Steve Chapman remembers the late William Proxmire

Sen. William Proxmire died this past week. He was a great Senator and a Democrat with guts. Proxmire railed against mindless government spending even when it benefited his own state. They certainly don't make them like Bill Proxmire anymore as Stephen Chapman notes:

He was a philosophical anomaly, voting like a Kennedy on civil rights, the Vietnam War, the environment and the death penalty, but often expressing skepticism about federal programs. "Government has gotten too big too fast," he said in 1979. "The burden of proof ought always to be on those who want to extend government."

Those who want to extend government have had a far easier time since Proxmire left the Senate 17 years ago. Everyone would agree they don't make senators like that anymore. In truth, they never made more than one.