State, U.S. Leaders Talk Money and Health Care

The 100 Black Men of Macon-Middle Georgia brought in state and national leaders to talk about the economy, but questions about health care also came up.

Lamar Geddis says comments made at the event made him sure he was right in deciding to attend.

"There's always a lot of debate about the economy, and so from different perspectives we did get different viewpoints that answered some of the questions that were on my mind," said Geddis, and he wasn't alone. Local leaders from Bibb County Commissioners, to Macon City Council Members and a State Representatives attended the event.

People from the community came armed with questions and a the three man panel provided answers. Rep. Jim Marshall served on that panel along with Alan Essig, Executive Director of Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, and a representative from the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Among the talk of budgets, finance and the U.S. economy, health care found its way into the mix.

"I would like to see improvement, major league improvement where health care is concerned in this country." said Congressman Marshall, a Democrat from Macon.

But the conversation quickly turned back to the economy. Robert Nabors, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget spoke about the country's economic future.

"The question that I get most often is is the economy as bad as we think it is? And I can tell you definitively the answer is yes," said Nabors. He says he expects growth to pick up in the U.S. by the end of the year, but can't say the same for unemployment.

"As long as anybody's unemployed we're not happy and the unemployment rate is still to high for our level of comfort at this point but we do believe there are some positive signs out there," he said.

Nabors also said that fixing health care will lead to a stronger economy.

"If we're gonna do anything to be able to reduce the deficits that we've inherited the first key to that is going to be bringing health care costs under control," said Nabors.

The event was the 100 Black Men of Macon Middle Georgia's sixth economic symposium.