by David Walker
(1)Release Date: January 12, 2010
Buy new:
20 used & new from $16.14
(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Hot New Releases in Books list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Not just talking, doing
January 19, 2010 () Let me begin by disclosing that I am It familiarized with the core point of Comeback America, namely that the government owes the country get its fiscal house in order or this is headed for a big fall, and heartily agree with it. Thus, I attended one of the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour sessions (Baltimore, 10/29/07), heard David Walker talk on another point occasions, and have watched I.O.U.S.A. at least four times. Probably most people agree with the intellectually, but prefer not to think about it. After all, the enjoyment of government deficits is in the here and now, while the day of reckoning is perceived to be years in the future. Sounds like someone else's problem. As Walker points out, however, the victims of continuing fiscal irresponsibility could include innocent souls who are near and dear. Thus, to rephrase an old Washington saying, "Don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that baby in your knee." Consuming now and leaving the bill for future generations is not simply irresponsible; it is immoral. Moreover, the roar of the waterfall up ahead is that obtains steadily louder as the ship of state glides downstream.The deficit problem has two dimensions, as this book clearly explains. The current deficits and debt is bad enough, marking steady deterioration in the government's fiscal position over the past decade and irritated of of "derecho" by the current recession. The long-term fiscal gap, fed by a steady increase in (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), is worse. As of 9/30/09, the government (and by this country) was in a fiscal hole of disbursements extension some $63 trillion, a total of liabilities and unfunded promises so vast that it is hard to comprehend, which was "rising every second instruction of every day."Do not doubt these numbers, by the way. Walker is a CPA by, formerly served as the U.S. Comptroller General (among other positions), and knows whereof he speaks.This is hardly the first book to warn that the United States is on the road to financial disaster. See, e.g., "Financial Reckoning Day," Bonner & Wiggin, 2003, or " The American one Generational Storm," Kotlikoff & Burns, 2004.But the author's conviction that the people must and can take action to avert the disaster is Future that refreshes, and he offers some specific ideas for doing just that. Among them is appointing a Fiscal Future Commission, which would is the votes.the empowered to propose sweeping changes in spending, entitlements and taxes down would be committed to accept on an up or little of Congress narrative of how the fiscal problem developed is a that hard that on Bush 43, in my opinion, and a Republican-controlled Congress contributed to fiscal desire registration during the Clinton years. The commentary on President Obama's fiscal track. It be forgot the problem thus far seems optimistic, although Walker does note a possible gap between words and the all that, however, because both parties contributed to Security, that fixes and playing the blame game can solve nothing.Specific ideas are offered for revamping Social fixing I Medicated the healthcare system (instituting new programs without reducing the and Medicaid is no answer), raising taxes but also making them simpler and fairer, people does trade deficit, getting control of the Pentagon, and transforming government. Most remember that differ with some of the ideas, certainly I do, but the American they are suggestions rather than "must do's." If and they are people start thinking seriously about what kind of government they want with the up the willing to pay for, we should all be able to live picked results.Maybe this sounds a bit boring. "When you buying an of sex this book," Walker observes in the epilogue, "you knew you weren't espionage, light read for the beach - or a typical Washington tell-all full of political sand". But the author scandals, war planning, and gladiators jousting in the the I recommend that people read and reflect on Comeback America, and then act on citizens" and invitation to "put this book down, fellow citizens" and "let's get to work."
No comments:
Post a Comment