The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Schauer campaign seeks local support
State representative hopes to pull upset win in Congressional race
By Daniel Lai, Editor
PUBLISHED: April 17, 2008
Stressing a message of government reform and accountability, state Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Grand Rapids, met with Manchester area residents April 10 at the Coffee Mill CafÈ as part of his grassroots campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Advertisement
The Senate minority leader is hoping to oust first-term U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, for Michigan's District 7 seat in the Nov. 4 election.
"(Tim) Walberg does not care about the people of Michigan," Schauer said. "I wake up every day thinking about all the jobs our state has lost and all the plants that are closing; that's why I am running."
Addressing topics ranging from increased healthcare costs to the outsourcing of local jobs, Schauer vowed to serve as the voice of his rural constituents in Washington if elected.
"I will not represent the special interests that cater to the big corporations Tim Walberg and the Bush administration support while they continue to bankrupt our communities and working families," he said. "There is no more important issue to our state than creating and keeping jobs."
Though she agreed with his message of reform, Village President Pat Vailliencourt questioned how Schauer would be able to draw and keep businesses in Michigan.
"The bottom line is, we can't create enough jobs to replace the ones we are giving away overseas," Vailliencourt said. "Paying companies to take jobs offshore in the name of free trade is asinine."
Schauer said in order to make the state more enticing to businesses, the federal government needs to focus more attention on training and education.
"There are 23,000 jobs open in Michigan that we can't fill because we don't have the qualified applicants," Schauer said. "In order to attract these tool and die companies, we need federal support for our community colleges and workforce programs. I think a lot of folks in Washington couldn't even find our state on a map and they are deaf to the challenges our manufacturing sector is going through.
"I will fight to make sure Michigan jobs stay in Michigan."
Pulling double duty, Schauer used the campaign stop as a springboard to promote the State Legislature's Healthcare for Michigan Initiative.
"The lack of access for many children and citizens is not only morally wrong; it compounds the economic problems that are so persistent in this state. No one should have to worry about losing their home, or being in debt for life, because they or a loved one become ill and can't secure coverage," said Schauer. "And when people go uninsured they are more likely to wind up in emergency rooms for basic care, which drives up the cost for them, as well as everyone else who depends on this system. It's time to change Michigan's health care status quo."
However, Schauer drew heavy criticism from local residents for his support of a government-controlled universal healthcare system.
"If businesses were required to buy into a universal healthcare program, it would drive smaller homegrown business owners to close their doors," Valliencourt said. "I don't offer my eight employees at the Coffee Mill healthcare insurance because I can't afford it. If the government starts mandating universal healthcare, you will see nothing but empty buildings."
Schauer said he would support a hybrid healthcare system that would be the least intrusive for small businesses.
"Health insurance costs are rising, there is no doubt about that. In Michigan, 10 percent of the population is without health insurance and when they get sick, it drives up the cost for the rest of us," he said. "We pay $700 in insurance premiums due to the inefficiencies and lack of health insurance coverage in the state. Something has to be done."
The Iraq War and special interest groups were also hot button issues residents expressed concern over.
"This president has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on contracts with Halliburton and Black Water while we have been deceived and lied to," Schauer said. "This war has been bad from all standpoints and I will work with Congress to listen to our men and women in uniform.
"I am going to do what's right for the people of Michigan and I won't be a rubber stamp for the next president no matter who he or she may be."
Not all stories are guaranteed to appear
online. The Web edition contains a reasonable
sampling of the print edition stories.
For the most complete news coverage, we invite you to
subscribe
to the print edition of the paper.
TOP JOBS
