DV Grad Questions How Debt Affects Generations To Come

MILFORD — Delaware Valley graduate Nick Troiano is passionate about political reform and after graduating this year with a Master’s Degree in American Government from Georgetown University, the 24-year-old looks forward to using his experience and talents to educate the public, locally and nationally, on government oversight and fiscal reform.

“Nothing changes unless the public is educated,” said Troiano.

So far, the Pike County native has already made an impact after co-founding “The Can Kicks Back” initiative, a campaign that has 20,000 supporters across the county to demand politicians stop kicking the can down the road when it comes to fiscal responsibility through legislation based on policy.

Troiano engaged audiences at over 20 colleges and universities along the 6,000-mile Generational Equity Tour and organized discussions with some of the nation’s top fiscal leaders, including former U.S. Senator and fiscal commission co-chair Alan Simpson (R-WY) and former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker. Troiano said the tour could not have come at a more critical time.

“While on tour, it was disappointing to watch some of our nation’s leaders, including my own U.S. Representative, shut down the federal government to advance their narrow ideology rather than work together to meaningfully address the drivers of long-term deficits and grow our economy. The shutdown underscored how important it is that young people get more involved in the political process to fight for our future –– not just by voting in elections and contacting their elected officials, but by actually running for office, beginning in 2014 and beyond,” said Troiano.

Troiano was instrumental in introducing the INFORM Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that forces government to disclose additional information about the true size and intergenerational consequences of our national debt.

That in itself is a testament on what young people can do by becoming engaged and making their voices heard… something Troiano has pushed for since his early days at Delaware Valley High School as the 2007 Student Body President, Future Leader of America and co-founder of Pike County Youth Coalition, a group that started broadcasting school board meetings, organized after-school volunteerism programs and initiated the first youth mentoring program.

He said that politicians state the country has a $17 trillion debt but that is not the whole truth since they aren’t taking into consideration the future obligations expected by citizens when it comes to Social Security and Medicare benefits. Troiano said those promises are not put on the books and if they were, the current debt is more like $200 trillion.

The INFORM Act would provide policymakers with better information about the country’s finances so that they can make better decisions... for complete story, get this week's issue.