Today, the Ann Arbor News features this letter:

On March 22, I wrote my eighth letter to Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton. I made one more effort to generate some kind of response from the congressman's office since my previous letters did not receive the courtesy of a reply. So far, I have failed to receive any acknowledgment. This lack of desire to actually correspond with a constituent is disappointing.

In the last election I supported Rep. Walberg, both in the primary and the general election. His predecessor, Dr. Joseph Schwartz, responded every time I contacted his office. Although I often did not agree with his answers, he at least did respond, an indication that he did listen to the people in his district.

(Emphasis added.)

And this, from a supporter! The letter, from a man named Stanley Bowling, then continues to commend and criticize others, but Congressman Walberg is held as the gold standard of unresponsiveness.

To be fair, I have heard of people with quick replies from Walberg's office, and I myself have had some quick interactions with his staff. Indeed, Michael Motta, whose horrible experience with Walberg was documented here (Walberg's letter contained many, many factual errors), recently sent me this e-mail:

Fitzy,
Well since I had the horrible paper correspondence from Walberg in the past (that you featured and we've discussed per your video), I figured I'd send along a good response I received in e-mail.
On Walberg's homepage (and in his newsletters) there's that survey that lists topics that you can check-off as interests. He had this and that on it, but no civil liberties! Big surprise huh? So I e-mailed a request for civil liberties to be put on there, and I received a prompt and efficient response, as detailed in the attached forward.
Peace,
Michael Motta

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Michael John Motta" <[]>
To: "Lahr, Matthew" <[]>
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:14:31 -0400
Subject: Re: addition to WW issues list
Hi Matt,
Thanks much! I think that's the most efficient and sensible response I've seen out of Washington since the 'Skins won their three Super Bowls! (I was born in PG County, MD). And you followed through on your word too.
I'll never vote for Walberg unless I get senile dementia, but I recognize that you and tech staff did a good job.
Maybe someday you'll be able to write a book like McClellan's ;)
Peace,
Michael Motta

Lahr, Matthew writes:
Hi Michael,
Thank you for your suggestion to add Civil Liberties to our weekly wrap
up issue list. Civil Liberties should be added to the list when
tomorrow's wrap up goes out.
Take care,
Matt
----
Matt Lahr
Press Secretary
Office of Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07)
202-225-6276
Join Congressman Walberg's weekly email newsletter network to stay
informed on his work in Congress and on behalf of south-central Michigan

(Edited for formating and to remove e-mail addresses.)

So, it is possible for you to have a good correspondence with Tim Walberg's office. Even so, you have to wonder why they ignore Stanley Bowling. When you're running for reelection, the last thing you want is to have a once-loyal supporter writing letters to the editor against you.

Labels: 2008 Election, Constituent Services, Issues, Tim Walberg