The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Walberg meets with local farmers
U.S. Congressman campaigning to keep 7th District seat
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: August 28, 2008
U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-7th District, visited Saline Aug. 21, talking to a dozen local farmers about agricultural issues at the farm of Howard and Kelven Braun on Willis Road.
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Walberg is campaigning to defend his seat in the U.S. Congress against state Sen. Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek). The coffee hour was hosted by the Washtenaw County Farm Bureau.
Walberg said the 7th District is the most diverse agricultural district in the state, the nation's second most diverse agricultural state in the union. He said Michigan is starting to slip in its economic setting, dipping below states like Alabama and Louisiana.
"We can rebound, but it has to come from the principles that have always worked," he said. "That come from common sense, fiscally conservative that lets the genius of the private sector, the entrepreneurs - and farmers are certainly risk takers."
After hearing Walberg's comments, Kelven Braun pulled out a map and a few pages of notes and asked the politician about the North American Free Trade Agreement super highway and how traffic on a 12-lane roadway from Mexico would affect security and jobs.
Walberg confirmed Texas is working on a roadway, but, "no effort is being made by the Bush administration or Republicans to build the highway that would threaten the union or give away our sovereignty."
Braun asked about Russian slave camps and construction at the North Pole, and Walberg said his staff would, "check it out."
Braun and others asked about H-2A certification, the agricultural guest worker program that allows farmers to hire people who are not U.S. citizens for temporary seasonal help.
"I have co-sponsored legislation that would put flexibility in the H-2A program that would allow farmers the basic contract with employees that they have used in the past to stay for a period of time that we need you every year they will have the assurance they can come back," Walberg said.
His opponent, Mark Schauer, in November's general election visited Saline in early July for a town hall meeting and plans to come back to the area at least once more before the Nov. 4 vote. In a poll released Monday by WXYZ-TV Detroit, Walberg was three points ahead of Schauer.
Thirty-nine percent said they felt favorable about Walberg and 25 had a favorable opinion about Schauer. More than 80 percent of residents polled said they thought things in Michigan are generally headed in the wrong direction and 78 percent felt the same about the country.
The deadline to register to vote in the general election is Oct. 6. Saline City Hall is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and residents of the city may register there. Others may go to the nearest Secretary of State office.
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