Think You're Smarter Than A Politician?

The President calls and says, “{YOUR NAME}, you know we’ve had to pump some serious money into the U.S. economy to get it going again. Now I’m turning my attention to managing the rising debt. It’s an unsustainable situation, and we’re going to bring expenses back in line. But I’m not going to Congress for answers. It’s YOUR money, and I want to know what YOU want to fund. More importantly, I want to know what cuts you are willing to make. I’ll meet you Saturday.

We’ll spend six and a half hours working through it together, and at the end of the day, we’re going to walk out of that meeting with some answers.”

As I see it, that’s the concept behind a groundbreaking nonpartisan citizen discussion taking place right here in Columbia Saturday during AmericaSpeaks: Our Budget, Our Economy. Hundreds of people of all ages, races, and political affiliations will gather in a neutral space to explore the issues and weigh tough choices we face in managing the burgeoning federal budget.

Throughout the day, our Columbia group will be connected with town meetings taking place simultaneously across the country via live satellite, webcast, and interactive technology. We’ll study the issues together, exchanging ideas about the things that matter most. At the end of the day, we’ll deliver to political leaders in Washington a clear message about the shared priorities of our large, demographically representative group.

It’s a meeting of passionate and visionary people who realize, as I know you do, that the only way to leave our children a healthy economy is to build a sustainable budget based on values we share, rather than politics that divide us.

Be a part of it. Join us at the Columbia Convention Center, or find a location near you, this Saturday, June 26. Learn more and register.