Rokita Report 10-12-12: Fall Festival Season

Rep. Todd Rokita

Oct 12, 2012

Dear Friend,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 112th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well.

For daily updates, please take a moment to "Like" my Facebook page by clicking here: .

This Week (Oct. 7 - Oct. 13)

One of my favorite times of the year in Indiana is our fall festival season, which is in full swing right now. The Indiana Office of Tourism Development has a great roundup here of some of the best festivals happening around our state this month.

This past weekend, my family and I attended the Heartland Apple Festival at Beasley's Orchard and Gardens in Danville, as well as the White County Pork and Pumpkin Festival in Monticello. It was a great opportunity to enjoy some nice fall weather, and to learn more about some of the great agricultural products from around our district. Here I am checking out a tractor with my son Teddy:

Have you attended a festival recently with your family? Visit my Facebook album here to see more photos from our visit to the Heartland Apple festival, and to share some of your own photos from any festivals you’ve visited recently.

Also this week, I spoke to the monthly meeting of the Greencastle Defenders of Liberty, as well as the weekly meeting of the Danville Rotary Club. I always appreciate the opportunity to visit with citizens like them and challenge them to get out of their comfort zones and talk boldly with their friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens about the future of this republic. These photos are from the events in Greencastle and Danville:

Last Week (Sept. 30 - Oct. 6)

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit with the Lafayette Citizens in Action and to share with them my presentation on spending and debt, which I’ve now given more than 50 times around the fourth district. The presentation highlights the urgent need to address the drivers of our debt – our entitlement programs – and explains why many of the “simple” solutions to our debt crisis just won’t cut it. Here’s a photo from the question-and-answer session after the presentation:

I also appeared on WLS radio last Thursday morning with hosts Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft to talk about entitlements and tax reform (click here for audio).

In Case You Missed It

1st Annual Red Tape Rollback Report

Rokita Op-Ed: Complex, unfair tax code stands in way of recovery

RAISE Act - Commentary: It's time for a new Labor Day

PJ Media - Two Ex-Secretaries of State Introduce Bill to Clean Up Voter Rolls

For additional news items, please visit my In the News page.

Rokita Readings
A clickable offering of books and articles that I've read recently and highly recommend, as we strive together to "Keep the Republic."

There’s been much talk in recent weeks about the large percentage of Americans – estimated to be as high as 47 percent – who don’t pay income taxes, and what this means for the future of our republic.

In a recent Wall Street Journal piece, Arthur Brooks explains why this reflects the way that current policies are failing middle- and lower-income Americans. Brooks is one of my favorite thinkers, and an articulate defender of our free enterprise system.

Brooks makes the point that recent federal policies have served to work against the idea of an opportunity-based society, where everyone has a chance to earn their own success. Specifically, he highlights the waste and inefficiency in our education system, saying: “Kids—especially poor kids—have the moral right to schools that deliver a brighter future, not an economy in ruins.” And he underscores the way that our tax code and regulatory system serve to stifle entrepreneurship – a key component of earned success.

Those of us who believe in the morality of the free enterprise system should be encouraged. The facts are on our side, and the solutions we have to offer are the best, fairest system for Americans of all income levels. As Brooks demonstrates, we simply need to know the facts and make our case clearly and unapologetically.

Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts in Washington. Take care.

Sincerely,