FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 913-485-9266
Campaign to Fix the Debt Launches Local Chapter in Georgia
to Urge Lawmakers to Address Fiscal Cliff and Long-Term Debt
Business Owners, Local elected officials and Community Leaders call on Federal Lawmakers to Find Practical Solutions
(October 25, 2012) – The Campaign to Fix the Debt – a national nonpartisan coalition of business leaders, elected officials, community leaders, academics and concerned citizens – officially launched its state chapter in Georgia to bring concerned individuals together and call lawmakers to address the ballooning national debt.
Campaign to Fix the Debt Georgia co-chairs, including media personality and author Martha Zoller and businessman Rick W. Allen, participated in the launch, which was held at the Georgia State Capitol. Zoller called on lawmakers in Washington to put aside political differences to find practical solutions to the debt and encouraged Georgians to ask their leaders to take action.
“The $16 trillion debt plus interest threatens our nation’s future economic and national security,” said Campaign to Fix the Debt state co-chair Martha Zoller. “America’s out-of-control national debt should stand above all other issues as voters assess the candidates in this critical election year. The bottom line is that we can’t borrow and spend our way to prosperity. Our elected leaders and candidates hold differing opinions on many issues, but they must set partisanship aside and find common solutions that protect our country’s families, businesses and economy from a future economic crisis.”
In addition the long-term challenges associated with our debt, lawmakers will also need to confront the rapidly approaching “fiscal cliff” – over $600 billion of spending cuts and tax hikes next year alone that analysts unanimously agree would push the country back into a recession.
“Business leaders are concerned that Congress and the White House won’t agree on a budget before January. Simply put, we can’t hire new employees or invest in new capital in uncertain economic times, especially if the economy shows no signs of growth,” said Paul Voorhees, CEO of Ranger Joe’s, who attended the Campaign to Fix the Debt state launch. “The massive federal debt affects every aspect of the economy, from interest rates to loans for new construction. Companies of every size are feeling the effects of the national debt.”
The Campaign to Fix the Debt is committed to advocating for our elected leaders to avert the cliff while gradually putting our debt on a sustainable course by generating more tax revenues and making smart spending cuts to programs that aren’t working or aren’t necessary.
“We are thrilled that the Campaign to Fix the Debt is involving so many Georgians at the grassroots level,” said Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, who is spearheading the Campaign. “In order to put our debt on a sustainable path, elected officials are going to have to make tough choices. These choices will be made easier if they know that the people they represent do indeed value cooperation and demand a long-term, comprehensive agreement over our debt.”
Through grassroots organizing, earned media activities and high-profile outreach, the Campaign to Fix the Debt is urging lawmakers to set aside political differences to formulate practical solutions to our nation’s debt problems.
For more information, and to sign the campaign’s Citizen’s Petition, please visit www.fixthedebt.org.
The Campaign to Fix the Debt
The Campaign to Fix the Debt is a non-partisan movement to put America on a better fiscal and economic path. We come together from a variety of social, economic and political perspectives, around the common belief that America's growing federal debt threatens our future and that we must address it. The Campaign will mobilize key communities – including leaders from business, government, and policy – and people all across America who want to see elected officials step up to solve our nation's fiscal challenges.
##