Ed Crane, the iconic founder and longtime leader of the Cato Institute died earlier this week at the age of 81. Ed built Cato into what became in the 1980s, ’90s and early 2000s, the most influential and sanest voice for free markets, individual liberty and limited government – not just in the United States, but in the entire world.

He almost single-handedly carried the torch for issues like Social Security personal accounts, slashing government spending, term limits, drug legalization, Health Savings Accounts, and a reinvigorated Supreme Court that would, as our founders envisioned, serve as a bulwark of our freedoms striking down laws and regulations that violate our constitutional freedoms.

He didn’t suffer big government fools gladly, and had a wicked sense of humor. He once debated Rep. Barnie Frank on term limits, and when Frank objected that “term limits would create a Congress of mediocrity,” Ed responded: “Congressman, most Americans would consider mediocrity a vast improvement.”

This has been a brutal six months for the voices of free enterprise with Ed Feulner, founder of Heritage Foundation, Fred Smith of FedEx, Charlie Kirk of Turning Point, and now Ed Crane all passing. If there’s a freedom rock’n roll heaven, well you know they’ve got a heck of a band.

UP will be holding an appreciation tribute to Ed Crane in the weeks ahead in Washington and details to come.