Thank you, Tom Vilsack

Source: By Dave Helman, Des Moines Register • Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2017

There is sound reason to have faith in our government when there are steady hands at the helm. Tom Vilsack has proven such a hand. Through two terms as Iowa governor and another eight years as U.S. secretary of agriculture, Tom has never lost sight of his duty to country as a public servant.

Washington seems to do funny things to people. Not Vilsack. We never see him falling prey to the sensationalist, headline-grabbing news cycle. Glitzy sound bites, a rush to the microphone and Twitter feeds are not his style. When Vilsack appears on a news program, it may not be glamorous but it is honest, factual and substantive.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is a vast, multi-faceted agency and more complex than most can imagine. As an administrator, Secretary Vilsack has mastered the subject matter and remained focused on what is important to real people and the nation. He has clearly had the ear of the president of the United States several times. Some see this as power; Vilsack sees it as duty.

Tom Vilsack is a model of public service in whom we can all be proud. Well done, Tom!

— Dave Helman, Salem

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