Congressman visits Decatur County

Kim Casuscelli

Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District hosted a town hall meeting Thursday at the Greensburg Public Library meeting room. Attendence neared the 50 mark.

Pence took the first ten minutes of the meeting to update those in attendence on progress in relation to the war on terror, developments on the home front, budget issues and agricultural advancements. Pence then turned his attention to questions and comments.

Pence began his address to the Greensburg community with the topic of terrorism. “We’ve just come through a tough 48 hours. We will continue to fund the war,” Pence stated in regard to the Friday bombing of a Sunni mosque in Iraq.

Continuing, Pence said, “It will never completely go away before the American soldiers will come home.” As the third year of fighting in Iraq enters full swing, Pence reported being “right on track” toward a stand down in Iraq in the projected three to five year range.

About the wire tapping initiative recently spoken about by the Bush administration, Pence said, “Americans’ argument is between liberty and security. There is no right answer, but a balance.”

Leading the question and comment time was community member Bill Sutherland. Among several points, Sutherland inquired about the security of Saddam Hussein’s holding. Pence stated, “He’s mouthy, but he isn’t going anywhere. I’ve been where they keep him.”

Joe Rust stood to question the subject of private property in regard to the Kelo v. the City of New London Supreme Court decision. This decision passed to enable private property to be taken from one party and given to benefit another private party. Pence responded in explanation of a bill already passed in the House of Representatives that would deny Federal funding to any city in America that makes use of eminent domain. Pence said, “I am deeply troubled. I believe private property has been the central element of freedom.”

The most time consuming discussion was begun with Marc Bacon’s comments in regard to the Farm Bill and biodeisel and ethanol fuels. Bacon and nearly 100 others involved with the state board and county presidential titles recently toured D.C. with Pence. He left with Pence reports stating the rise in input costs for farmers. “Nitrogen alone has doubled in the last five or six years. And farmers are still getting $2 corn,” said a concerned Bacon.

Pence explained his work on a Farm Flexibility Act on which he has been working for four years. This act would allow farmers to benefit by venturing into precision farming and crop rotation. Also, Pence spoke of interest in exploration of alternative fuels with inclusion of oil drilling within country borders via spider technology.

When comments were made by C. C. Wright in regard to the Hurricane Katrina relief, Pence stated, “The role of the government is to create an economic incentive to go back (to the area) but not require it.”

Also mentioned in the time alotted for community response were matters of campaign funding methods, budgeting with consideration to veterans and social security, updating of the G.I. bill and the rise in obesity.

For more information about Congressman Mike Pence, visit his website at http://www.mikepence.com.

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