Concord Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Concord Coalition is a political advocacy group in the United States
, formed in 1992. A bipartisan
organization, it was founded by former U.S. Senator
Warren Rudman
, former Secretary of Commerce
Peter George Peterson
, and the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas
. The Concord Coalition's advocacy centers on ending deficit spending
and promoting a balanced budget
in the U.S. federal government
. The group's mission statement is to educate "the public about the causes and consequences of federal budget deficits, the long-term challenges facing America's unsustainable entitlement programs, and how to build a sound foundation for economic growth."
Former Senator Bob Kerrey
was named a co-chair of the Concord Coalition in January 2002. Robert L. Bixby
has been the Executive Director of the Concord Coalition since 1999.
, visiting cities to message to citizens and elected officials about the country's debt and fiscal future. Participants in the tour include representatives from The Brookings Institution
, The Heritage Foundation
, The Committee for Economic Development
, The Progressive Policy Institute
, and The American Enterprise Institute
. Comptroller General of the United States David M. Walker
serves as an advisor to the tour and participates in its public events. The tour has visited college campuses and electoral campaign events to encourage Americans to demand action from their representatives in Congress regarding the growing national debt.
The group's executive director, Robert Bixby, has noted that the federal deficit "is not some abstract issue in Washington" and that it "has real-world consequences for what's going to happen in state and local governments."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, formed in 1992. A bipartisan
Bipartisanship
Bipartisanship is a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system such as the United States, in which opposing political parties find common ground through compromise. The adjective bipartisan can refer to any bill, act, resolution, or other political act in which both of the...
organization, it was founded by former U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Warren Rudman
Warren Rudman
Warren Bruce Rudman is an American attorney and Republican politician who served as United States Senator from New Hampshire between 1980 and 1993...
, former Secretary of Commerce
United States Secretary of Commerce
The United States Secretary of Commerce is the head of the United States Department of Commerce concerned with business and industry; the Department states its mission to be "to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce"...
Peter George Peterson
Peter George Peterson
Peter G. Peterson is an American businessman, investment banker, fiscal conservative, author, and politician whose most prominent political position was as United States Secretary of Commerce from February 29, 1972, to February 1, 1973 under Richard Nixon. He is most well known currently as...
, and the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas
Paul Tsongas
Paul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
. The Concord Coalition's advocacy centers on ending deficit spending
Deficit spending
Deficit spending is the amount by which a government, private company, or individual's spending exceeds income over a particular period of time, also called simply "deficit," or "budget deficit," the opposite of budget surplus....
and promoting a balanced budget
Balanced budget
A balanced budget is when there is neither a budget deficit or a budget surplus – when revenues equal expenditure – particularly by a government. More generally, it refers to when there is no deficit, but possibly a surplus...
in the U.S. federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. The group's mission statement is to educate "the public about the causes and consequences of federal budget deficits, the long-term challenges facing America's unsustainable entitlement programs, and how to build a sound foundation for economic growth."
Former Senator Bob Kerrey
Bob Kerrey
Joseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey was the 35th Governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and a U.S. Senator from Nebraska . Having served in the Vietnam War, earning the Medal of Honor for his actions, he moved into politics. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992...
was named a co-chair of the Concord Coalition in January 2002. Robert L. Bixby
Robert Bixby
Robert Bixby is the Executive Director of the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan grassroots organization that educates the public about fiscal responsibility. The Coalition was founded in 1992, and Bixby was named the Executive Director in 1999...
has been the Executive Director of the Concord Coalition since 1999.
Activities
Since 2006, the Concord Coalition has organized the Fiscal Wake-Up TourFiscal Wake-Up Tour
The Fiscal Wake Up Tour was a joint public engagement initiative by The Concord Coalition, The Brookings Institution, and The Heritage Foundation. U. S. Comptroller General David M. Walker was an advisor and participated in each of the Tour's public events...
, visiting cities to message to citizens and elected officials about the country's debt and fiscal future. Participants in the tour include representatives from The Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
, The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, The Committee for Economic Development
Committee for Economic Development
The Committee for Economic Development is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan think tank based in Washington, DC. Its membership consists of some 200 senior corporate executives and university leaders...
, The Progressive Policy Institute
Progressive Policy Institute
The Progressive Policy Institute is a think tank in the United States, founded in 1989 which styles itself as promoting the ideas of "New Democrats." It covers a very wide range of issues and describes itself as centrist, although progressive critics frequently describe it as conservative,...
, and The American Enterprise Institute
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
. Comptroller General of the United States David M. Walker
David M. Walker (U.S. Comptroller General)
David M. Walker served as United States Comptroller General from 1998 to 2008, and is now the Founder and CEO of the Comeback America Initiative.- Career as Comptroller General :...
serves as an advisor to the tour and participates in its public events. The tour has visited college campuses and electoral campaign events to encourage Americans to demand action from their representatives in Congress regarding the growing national debt.
The group's executive director, Robert Bixby, has noted that the federal deficit "is not some abstract issue in Washington" and that it "has real-world consequences for what's going to happen in state and local governments."
Board of directors
- Co-Chairman - Warren RudmanWarren RudmanWarren Bruce Rudman is an American attorney and Republican politician who served as United States Senator from New Hampshire between 1980 and 1993...
- Co-Chairman - Bob KerreyBob KerreyJoseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey was the 35th Governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987 and a U.S. Senator from Nebraska . Having served in the Vietnam War, earning the Medal of Honor for his actions, he moved into politics. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992...
- Co-Chairman - Paul TsongasPaul TsongasPaul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
(1941–1997) - President - Peter G. PetersonPeter George PetersonPeter G. Peterson is an American businessman, investment banker, fiscal conservative, author, and politician whose most prominent political position was as United States Secretary of Commerce from February 29, 1972, to February 1, 1973 under Richard Nixon. He is most well known currently as...
- Secretary-Treasurer/Budget Chairman - Charles A. BowsherCharles Arthur BowsherCharles Arthur Bowsher is a former Comptroller General of the United States. Bowsher was nominated by Ronald Reagan in 1981 and served as Comptroller General for 15 years...
- Finance Chairman - Eugene M. Freedman
- Executive Director - Robert L. BixbyRobert BixbyRobert Bixby is the Executive Director of the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan grassroots organization that educates the public about fiscal responsibility. The Coalition was founded in 1992, and Bixby was named the Executive Director in 1999...
See also
- List of think tanks in the United States
- Balance of paymentsBalance of paymentsBalance of payments accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world.These transactions include payments for the country's exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers...
- Citizens Against Government WasteCitizens Against Government WasteCitizens Against Government Waste is a 501 non-profit organization in the United States. It functions as a think-tank, 'government watchdog', and advocacy group for fiscally conservative causes...
- Deficit hawkDeficit hawkDeficit hawk is an American political slang term for people who place great emphasis on keeping the federal budget under control. Deficit hawks believe the best way to reduce the deficit, pay off national debt, and balance the budget is by a combination of increasing taxes and cutting government...
- Fiscal conservatismFiscal conservatismFiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
- Fiscal responsibilityBalanced budgetA balanced budget is when there is neither a budget deficit or a budget surplus – when revenues equal expenditure – particularly by a government. More generally, it refers to when there is no deficit, but possibly a surplus...
- PAYGOPAYGOPAYGO is the practice in the United States of financing expenditures with funds that are currently available rather than borrowed.-Budgeting:The PAYGO compels new spending or tax changes not to add to the federal deficit. Not to be confused with pay-as-you-go financing, which is when a government...
- United States federal budgetUnited States federal budgetThe Budget of the United States Government is the President's proposal to the U.S. Congress which recommends funding levels for the next fiscal year, beginning October 1. Congressional decisions are governed by rules and legislation regarding the federal budget process...
- United States public debtUnited States public debtThe United States public debt is the money borrowed by the federal government of the United States at any one time through the issue of securities by the Treasury and other federal government agencies...