Wrapping Up the Conventions

The final night of the Democratic National Convention means that convention season is finally over. The campaigns now come into the home stretch, with debates and endless travel ahead.

The final night of the DNC concluded with speeches from the likes of Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT), Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), and, of course, the acceptance speeches from Vice President Biden and President Obama.

Obama's speech touched on fiscal policy to some extent, in more broad terms than specifics. He defended his past record and discussed a possible path for the future.

You can choose a future where we reduce our deficit without sticking it to the middle class. Independent experts say that my plan would cut our deficits by $4 trillion. And last summer, I worked with Republicans in Congress to cut a billion in spending because those of us who believe government can be a force for good should work harder than anyone to reform it, so that it’s leaner, and more efficient, and more responsive to the American people.

I want to reform the tax code so that it’s simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000, the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president; the same rate we had when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history, and a whole lot of millionaires to boot.

Now, I’m still eager to reach an agreement based on the principles of my bipartisan debt commission. No party has a monopoly on wisdom. No democracy works without compromise. I want to get this done, and we can get it done.

Additionally, he called for further savings in Medicare by reducing the cost of health care and for "keep[ing] the promise of Social Security by taking responsible steps to strengthen it."

As the convention wound down, so did Fix the Debt's time in Charlotte. As with the previous five days at both conventions, FTD talked to people outside the confines of Time Warner Cable Arena, having them share their thoughts on why the debt issue was important and why politicians should come together to solve it. 

The conventions are over, but of course, the campaign continues on. U.S. Budget Watch will continue to fact check budget claims made during the campaign, and we will have further coverage through November 6.