Fix The Debt

A picture of the originators of the Citizen's Petition to Fix the Debt at a Memorial Day Barbeque.

Americans don’t shy away from taking on big tasks. The job of fixing the debt is no exception.

In the short period of time since we launched the Fix the Debt Campaign, the response from the public has been beyond expectations.

Nearly 300,000 people have signed the Citizen’s Petition to Fix the Debt, which was has been championed by a band of friends in Vermont. The petition calls for our leaders to work together to agree on a comprehensive plan to tackle our mounting national debt. Petition signers come from all 50 states and all walks of life – including parents and grandparents worried about the burden on future generations, veterans concerned about national security and small business operators anxious about the economy.

These Americans are doing more than signing a statement; they are also getting involved in their communities. State Fix the Debt chapters have recently sprung up in Tennessee, South Carolina, Colorado, Georgia, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.

College supporters at the Presidential Debate in Denver, Colorado.

The Fix the Debt Campaign has been on the road around the country and the reception has always been gratifying. Whether it was at the political party conventions in Tampa Bay and Charlotte or the presidential and vice presidential debates in Denver, Colorado; Danville, Kentucky; or Long Island, New York, we found plenty of concerned citizens who want to see action and have their voices heard. Volunteers also hosted debate watch parties for each of the debates.

Americans are also sharing their personal stories with us. Like David Sebastiao in Hartford, Connecticut who said of fixing the debt, “It'll create more employment opportunities, keep costs low and secure a future for my kids.”

Americans have never shied away from major challenges. And the growth of the Fix the Debt Campaign shows that confronting the debt will be no different.

Update: Here's a summary from some of our recent state chapter launches:

• The Campaign launched its New Hampshire chapter at the State House in Concord. A coalition of leaders from both sides of the aisle urged Congress to resolve the nation’s growing debt crisis including Nashua Mayor Donnalee Lozeau (R) and Manchester Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D). The group called on Granite Staters to join the grassroots effort to make resolving our debt a top priority.
• The Campaign launched its Tennessee chapter on Wednesday, October 24 at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville. The Tennessee chapter’s prominent bipartisan leadership, including former Gov. Winfield Dunn (R), Tim Pagliara, founder of Enact the Plan, former Congressman Lincoln Davis (D), and Paula Flowers, former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, came together to encourage federal lawmakers to put aside partisan differences and work together to find practical solutions to the national debt.
• The Campaign launched its Ohio chapter on Wednesday, October 24. The Ohio chapter’s bipartisan leadership, including former U.S. Senator and Ohio Governor George Voinovich (R), Ohio State Rep. Denise Driehaus (D), and Hillard City Councilman Jim Ashenhurst, urged Congress to address the impending fiscal cliff and national debt before next year. Mr. Voinovich also called on the presidential candidates to address the debt issue. 
• The Campaign also launched its Pennsylvania chapter on Wednesday, October 24. The Pennsylvania chapter’s diverse business and political leadership, including T.J. Rooney, former chairman of the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania, Dave Patti, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Business Council, former Pennsylvania State Senator Bill Stewart, York County Commissioner Chris Riley, and Westmoreland County Commissioner Tyler Courtney, encouraged Pennsylvanians to put pressure on Congress to enact a long-term plan to address the national debt.