Although the report failed to garner enough votes to be implemented, Andrews said it was a good instrument to use for sake of the discussion.

"We are going to ask our panel if the report can be a basis for a bi-partisan approach to the debt/deficit crisis in 2013," he said. "We want the panel to focus on their priorities, and where they stand regarding these five areas. We know the answers to these issues are dependent on where their priorities lay. Regardless, there are many oxen that need to be gored."

While Andrews knows the discussion is likely to become lively, organizers want to avoid finger-pointing politics as much as possible.

"We’re realistic to know that, given the time of year and the state of the presidential race, it will be very hard to keep politics 100 percent out of the discussion, because the two basic approaches are political and the parties are, of course, on opposite sides," Andrews said. "Nonetheless, what we’re hoping to have on Sept. 18, is not a political debate, but an insightful discussion about economics and the realities of debt and deficit."

During the discussion, Andrews will allow 45 minutes for an audience/panel interaction, which will include questions and answers.

"I’ll do my best to mediate the discussion," he said.

Andrews is looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say, because, he said, there is an imminent need to find some sort of solution before the new year.

"The so-called fiscal cliff of Jan. 1, 2013, is facing the country regardless of the election outcome," Andrews said. "On that date, if there is no agreement about reducing the deficit between now and then, there will be draconian cuts that will go in effect, which will affect everyone. At some point there will have to be a meeting of minds."

Although the Park City Project for Deeper Understanding will not solve the problem, Andrews hopes it will open people’s eyes to the debt crisis, no matter which side they stand on.

"As we said before, we are going to try to keep politics out of the discussion, because we want to focus on the issue of getting people to understand how big the debt is; how frightening it is and what needs to happen," he said.

Robinson said he likes to think of the project’s mottos as "More light than heat."

"Democracy presumes an educated electorate that is in dialogue with each other in trying to solve common problems," he said. "It’s human nature to surround ourselves with people who agree with us, and as validating and emotionally satisfying as that may be in the short run, it’s not good for our democracy and not educational.

"Education is about being exposed to new ideas or to have your current way of thinking challenged," he said. "If I surround myself with only people who agree with me, then I impoverish my own intellectual life. If you take the whole country into account, you put our democracy at risk."

The Park City’s Project for Deeper Understanding will present a discussion, "The U.S. Debt and Deficit: Crisis and Opportunity" at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 4595 Silver Springs Rd., on Tuesday, Sept. 18, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Admission is free.