When my daddy was born in 1902, our national debt was $2.3 billion. At 16 he went to war and fought in the trenches on the Western Front. He didn’t care or pay no attention, but the U.S. national debt at the time was $15 billion. 

My name is Joe Penland Sr. I’m a God-fearing businessman from Beaumont, Texas. I’m not a Washington guy, political insider, or ideologue, but what I am is a citizen that feels compelled to tell Americans about the number one issue they’re facing today, the national debt. It’s now $32 trillion and growing.

The American people need to be aware of this problem right away. That’s why I’m launching a $1 million nationwide awareness campaign on the need to address the nation’s debt, the need to balance America’s budget and to keep the promise of America alive. 

WALL STREET JOURNAL SCHOOLS BIDEN ON 14TH AMENDMENT OVER DEBT CEILING: ‘HE MAY BE CONFUSED’

Growing up, we didn't have enough food. Daddy was sick and bedridden after a stroke. Mama took care of him, making money ironing clothes for our neighbors and we had a $200 a month Social Security pension. That was all of our existence. 

I grew up in Frisco, Texas. A cotton town. And the families picked cotton. Everybody went to the cotton fields. They let school out to go pick cotton. And if you were old enough, you could hoe cotton. That paid a dollar a day. The cotton was 50 cents. So I worked for 50 cents a day. 

When I was 14, my daddy died. It took me years to pay his funeral off, cutting the grass for the funeral home. By 1968, I was just graduating high school and going to work in the energy industry. 

Becoming a full-time taxpayer, it was the first time I paid attention: the national debt was $348 billion. 

I recently began my 50th year in business with the company I started in my mama’s backyard. I have been blessed by the Good Lord and I believe it is my duty to leave this world better than I found it.

BIDEN ACCUSED OF SUCCUMBING TO FAR-LEFT PROGRESSIVES ON DEBT CEILING TALKS: 'WANTS DEFAULT MORE' THAN A DEAL

Our nation is on track for a catastrophic default. It’s been almost a quarter-century since the talking heads in Washington balanced a budget. Most of them pay no mind because they know the ones who will feel the pain are the regular Americans. People who rely on benefits. Not just our elder folks, but young kids like I was when my daddy got sick and then died. 

I don't know if those folks in Washington are incompetent or just don't care, but there's a lot of people who gave everything they had and made the ultimate sacrifice for us to have this opportunity that is America. 

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It's a disgrace that none of them want to do what's right for this country. They just want to do what's popular to get re-elected. 

The United States is the strongest and best country in the world. All those folks in Washington, and nobody in politics today, had anything to do with it, they only inherited it. 

Where they should get credit is running the best country in the world into the ditch. 

This country needs a chance to get back on course. Look, right now our ship, America's listing a little bit. She's taking on some water. We can fix it. We can patch what's wrong, we can bail the water out, and we can get our steam back up. But if we don't, we're not going to make it. There's too much going against us right now. 

In politics, I don't have no favorites. The Democrats are against the Republicans and you've got Republicans against Republicans and Democrats against Democrats. Everybody needs to clean their act up for the good of this country. 

As for me, I will do my part. I may not be educated. I have nothing against educated people, but all those educated people in Washington do not seem to understand that this borrowing and spending, this printing of money is not good for anybody. 

I’m putting up my own money to spread this message and I invite you to learn more, spread the news, and join the cause at JoeFromTexas.com.