Saturday, July 19, 2008

Bllnd pig finds an acorn

Jim Sensenbrenner makes an admittedly small gesture to help Tibetan refugees, as reported by the International Campaign for Tibet:
U.S. Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced the Tibetan Refugee Assistance Act on July 17 to provide 3,000 immigrant visas to long-staying Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal. Congressmen Miller and Sensenbrenner traveled to Dharamsala, India, as part of the Congressional delegation led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in March to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, express concern for the volatile situation in Tibet, and explore ways to demonstrate support for the Tibetan people. The Tibetan Refugee Assistance Act extends support by providing 3,000 immigrant visas to qualified Tibetans over a three year period...

"The plight of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhists is well-known," said Representative Sensenbrenner. "During the course of the trip in March, I had the opportunity to experience one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life - the privilege of meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, head of state and spiritual leader of Tibet. The meeting provided the delegation with the opportunity to have a frank and comprehensive discussion about the plight of the Tibetan people...with very few options available to them...the legislation Congressman Miller and I introduced today will provide relief..."
That trip to Dharamsala actually did some good. Pelosi should share the credit for bringing him along, assuming she had a choice of traveling companions.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Since Dems took over, it's all gone to hell

Emergency! Emergency!

Those damned entitlement programs are eating up the whole budget, and those damned Democrats won't do anything about it, says Jim Sensenbrenner in a recent op ed. He says, among other things:

While these statistics may be shocking to some, my constituents know I have spoken out about this looming crisis for years...

In recent years, Republicans in Congress have introduced a number of legislative and administrative proposals in an attempt to slow the growth of Medicare spending, only to be criticized for trying to cut the program...

It is time for Democrats controlling the agenda in Congress seriously to debate the crushing costs of entitlement programs and start implementing real reforms.
OK, here's the rub: Weren’t the Republicans in control of the House from 1995-06? And didn’t they control both houses of Congress and the White House 2003-06?

Why, pray tell, didn't they do something? Now that the Dems are in charge, the sky is falling.