Hundreds of the state’s business leaders and politicians gathered in Perry today for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’ annual congressional luncheon. The federal budget was on everyone’s mind.

The event featured a panel discussion with Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson and Congressman Tom Price.

Isakson said this week’s unsteady stock market is a wake up call for Democrats and Republicans. They are haggling over how to cut more than a trillion dollars in debt by a December deadline that’s part of the deal to raise the debt ceiling.

“I think what happened to the markets yesterday and what happened on the downgrade will be the kind of motivation we need to get those who’ve been locking heads together to come to the table, come to common ground, cut our spending, and re-empower our free enterprise system.”

Isakson says he does not believe we are entering a double-dip recession because he says we never made it out of the first one. Economists say the recession technically ended in June of 2009.

Tags: Senator Johnny Isakson, Georgia Chamber of Commerce Congressional Luncheon, Congressman Tom Price, federal deficit, S&P Downgrade