Fix The Debt

Citizen and business leaders from across the country came to Washington, DC on Wednesday, November 28th, to discuss with policymakers the need for smart, bipartisan and comprehensive action to address the fiscal cliff and national debt. They met with Members of Congress and delivered the message from more than 300,000 signatories of the Citizen’s Petition to Fix the Debt: inaction is not an option.

Three of those leaders penned an op-ed for The Hill on the need for cooperation and solutions now.

In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, some of the attendees shared the reasons why they are involved.  Watch the press conference here:

Wanda Rohm, founder and former owner of Presto Printing in San Antonion, TX had this to say:  

"Small business owners understand the current challenges — they want to give employees benefits and get new equipment, but they know what you can and can't afford. Likewise, government needs to learn what it can and can't afford. Great empires have fallen. Fortunately, the threat is coming from the inside of the United States, so it's things that we can control and change, because it's coming from within, not from without.”

Cookie Driscoll, a Small Business Owner of Fairfield, PA, felt the fiscal cliff was causing uncertainty in the market. "It's a House of Cards that's slowing coming down," said Driscoll. 

Chris Holman, who is Chair of the National Small Business Association (NSBA) was also worried about the fiscal cliff. “It's a real fiscal issue — businesses are holding back cash right now because ‘investment hates uncertainty.’ As soon as that uncertainty is resolved we'll see the economy kick in again. We're telling them to put aside partisanship and go at this objectively because of the economic welfare of the country — politics has to move aside," he said. 

In closing, Maya Macguineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and spokeswoman for Fix the Debt, said: “People are coming forward to say I'm willing to be part of the solution. They are not coming with their hand out to ask for something or saying ‘don't touch this,’ but just wanting to be part of the solution. That's what makes this campaign different."

Earlier in the day, supporters met with Representatives to talk about the Campaign. Below are some photos of their meetings: