We take a break today from our regularly scheduled blogging to pay tribute to a great American, Henry Hyde. Mr. Hyde served in Congress, representing Illinois for over 30 years. He recently was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest honor for civilians. The citation noted:
A veteran, a lawyer, and a public servant, Henry Hyde has served his country with honor and dedication. During his 32-year career in the House of Representatives, he was a powerful defender of life, a leading advocate for a strong national defense, and an unwavering voice for liberty, democracy, and free enterprise around the world. A true gentleman of the House, he advanced his principles without rancor and earned the respect of friends and adversaries alike. The United States honors Henry Hyde for his distinguished record of service to America.
He is best known to me as a champion of pro-life causes, most notably as the author of the Hyde Amendment, which halted federal funding of abortions and abortion advocacy groups, both in the US and around the world.
His approach and demeanor for congressional politics fits in well with our theme here at Huck The System. True political leadership is about making the country better, not consolidating your power and position. Consider this comment in Rich Lowry's column about Hyde:
He once told incoming congressmen, in the political axiom he lived by, that they "need to be at least as clear on the reasons why they would risk losing as they are on the reasons why they wanted to come here in the first place."
Here's a nice video of fellow congressmen & women paying tribute to Hyde. Note the bipartisanship.
Other good youtube links:
More tribute
Series of videos from fellow representatives
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Not everyone reported on Henry Hyde in the same way. For a different viewpoint, see this article.
RIP-ping Henry "Nothing to" Hyde
I, myself, was extremely disappointed in Henry Hyde's 4-page, 4-color campaign brochure (the one he put out to be re-elected) that did not include one single word on his pro-life stance. NOT EVEN ONE! How pro-life is that? (I pray for Henry's soul - along with all the others - wherever they may be.) God save us all!
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