Congresswoman Susan Davis challenged San Diegans to balance the federal budget at a public meeting today at San Diego State. Participants broke up into small groups to work through their budget concerns and try to balance the numbers.
Davis, a Democrat, said the idea was to help San Diegans better understand the budget process.
“I think that people hear the discussions and they get very frustrated, and I understand that. ‘Why can’t people come together, why can’t they just sit around the table and make decisions about this,’ ” she said. “I think that the exercises certainly are instructive in helping people see that this is tough.”
The non-partisan Concord Coalition co-sponsored the meeting. The group educates people about the federal budget.
Spokeswoman Janet Ryan said public feedback helps lawmakers do their job.
“Congress is like a weather vane,” Ryan said. “They point in the direction the wind is blowing from the folks back home, and they have to know what their constituents want.”
Ryan said the goal is to increase citizen engagement.
“These folks are the voting public, it allows them to express their opinion,” she said. “It gives them a sense that they are participating in their government, which is what we should do.”
