SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) announced details for his fourth annual Utah Economic Forum, which will take place at Utah Valley University’s Orem campus Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012.
Hatch’s forum this year, “Fixing America’s Tax Code and Saving Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security for Future Generations,” will feature special guest Lawrence Lindsey, an economic guru who served on President George W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisors and as a Special Assistant to the President for Policy Development during the first Bush administration.
“Our nation is at a crossroads,” Hatch said. “Government spending, our national debt and unemployment are too high; Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are headed toward insolvency; and our tax system is inefficient and needs an overhaul.
“That is why I am pleased to have someone of Dr. Lindsey’s reputation and expertise at this year’s forum. As an advisor to Presidents, he has a keen understanding of U.S. fiscal policy and the challenges facing our nation’s financial future. This interactive forum will provide a welcome opportunity for participants to not only ask questions and discuss those problems, but also work collectively to devise solutions.”
Our focus at this year’s forum will be on controlling entitlement spending and reforming our convoluted tax code. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid drive 60 percent of our national debt. If we don’t act to reform them, these will be nothing more than another empty promise to our seniors. And our tax system, which has been likened to a noxious weed, is choking off economic growth and injecting uncertainty into the marketplace, thus preventing job creators from hiring more workers, investing and expanding.
The forum is free and open to the public; no registration is required. It will take place at Utah Valley University’s Ragan Theater in the Sorenson Student Center from 10-11:30 a.m. There will be a 10-minute media availability at 11:30 a.m.  For further information, please call Hatch’s Provo office at (801) 375-7881 or Salt Lake City office at (801) 524-4380).