Man of the Year: Jim Sensenbrenner

Man of the Year: Jim Sensenbrenner

by Terence P. Jeffrey
Posted Dec 22, 2006



Lord Acton’s famous observation that power tends to corrupt has been lamentably borne out by the recent history of the Republican Party. When it finally gained control of both the White House and Congress, it turned away from some of the very principles that had secured it majority status.

Yet Acton’s axiom has not been reflected in the behavior of at least one Republican leader in the House of Representatives. He is Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, who has served for the past six years as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and whom the editors of Human Events have chosen as Man of the Year for 2006.

Conservative Principles

First elected in 1978, Sensenbrenner has served in Congress for almost three decades without setting aside his core principles—and they are decidedly conservative principles. He is a fiscal conservative. He is a pro-life, pro-marriage social conservative. He has been hawkish, but not reckless, in his approach to foreign affairs and national security. And he has a profound respect for the division of powers built into the Constitution.

In this Congress, Sensenbrenner valiantly spurred House Republicans to use their power as the majority party to thwart President Bush’s illegal-alien amnesty plan. At the same time, he effectively promoted serious border security and immigration reform proposals of his own.

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