Time to re-tool
By Michele Harris
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
Washington, D.C.— Nicknamed the cowboy state, Wyoming was home to Buffalo Bill Cody and the place where Harry Longabaugh earned the alias “the Sundance Kid.”
For one of its most notable citizens, growing up in the cowboy state meant a hefty dose of Old West style morality. As a youngster, he hid in a back room of the State House and overheard men threaten the life of his father, the governor, over the construction of a state highway. His grandfather killed a man on the streets of Cody back in August of 1923 and that same grandfather was none other than Butch Cassidy’s lawyer.
Though former Senator Alan Simpson’s formative years were firmly rooted in cowboy justice, his later years are just as firmly rooted in justice for all.
A plain talking conservative Republican, Simpson served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 1997. He was the rare free thinker who voted with his heart and not necessarily with his party, a quality missing from the Senate chamber in recent years.
Never afraid to speak his mind, Simpson landed in hot water on quite a few occasions. When the dust settled, Simpson was often vindicated. If he wasn’t, he didn’t try to spin the story his way. He got on the phone and apologized.
Since leaving office, Simpson has remained active. The Erickson Tribune caught up with him recently and made the mistake of asking if he was retired. “Don’t ever retire. Don’t ever even use the word. Do something else!” he says.
For Simpson, “something else” includes his recent service on the President’s hand-picked Iraq study group, working with former Senate colleagues Bill Bradley and Warren Rudman on campaign reform issues, and serving along with former senator Bob Kerry on a commission seeking to improve the writing skills of America’s youth.
In between, Simpson gives speeches, chairs the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo., and spends time with his wife Ann and their children and grandchildren.