Nearly 100 Albany residents tried their hand at balancing the federal budget tonight during a deficit reduction workshop held by Representative Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02). The bi-partisan Concord Coalition helped organize the event at Albany Technical College, which put people into groups of five to ten and asked them to work together and act as their own budget committee.
“We cannot continue financing the government on a credit card, and after the town hall meeting tonight it is clear to me that the American people want those days to come to an end,” said Rep. Bishop. “The current federal debt and budget deficit is simply unsustainable, and after years of uncontrolled borrowing and spending, we need to find solutions and stop kicking the can down the road.”
The Concord Coalition is a nationwide, non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to educating the public about the causes and consequences of federal budget deficits. During similar town hall events across the country, participants used their “Principles and Priorities Workbook” to examine a variety of spending and revenue options and decide which options are the fairest and most effective way to balance the federal budget.
Rep. Bishop is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of fiscally responsible Democrats who are working to find a responsible framework to reduce spending, pay down the debt and balance the budget. With the nation focused on the huge fiscal challenges facing the United States, Rep. Bishop wanted to hear directly from local residents about their concerns and listen to their potential solutions.
“Getting our fiscal house in order is a huge task that will require making hard decisions about our nation’s priorities,” said Rep. Bishop. “We are at a moment of truth. We must not place the burden of our fiscal irresponsibility on the backs of our children and grandchildren. I am going to take the solutions I heard tonight back to Washington, share them with my colleagues, and start working immediately to solve this crisis.
