Budgets & Brews: Come Captain the Fiscal Ship!

Rising federal debt isn’t a game. It’s a real problem – but in order to explain the problem, we decided to turn it into a game that is fun, but challenging, to play.

We made a game, The Fiscal Ship, to help people with no prior experience with the federal budget learn what will and won’t work. Designed to be whimsical, nonpartisan but grounded in the fiscal facts, the game highlights that small changes to spending and taxes won’t suffice. To win the game, you need to find a combination of policies that match your values and priorities AND set the budget on a sustainable course.

The choices are difficult, but the goal is achievable.             

Join us for a reception, “Budgets and Brews,” at the Capitol Lounge, from 6-8pm on June 29. We’ll provide the brews (and snacks), and throw in some friendly, pub trivia style competition to see who can balance the budget fastest in a uniquely off-the-Hill event.

Can you captain the Fiscal Ship to a debt-free horizon? Try your hand to find out!

Check out photos of the event on our Facebook page, and don't forget to tag yourself!

Disclaimers

The Fiscal Ship was created by the Serious Games Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Hutchins Center at Brookings. 

This invitational reception was designed to comply with the rules of the House Committee on Ethics and U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics. Due to the nature of the venue, this event is 21+. Anyone who is under 21 will not be admitted to the event. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Any questions about this event, please email Elizabeth Newbury, Program Associate for the Serious Games Initiative at the Wilson Center, directly at Elizabeth dot Newbury at wilsoncenter dot org.