The national debt in the United States isn’t a Republican issue or a Democratic problem. It’s an American disaster waiting to happen. The national debt has reached nearly $17 trillion (at the time of this writing) and millions of Americans are concerned about the heavy debt load and the burden on them as well as on the economy.
An organization that addresses the national debt is gaining momentum and support across the country. Fix the Debt is a non-partisan movement that encourages an improved fiscal and economic outlook. The group is comprised of individuals from all political backgrounds with the common agreement that the national debt hinders everyone’s future.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization has chapters in all states and there have been meetings held recently to to express their concerns. It also has another goal of educating the general public regarding a comprehensive plan to fix the budget deficit and the growing national debt.
“In our history, America has always been able to tackle its greatest challenges – we are confident we can rise to the occasion again,” Fix the Debt states on its website.
A petition is being floated around that is urging Congress and the administration to act now, realize the mounting debt is unsustainable, the solution is in all facets of the federal budget, protect the country’s values, put political ideologies behind us and put the nation’s interests ahead of special interests.
The petition has generated more than 351,000 signatures out of 400,000 signatures (at the time of this writing).
“America is more than $16 trillion in debt, creating a catastrophic threat to our security and economy,” the organization explains in its petition. “Thankfully, we can prevent disaster and renew economic strength.”
On Friday, Fix the Debt Maine, co-chaired by former Maine Governor John Baldacci, sponsored a small meeting at Husson University. During the gathering, the former governor talked about the interest payments on the national debt, which adds approximately $400 billion each year to the total debt – when interest rates climb that number is going to soar.
“When I was in Congress [working with] Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich, we had a Congress that addressed the debt and deficit,” said Baldacci, according to a NBC News affiliate. “And frankly it’s part of that experience that leads me to believe that if we can get this package put together in a comprehensive approach and get our debt and deficit on a downward trend then our economy will see a great bump.”
Late last month, Fix the Debt Tennessee spoke to roughly 300 individuals at the Nashville Downtown Rotary Club. The oration included a presentation on the grassroots movement and was attended by former Tennessee Governor Winfield Dunn and Tennessee Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper.
Earlier this month, Fix the Debt Arizona established a town hall meeting that was attended by more than 400 concerned citizens. It was attended by many public officials, including Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake, who explained that the debt requires bipartisan solutions. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane noted that the federal government could learn from municipalities when it comes to handling public finances.
The website features a variety of important elements of the national debt, including infographics, reports, analysis, videos, statements by the nation’s leaders and much more. It also has a significant social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
“Many of the country’s premier economic minds have joined the Campaign’s call to action, speaking to the urgency of our nation’s debt crisis and hopefully serving as a wake-up call to the President and Congress to fix it,” said Maya MacGuineas , head of the Campaign to Fix the Debt, in a media release last month.
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