Letter to editor: Berg voted against flood victims

Why did Rep. Rick Berg, R-N.D., vote against providing aid to North Dakota’s flood victims?

On Tuesday, before the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, Berg and virtually every one of his Republican colleagues voted against a motion to add an amendment that would have provided grants to homeowners in areas that have been designated by the president as flood disaster and emergency areas in 2011 to help flood victims rebuild their homes and to prevent huge increases in future premiums for flood insurance they will face as they try to rebuild their lives.

The lawmaker who made the motion, Democrat Leonard Boswell of Iowa, said families in 22 North Dakota counties would benefit from the amendment, including those in Barnes, Benson, Burleigh, Cass, Grand Forks, Ramsey, Stutsman, Ward and Williams counties, as well as families on the Fort Berthold, Spirit Lake and Turtle Mountain reservations.

So, ignorance of what the amendment might have done for hard-hit North Dakota families can’t be Berg’s excuse.

And, certainly, Berg’s not going to repeat the mistake he made in trying to defend his vote for the Ryan budget, when he said it really wasn’t a vote to end Medicare as we know it and turn it into a voucher program, and deny his vote against the motion isn’t really a vote against helping North Dakota’s flood victims.

There’s only one explanation.

Despite his campaign promises, Berg has totally abandoned all pretense of being an independent voice in Congress and an advocate for the state.

His blind political ambition to move to the Senate led him to choose the party line, and the special interests that will finance his campaign, over the people he is sworn to serve.

Consider that before you vote for him in the next election.

Greg Hodur

Fargo

Tags: opinion, editorials, berg, politics, vote