humor."
A memory of my father
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Dear Friends, Some of you may know that last Wednesday evening (March 1st) my father passed peacefully away. I never expected the overwhelming amount of press, and the outpouring of remembrances posted on blogs nationwide. The first time I head him speak publicly, I prayed that great oratory skills would be an inherited trait. What a gifted speaker! My father was a powerful debater and shone brilliantly when on television. He was a professional on the radio, and a complete loon in the living room. He was handsome, classy, and very presidential, even when talking about his favorite food! He would get teary when listening to music, and dissolve into laughter trying to get through a joke. In my eyes he had it all: a great job, an immense enjoyment of life, and a beautiful wife. I became a member of the Libertarian Party in 1995. It was wonderful to discover a political party that reflected my beliefs for the direction of this great country. After working on my father�s presidential campaign in 1996, I was inspired to run for office myself�if only to provide a choice for others who were dissatisfied with the existing �single-party system�. One of my favorite memories is being in the voting booth, November 2000, and seeing both our names on the ballot. How many kids can say that?! His radio and TV shows spread a great message. I was so proud of him, and what he was accomplishing. I am grateful for the lessons of personal responsibility that I learned. Pamela and I have become close friends, and are able to laugh along with the tears. We are relieved that this awful disease did not drag on. And wherever Harry Browne is today, he is enjoying a glass of wine along with steak and french fries, listening to opera, surrounded by the animals he loved throughout his life. I will miss him dearly, and so will the cause of liberty. Autumn
Below is one of many press releases. Also, you may be interested in some of the links for further reading. Libertarian Best-Selling Author Dies: Harry Browne Authored Eleven Books WASHINGTON, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Harry Browne, best-selling author and two-time Libertarian Party presidential nominee, died in his home in Franklin, Tennessee, Wednesday night, March 1, after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Pamela and his daughter Autumn. He was 72. Browne broke into national prominence in the early 1970s with three best- selling books. "How You Can Profit from the Coming Devaluation" was the first to make the best-seller lists. His next book, "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World," is widely regarded as a modern libertarian classic and has gone through many printings and editions. His third book, "You Can Profit from a Monetary Crisis," reached #1 on the New York Times best-seller list. Browne was also the author of 11 other books, including "Why Government Doesn't Work" and "The Great Libertarian Offer." Browne twice ran for President as the nominee of the Libertarian Party in 1996 and 2000. He was a frequent guest on radio and TV, both as a political and financial commentator. Browne was a co-founder of the Downsize DC Foundation and DownsizeDC.org, Inc. and a strong advocate of the organization's "Read the Bills Act," which would require Congress to read every word of every bill before voting on it. Browne was born on June 17, 1933 in New York City. He died of Lou Gherig's disease.
http://www.harrybrowne.org/articles/GiftDaughter.htm
http://www.downsizedc.org/blog/2006/mar/02/harry_browne_r_i_p
http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=8758
http://blogs.ocregister.com/orangepunch/2006/03/harry_browne_dies.html#more
Rather than cards or flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Harry's memory to DownsizeDC, or to a family foundation to support theatre and the arts. Contrbutions to DownsizeDC.org in Harry's memory can be made by clicking here.
Contributions can also be made in Harry's memory to Congressman
Ron Paul from the floor of A Tribute to the Late Harry Browne Mr. Speaker, America lost a great champion of liberty when Harry Browne passed away on March 1, at the age of 72. Harry had a passion for liberty and knowledge of a wide variety of subjects. His communication style, as he himself so marvelously put it, focused on converting his opponents rather than winning the argument. These attributes helped make him one of the most effective proponents of the freedom philosophy I have had the privilege of knowing. Harry's numerous books and columns, his radio and internet broadcasts, and his speeches educated millions in sound economics and the benefits of a free society. Harry motivated many people to become activists in the movement to restore American liberties. Harry first came to public attention in the 1970 when he penned a best-selling investment book, How You Can Profit From the Coming Devaluation, which foresaw President Richard Nixon's abandonment of the gold standard and the ways the American economy would be damaged by the inevitable resulting inflation. Harry's book helped many Americans survive, and even profit, during the economic troubles of the seventies. It also introduced millions of people to the insights developed by followers of the Austrian school of economics regarding the dangers fiat currency poses to both prosperity and liberty posed by fiat. How You Can Profit From the Coming Devaluation is generally recognized as the founding document of the hard money movement, which combined the insights of the Austrian economists with a practical investment strategy. Harry's third book, You Can Profit from a Monetary Crisis, reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. Other popular books by Harry include How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, The Great Libertarian Offer, and Why Government Doesn't Work. I was pleased to write the foreword for one of Harry's books, Liberty A-Z: Libertarian Soundbites You Can Use Right Now, a collection of direct, thought-provoking, and often humorous responses to the questions advocates of the freedom philosophy face. During the nineties, Harry worked to advance liberty as a presidential candidate, columnist, and radio talk-show host. He also hosted an internet-based talk show and founded DownsizeDC, a grassroots advocacy group whose goals are accurately summed up in its title. Even while struggling with Lou Gehrig's disease, Harry maintained a full schedule of writing, hosting his radio show, and speaking around the country. Harry's efforts were not limited to the economic realm. He understood the threat to liberty and prosperity posed by global crusades for democracy, as well as the importance of opposing restrictions on civil liberties. Harry's outspoken defense of civil liberties and the Framers' foreign policy of nonintervention took on added importance in the last years of his life. Unlike many self-styled advocates of liberty, Harry Browne never attempted to curry favor with the political establishment by focusing solely on issues of economic liberty. He never combined advocacy of low taxes and regulations with active support for militarism and restrictions on personal liberty. In all his educational, financial, and political work Harry served as a model for everyone who works for the free society. Harry was principled and uncompromising in message, while temperate and respectful of differing opinions in delivery. He avoided the histrionics too common in our today's talk show culture, and he never personalized his arguments. Even when an opponent resorted to ad hominem attacks, Harry always kept his presentation on the high ground of ideas and principles. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I extend my sympathy to Harry Browne's wife, Pamela, and daughter Autumn, as well as the many he befriend in his years in the freedom movement. I pay tribute to Harry Browne for his lifelong efforts on behalf of individual liberty.
Norman Kirk Singleton
http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2006/cr033006.htm
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