[StBernard] Weekly Update from Bobby - October 22, 2006

[Westley Annis]

October 22, 2006	 

As we count down the final days until the election, we are lining up our
team to make sure that we reach all of the voters in the First District to
make our final push for victory. We need your help to make these efforts
successful and ensure victory on Election Night!

Volunteers just like you have been working for months to make sure we get
our message out. People like Ray from Slidell have been going door-to-door
to make sure residents of St. Tammany understand the importance of this
election. Others, like Pam in Tangipahoa Parish, have been reaching out by
phone to voters in Kentwood, Amite, and Hammond to share with them our
positive message about the future of our state. And even more people, like
Caitlyn and Paul of Metairie, have been working in our campaign headquarters
in Jefferson Parish.

But the most important part of the election is making sure that voters go to
the polls on Election Day, November 7, and we need your help!

Please email info at bobbyjindal.com to sign up to help on Monday, November 6
or Tuesday, November 7. There will be opportunities to help in every corner
of the district. We need 300 volunteers each day to make this a success, so
sign up today!

Creating an environment where good government is a reality

Recently, I was honored to receive the support of the Alliance for Good
Government for my re-election campaign.

When you usually think about Louisiana politics, good government may not be
the first words that come to mind because of the reputation our state has
for corruption in government. Louisiana ranks third in the number of elected
officials per capita convicted of crimes. This is an issue that I take very
seriously, and I have worked hard in Congress to ensure that we are
establishing a new reputation for our state.

We cannot afford to have the rest of the nation think that Louisiana
politics is a euphemism for lining the pockets of politicians and their
relatives. We have to go above and beyond to prove to the rest of the
country that we are a state that holds our elected officials to the highest
standards so that we can distance ourselves from our colorful history, and
instead become a state that is leading the way in economic development and
technological innovation.

I am honored to have the support of the Alliance for Good Government, and I
will continue working to create an environment where good government and
Louisiana politics go hand in hand.

Supporting agriculture industries in Louisiana

As I was driving through rural Louisiana this week, I began to notice local
farmers picking their cotton crop for this year. Cotton production in
Louisiana has an estimated gross farm value of more than $250 million; a
significant number by any count, yet too often, it is easy to overlook the
value of agriculture in our state.

This week I had a chance to sit down with leaders of the Farm Bureau in
Louisiana to discuss the importance of continuing to support agriculture
industries in our state. I was honored to accept the Friend of the Farm
Bureau award for my work in Congress on this issue. Farming in our state is
more than just a job; it is a way of life that generations of Louisianians
have worked hard to continue. The ag industries in our state face many
challenges, and I have worked hard in Congress to address these challenges
and support these industries.

I talked to the Farm Bureau leaders about the importance of ensuring that
family farms are not excluded from programs designed to aid them. I am
dedicated to continuing at the least the framework of the 2002 Farm Bill.
Farm planning is a multi-year process, and our nation made a long-term
commitment to our agricultural industries and the government must honor that
promise in good faith. We cannot abandon the agriculture industries that
have supported our state for so long.

One concern I have is that the U.S. is on the verge of being a nation that
is a net importer of food rather than a net exporter. Not only is this is a
threat to our agricultural industries, but it is also a threat to our
national security. We have to do more to support Louisiana agriculture, and
ensure that our country can continue to feed our citizens.

As a member of the Congressional Rural Caucus, I have banded together with a
group of my colleagues to ensure that the interests of American farmers are
protected, and I will continue to support legislation and policy that has a
positive effect on the agricultural community in our state.

Creating new opportunities for Louisiana families

On Wednesday, I had a great time riding in the Washington Parish Fair
parade. Thousands of people lined the streets of Franklinton to watch the
parade, and kick off the opening of what is billed as the largest free fair
in the world.

For many families, the fair is a chance to reminisce about a slower pace of
life. I spoke to one family who has been attending the fair for decades, and
had four generations of relatives who came out to watch the parade this
year. This family is a great example of why it is so important that we
create economic opportunities so that our children do not have to leave
Louisiana to find success.

Without new opportunities, our kids will continue to move to places like
Austin, Houston, and Atlanta. Louisiana was the only state in South to have
more people move out of state than move in during the 1990s and Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita have taken even more of a toll. Many of these people did
not want to leave Louisiana, but were forced to leave to find jobs. This has
to change. I am committed to creating an environment where businesses and
Louisiana families can succeed so that families like the one I met in
Franklinton can continue to enjoy long-standing family traditions like the
Washington Parish Fair.

Have a wonderful weekend, and as always, please feel free to contact my
offices if we can be of any assistance to you!

Sincerely, 
Bobby