Letter to the editor: Berg’s words, actions don’t match on farm programs

There are some things that need to be said about our current congressman from North Dakota. As a farmer I get very frustrated at people who say one thing to my face and then do something else later. Rick Berg does this quite often in Washington these days. He tells us that he opposes cutting $180 billion from the current farm bill, and then he goes back to Washington and votes for the Paul Ryan budget plan that cuts $177 billion in farm aid.

This state relies on agriculture for its livelihood and most if not all businesses in rural North Dakota rely on producers to bring in the money to keep these communities growing. $177 billion is a lot of money to just take from rural communities and expect them to survive. That is not the kind of leadership we need in this state or any state for that matter.

Then Berg claimed he opposes cuts to crop insurance; at least according to The Jamestown Sun in an article in the April 17 edition. Which is a very good statement; however, in Washington back in 2011 he voted for the first Ryan budget plan, which would have cut federal payments to crop insurance by around 20 percent.

This race for the next U.S. senator from North Dakota has never been more clear as to which candidate has North Dakota’s interest at heart. We don’t need any more of the same old politics going on in Washington. It is time to say we have had enough and elect someone who will do as we think is right not what is in the best interest for his or her own pocketbook.

Let’s retire Berg along with the rest of the wrong-sighted people in Washington.

David Heinrich

Adrian, N.D.

Tags: opinion, letters