New Hampshire citizens and leaders discuss tough...

In Manchester, NH, today, two dozen citizens and Washington and New England leaders came together today to try to find common ground on addressing the nation's $9 trillion debt and its component causes--rapidly rising health-care spending, Social Security, discretionary spending, and taxes.

Talking about the problems that most concerned them, participants said:

 “Social Security may not be available for me… I see how hard my grandparents worked, and they’re living off Social Security and Medicare… After paying so much for school, and I’ve been working since 14, I don’t see how I can save enough for retirement….”

“One of my concerns is looking at a system that doesn’t require choices to be made, and we can pile one obligation on one another.”

“My two children are on the verge of adulthood; for the first time, we’re facing a time when our children and grandchildren may face a lower standard of living… The Federal government is representing major interests, not people.”

“The timelines are so much longer than the election cycle. They’re 20-year timelines and beyond. That’s a fundamental problem… We all have to have a greater sense this government is ours.”

“The breakdown of the notion of society and community—people see each other as a collection of individuals. We are stronger as a community. That’s undermined education, health care, social security—these are collective needs. Any modern society needs to have a healthy, well-educated workforce or it will inevitably declined… The sheer remoteness of government—government has no relationship to people and their needs… Government is at the whim of those who can pay the most. Money is not free speech; otherwise you end up with plutocracy.”

The dialogue was part of an ongoing process involving Public Agenda and Viewpoint Learning, in partnership with the Concord Coalition, the Brookings Institution, and the Heritage Foundation.