Gangnam Style & National Debt on Fox News

In December, our campaign was offered a few minutes with Senator Alan Simpson for him to record a PSA for us. This was around the same time that "Gangnam Style" was going viral on YouTube. So we put one and one together and got a pretty funny video that wound up going viral itself online - sending over 30,000 people to our website in just a couple days and eventually being named the top viral political video in 2012 by CNN's John Avlon. 

I joined Fox News' Neil Cavuto to talk about the effort. 

NYT Letter to the Editor

In the New York Times:

Paul Krugman’s strategy for economic recovery would accelerate our next, more predictable economic crisis because of excessive government debt (“Kick That Can,” column, Feb. 8).

The entire point of a bold, balanced and bipartisan deficit reduction plan that would be enacted immediately and phased in gradually is to stimulate job-creating economic confidence and to avoid otherwise inevitable austerity measures. The Congressional Budget Office’s latest report indicates that $4 trillion in deficit reduction would grow, not slow, the economy by 1.7 percent by 2023.

But if nothing is done, unrestrained entitlement spending and skyrocketing interest payments will shrink our discretionary budget within the next decade to its smallest size (5.8 percent of gross domestic product) since such data were reported.

Especially for young people, kicking the fiscal can is an irresponsible prescription for more debt, fewer jobs, higher taxes and a lower standard of living.

NICK TROIANO
Washington, Feb. 11, 2013

The writer is co-founder of The Can Kicks Back, a youth-led campaign to reduce the national debt.

On Washington Journal

The Can Kicks Back launched on Nov. 12 with a mission of engaging the Millennial generation on our country's $16 trillion and growing nation debt.

Pike County Dispatch article

"Follow the Leader"

I'm excited for the forthcoming domestic and international release of the documentary, "Follow the Leader." I met filmmaker Jonathan Goodman Levitt while attending Pennsylvania’s Boys State program in 2006. For the next few years, he followed me and two other teenagers as we discovered as much about the political world as we did about our own beliefs. Although I didn’t have any say in the long editing process (and am a bit embarrassed by some scenes!), I believe Jonathan has put together an entertaining, provocative and moving “coming-of-age” story, which exceeded my expectations. The best part is that the goals of the documentary coincide with a lot of my own goals, as the film and its wider interactive project seek to engage more young people in politics and open up needed conversations around pressing issues this election cycle. 

That's why I'll be participating in the film's distribution and why I am asking you to check out the film's Kickstarter engagement campaign. Your support will help ensure the documentary can be screened far and wide – from local theaters to college campuses. A special 4th of July video message is posted under the updates, featuring yours truly. I've also attached an image if would like to share it online. Jonathan has poured his heart and soul (not to mention loads of personal money) into the film for seven years...so I hope you can take just a few minutes to check it out and consider lending your support!