Governing Past Gridlock: Why Fiscal Responsibility Still Matters
As Washington emerges from another budget standoff, former U.S. Representative for Georgia's 7th Congressional District Dr. Carolyn Bourdeaux reminds us that fiscal responsibility is not a partisan issue but a national imperative. The country faces a serious and growing problem with its debt and deficit – one that threatens our economic strength, national security, and generational fairness. Drawing on her experience as both a member of Congress and Executive Director of The Concord Coalition, she offers a candid assessment of the fiscal and political challenges confronting the nation, while outlining ideas for how we can move beyond stalemate to restore stability, political trust, and long-term prosperity. With insight drawn from both sides of the aisle, Bourdeaux will explore what it will take to rebuild cooperation and strengthen America’s fiscal future.
A reception will immediately follow the program from 4-5 pm.
Dr. Carolyn Bourdeaux is the Executive Director of The Concord Coalition and Concord Coalition Action Fund, where she is building a grassroots movement to advocate for fiscal responsibility, including working to balance the federal budget and cut the $36 trillion national debt.
Dr. Bourdeaux served as a Democratic Member of Congress from Georgia from 2021-2022 after winning one of the most competitive races in the country. During her time in Congress, Dr. Bourdeaux worked with the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and served as Co-Chair of the Blue Dog Coalition Task Force on Fiscal Responsibility and Government Reform. She led bipartisan efforts to advance solutions to our nation’s fiscal challenges through responsible budgeting reform and requiring Congress to pay for programs. She also led policy work on health care, small business and infrastructure. Dr. Bourdeaux is a contributing columnist to the Atlanta Journal Constitution and a Senior Visiting Scholar at the University of Georgia.
Dr. Bourdeaux is an expert in national, state and local public finance. Prior to entering politics, she was a professor at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Among her many accomplishments, she served as Director of Georgia’s Senate Budget and Evaluation Office during the Great Recession, where she received recognition by the Senate for significant service to the State of Georgia (S.Res. 1598).
Budget Simulation Event
Have you ever wondered how the federal budget is determined?
Sign up for Principles & Priorities: An Interactive Federal Budget Challenge, an engaging, fast-paced small group workshop to confront the same difficult choices that lawmakers face in Washington. You'll receive a menu of real policy options across major areas of the federal budget and work together to debate priorities, negotiate trade-offs, and design your own plan to stabilize federal debt.
The workshop takes place on Thursday, January 15, from 3-5 pm, at the Danforth University Center, Room 276.
The event is hosted by the Gephart Institute for Civic and Community Engagement and co-sponsored by the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy and the Department of Political Science.