Van Zandt News - Congressman Gives Update

News Article

By Donnita Fisher

Much of the Federal government has grown "too large, too entitled and too arrogant," Congressman Jeb Hensarling told those gathered at a Town Hall meeting in Canton March 31.

"Our government is no longer accountable to we the people," he said. "But I'm here to listen to your suggestions and hear you ideas." The American people expect and deserve a Congress and White House that works together to forge common sense solutions that address the real problems that families are facing. Unfortunately, President Obama and his administration continue pursue the "my way or the highway approach' to governing that focuses on advancing his own agenda instead of addressing the real problems that families are facing today."

Several questioned the Congressman concerning securing our southern border -- specifically how to get funding to protect it. Getting any funding will be a challenge "with the current occupant in the White House," Hensarling said. "I try to be an optimist every day in my job. It's hard to be an optimist with a man in the White House who has a pen and a phone but not a copy of the Constitution."

It is important to control border access, he said, because terrorist could easily gain access to drug smugglers and human trafficking routes. Already, he said, many of those crossing the border are classified as "other than Mexican."

A nation that ceases to have borders ceases to be a nation," Hensarling said.

Securing the border doesn't mean limiting immigration, however, he said. The congressman said he was pro-immigration, himself the descendant of German immigrants who came to America seeking better fortune or religious freedom. "But it has to be legal," he said. "Come here, get a job, and learn English. It needs to be: What are you going to do to help build America?"

Hensarling told those gathered, however, that the threat of ISIS "paled when compared to a nuclear-capable Iran."

If Iran has nuclear weapons, it will result in a total destabilization of the Middle East, he said, and America needs to stand beside Israel because without Israel's constant battle against terrorist "they would be on our shore."

Democracy is a participatory sport, Hensarling said, and he praised Texas' voter ID law saying "I can't think of anything more common sense."

ObamaCare, on the other hand, isn't sensible, the Congressman said. American's are being forced to "buy health coverage we don't want at prices we can't afford on a website that doesn't work," he said.

Hensarling said he would lie for healthcare coverage to be optional. "If you like ObamaCare, keep it. If you don't bail out," he said.

Hensarling, who serves as chair of the financial Services Committee, told the 60 or so Van Zandt county resident gathered at the Farm Bureau that the national debt is out of control. "It's not a matter of if America goes bankrupt, but when America goes bankrupt," he said. "We cannot pay our bills and we are spending money we don't have.

The budget could be balanced immediately but taxes would have to be tripled, Hensarling said. "What we need to do," he said, "is limit spending -- limit the size, scope, power and expense of government."

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