The Flow of Consciousness

Congressman Altmire,

First, I applaud your recently-introduced modernization of the G.I. Bill. Taking care of veterans after they’ve served the country is an important and noble thing. They’ve served us well, so we need to return the service and give them the means necessary to continue to be responsible, productive citizens after discharge.

Second, and on a more negative note, I’m frustrated with the House’s passing of a H.R. 1077, the resolution calling for China to stop its shenanigans in and with Tibet.

I fully support the Tibetans—independence is an important moral to Americans such as you and me. Were I in Congress, I would recognize an official Tibetan government when it forms and open trade with it.

However, this H.R. 1077 does little more than condemn China for something the U.S. has already condemned them! It’s toothless gnashing and saber-rattling, Congressman. The bill doesn’t /do/ anything—it doesn’t place any economic sanctions on China, it doesn’t enable any action, it doesn’t doesn’t have any force of law. It’s empty posturing.

Moreover, the U.S. Constitution does not grant Congress the power to meddle in how China treats the people of Tibet—other than through trade policy. The Constitution does grant Congress the right to regulate trade with China (Article 1, section 8, paragraph 3), and, as such, an economic or immigration restriction would be far more effective than a simple condemnation.

There’s an axiom I find quite apropos for this empty condemnation. It’s called Lazlo’s Chinese Relativity Axiom: “No matter how great your triumphs or how tragic your defeats, approximately one billion Chinese could care less.”

What, if I may ask, was your reason in voting for this resolution, and on what grounds did you find it constitutional?