Former US Senator Alan Simpson from Wyoming Passes Away.

Former US Senator from Wyoming, Republican Alan Simpson, known for his humor, passed away on Friday, March 14, at the age of 93.

Simpson famously joked, “We have two political parties in this country, the stupid party and the evil party. I belong to the stupid party.” A moderate in politics, Simpson served three terms as senator from 1979 to 1997, a time when the Republican Party saw a resurgence under President Ronald Reagan. During this period, Simpson served as the Senate’s top Republican leader, playing a key role in uniting Republican senators to support legislative agendas.

He was a deficit hawk, often making sharp remarks about individuals relying on government assistance. He also supported abortion rights.

Having many Democratic friends, Simpson once humorously responded when asked about the biggest difference between Republicans and Democrats, “I wear size 15 shoes, he wears size 8 and a half shoes.”

In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Simpson to co-chair a debt reduction committee, which proposed a plan to save $4 trillion through tax increases and spending cuts. In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded Simpson the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Simpson’s father, Milward Simpson, served as governor of Wyoming, US senator, and state legislator. His mother, Lorna Simpson, was the chair of the Red Cross in Cody and a member of the local planning committee. Many of his family members have been involved in politics and government.

Born in 1931, Simpson grew up in Cody, where he engaged in reckless shooting and property damage, leading to legal troubles. He graduated from Cody High School in 1949 and the University of Wyoming in 1954. He married and joined the US Army, serving in the 5th Infantry Division and the 2nd Armored Division in Germany.

After his military service, Simpson earned a law degree from the University of Wyoming in 1958 and joined his father’s law firm. He was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives in 1964 and to the US Senate in 1976, where he served on committees such as the Immigration Subcommittee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

【Source: Reuters】