Matthew Cahillane arrived prepared at a roundtable discussion this week, armed with a printed copy of a piece of legislation that promotes fiscal responsibility within Congress.
The bill, the Sustainable Budget Act of 2025, aims to create a long-term plan to reduce the national debt within the next ten years, and Cahillane, of Concord, intended to lobby U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander to lend it her support.
In his 30 years working with the Department of Health and Human Services, he said he saw trust in science decline and political polarization heighten. He joined the bipartisan political advocacy organization No Labels four years ago, hoping to get a better sense of how to restore unity and balance the national budget.
Gathered with his fellow members on Tuesday, he urged Goodlander to consider co-signing the bill and pressed her to prioritize addressing the country’s debt.
“We all know if we had our home like that, we wouldn’t last that long,” he said.
Thirteen members of No Labels joined Goodlander, who is also a member, for a conversation at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen building on Tuesday, pushing together tables in a small square to house the discussion.
The political organization looks to bridge the gap between the political left and right, and attendees came from a variety of backgrounds. Multiple teachers and small business owners, current and former state employees, parents, a veteran and many retirees joined the event.
Those who spoke about their party affiliation emphasized their independent thought and moderate voting history. Some, like Neil Flynn, of Bedford, expressed disillusionment with the two-party system.
“I consider myself a moderate, practical conservative, not a Republican — used to think Republican, but I can’t join that party anymore,” said Flynn, who identifies with the “never-Trump Republican category.”
Within Congress, the Problem Solvers Caucus recruits lawmakers to find common ground over various issues facing the nation, from immigration to childcare access. The caucus plans to confront the issue of America’s national debt, which currently sits at over 39 trillion dollars, according to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee.
No Labels has ties to the Problem Solvers Caucus, which maintains an even split between its Republican and Democrat membership. Flynn wanted to know why Goodlander hadn’t already entered the caucus.
“Since before I started, I’ve been trying to find another Republican to join,” Goodlander replied. “Believe me, it’s not for a lack of effort. It’s been a huge push, and it’s very, very hard to find any Republicans willing to join.”
Together, the group envisioned a path forward for bipartisan change in Congress.
Roland Shrull, a retired lawyer living in Windham, said he thinks the majority of the American population is “middle of the road.” He encourages fellow citizens to go out and meet with their representatives to have their voices heard and more moderate perspectives taken into account.
“They’re not the extremes we hear so much about,” Shrull said.
Dale Pike, of Newmarket, echoed the words of others in the room.
“The main problem,” Pike said, is “we really need bipartisanship. ”
