Letter to the Editor: In Support of Pam Byrnes

10/3/2014

Knowing that there is a lot riding on the November 4 election, I’ve begun looking at the candidates. In our 7th Congressional District, incumbent Representative, Tim Walberg, is being challenged by Pam Byrnes, a former member of the Michigan House. While there she built a reputation as an independent reformer with common sense solutions.

You can study where she stands on issues by going to her website.
Additionally, if you would like to meet Pam, she will be at the Clinton Inn, on Michigan Ave. in Clinton on Wednesday, October 15, from 6-8 PM to meet voters.

Pam Byrnes seems like a positive person. She is straightforward and wants to get things done. During her time in the Michigan Legislature, Pam worked to make government more accountable. She voted to cut legislators’ pay, end lifetime healthcare for legislators, and dock legislators’ pay if they miss sessions. Now, Pam proposes Members of Congress take a 10 percent pay cut and not get another pay raise until they balance the budget. Pam will fight to end unnecessary perks for Congress like taxpayer-funded luxury vehicles and first-class airfare. And she will work to stop taxpayer-funded pensions for lawmakers who work as lobbyists. She is willing to take on the system, and even her own party, to make Washington more accountable to the people.

On the whole, I like her reasonable “let’s move forward” attitude. Last year, when Congressman Walberg voted to shut down the government for 14 days, he cost the taxpayers $24 million and endangered Michigan seniors, veterans and small business owners while never putting his own $174,000 salary in danger.

We need to have a government that leads us forward. Sure, there are fixes that we should make, but there are also things in Washington that we should end, and I believe one on them is Representative Walberg’s term in office.

Patty Swaney
Manchester

Editor’s Note: The Manchester Mirror has begun publishing letters to the editor. Click HERE for our Letters to the Editor Policy.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.