Stavrinakis, McMaster to Co-Chair Fix the Debt SC

More than 287,000 people have signed the Citizen's Petition to Fix the Debt.

Rep. Leon Stavrinakis (D—Charleston) and Former S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster, a Republican, hope to convince thousands if not millions of South Carolinians to add their names. The men from opposite sides of the political aisle have been named co-chairs of the newly established South Carolina Chapter of the non-partisan Fix the Debt Campaign.

The campaign calls for Congress to set aside ideology and political differences and work together to address the debt and the looming fiscal cliff when the $600 billion automatic cuts of the budget sequestration deal reached in 2011. It looks to the Simpson-Bowles Plan as a starting point for creating a common sense, practical solution to fix the country's debt problem.

"This is not about how we got here, or who is or is not responsible for the policies that led here," McMaster said. "The truth is we have a $16 trillion debt and it needs to be fixed and we want to provide everyone with the facts and figures so that they can make the case to their elected representatives that this is something that needs to be done."

"We understand the threat this debt poses to America's economic security. The goal is to let South Carolinians know that there is an organization in their state not motivated through politics that they can engage with and become part of," Satvrinakis said. "Most importantly we will take their voices and funnel them to the decision makers in Washington and make sure that they are heard loud and clear."