Solving the national debt crisis with Hon. Jane Harman

Hon. Jane Harman, president of the Wilson Center
and a former U.S. Representative from California

We had the honor of speaking with Honorable Jane Harman, as well as the opportunity to play the game “Budget Hero,” today at the McConnell Center. Harman proved to be a thoughtful and engaging speaker. In our private seminar with her, we addressed such topics as national security and defense policy, political stances on immigration, marijuana, and war, and we were even able to get her personal views on actors as politicians and the balance between work and family. Overall, it was a wonderful set of seminars. Harman is a very down-to-earth person who was kind enough to be very candid with our group of Scholars.


In addition to meeting with the Scholars, Harman came to the McConnell Center to help introduce the video game “Budget Hero” to Louisville and Kentucky schools. Harman is the president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, one of the co-creators of the game. Several McConnell Scholars, along with University of Louisville graduate students and high school students from around Kentucky, were given the opportunity to try and balance the federal budget and give feedback on the experience. The game is an interactive opportunity for anyone to try and solve the budget crisis and make important decisions in a very fun and low-stress way. The Scholars and graduate students played together as a team, having to discuss the various policy issues as a group before making decisions. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity and a great game to help bring knowledge to people on the important decisions our government is making.


Taryn L. Mahanes
McConnell Scholar, Class of 2013
(Sept. 30, 2011)