On Monday, January 14, 2013 Mayor Blair Milo attended the “Meeting to Make America Work” in New York City. This event was sponsored by “No Labels” Stop Fighting, Start Fixing. No Labels is a growing citizens movement of Democrats, Republicans and Independents dedicated to promoting a new politics of problem solving. Unlike powerful interest groups in our nation’s capital, No Labels is working to bring our leaders together to forge solution to our nation’s problems. One of their current goals is their Make Congress Work which includes the No Budget No Pay legislation calling for Congress to get back to a five-day work week.
Mayor Milo was invited to attend the discussion and to be a participant in a Problem Solvers Simulation. The simulation was a role-play scenario that mirrors real live. Nine (9) former and current officials from different levels of government assume roles that mirror their current or past job experience. Mayor Milo represented a local level official voice on the panel which included: Secretary Dan Glickman, Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Congressman; Congress Man Tom Davis, Former Congressman and Chairman of the NRCC, Ron Shaich, Founder and CEO of Panera Bread; David Walker, Former U.S. Comptroller General; Bill Galston, Senior Fellow Brookings Institution; Lisa DePaulo, Freelance Journalist; David Graham, No Labels Citizen Leader and School Administrator; Bob O’Hara, No Labels Citizen Leader and Small Business Owner. The moderator was Frank Sesno, Former CNN Washington Bureau Chief.
The event included a video message from President Bill Clinton and Senator John McCain, and a panel discussion on “The New Politics of Problem Solving in Action” with Governor Jon Huntsman and Senator Joe Manchin.
Mayor Milo stated, “I was extremely honored to have represented La Porte, Hoosiers and local government amongst such a prestigious group, but even more excited about the momentum that is growing behind this important message. I am increasingly concerned about the gridlock in D.C. and the resulting cost it’s having on our country, particularly our businesses. Many of our local employers feel ill-equipped to make decisions that could lead to growth if they just had some idea on what to plan for one way or another. A sentiment Ron Shaich, CEO of Panera Bread, echoed on the panel. It was a really innovative and effective way of succinctly boiling down what some of the sticking points have been on a complicated subject, all while still showing that there are ways to work together to move ahead.”