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Comeback America: Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility
 
 
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Comeback America: Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility [Hardcover]

David M. Walker (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)

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Book Description

January 12, 2010
He's one of America's most capable, canny, candid, and independent financial experts. Now David M. Walker sounds a call to action. Comeback America is a tough-minded, innovative, inspiring guide to help us avoid the approaching economic abyss and put the country back on track again.

As comptroller general of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO)—"the nation's top auditor"—Walker warned Congress and the administration as the federal surplus became a giant deficit under George W. Bush. As president and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, he now works full-time to raise public awareness regarding mounting debt burdens being imposed on future generations. Comeback America is his crucial manifesto, a way for President Obama to end out-of-control government spending and reform our tax, retirement, health care, defense, and other systems—before it's too late.

Walker believes that by 2030, absent significant reforms to current government programs and policies, federal taxes could double from current levels, meaning less money and poorer education for kids—which will hurt families along with our nation's economic strength and position in the world. If our foreign creditors—such as China—decide to buy fewer of our Treasury bonds, interest rates will rise and cars and homes will become less affordable.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Comeback America shows how we can return to our founding principles of fiscal responsibility and stewardship for future generations. The book includes bold ideas to control spending, save Social Security, dramatically alter Medicare, and simplify the tax code—all taking into account the Obama Administration's current efforts, which receive never-before-published assessments both complimentary and critical.

    Nonpartisan, nonideological, and filled with a love of the country its esteemed author has spent his life serving, Comeback America is a book for anyone interested in America's economic future—in other words, a book everyone should read.

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

“It’s time for us to wake up—and wake up America—to the lethal threat of our own fiscal irresponsibility.” So states Walker, CPA and the government’s former top auditor, who now concentrates on raising public awareness of our nation’s growing deficits, increasing debt, and dependency on foreign lenders. He sets out to explain our fiscal situation in understandable terms, offers solutions, and helps us evaluate future programs that are heralded as “fair” or will “pay for themselves.” Walker explains our political culture in terms of what he sees as Washington’s malfunction. Questions that he suggests citizens ask of their government leaders: Has the government promised more than it can afford? Have politicians acknowledged that federal taxes must go up for more Americans than those designated “rich,” and are they just talking about fiscal responsibility without any action? Everyone will not agree with Walker, although he makes a compelling case for his views. Excellent book on critical issues as our economy slowly emerges from recession. --Mary Whaley

Review

"Please read this book by David Walker. No one has worked harder, been armed with more facts, written more clearly and been more dedicated to the mission of restoring confidence in our fiscal affairs and trust in government." —Paul Volcker, Chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board and Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve
                    
"Dave Walker has lifted the hood on the federal government, diagnosed the problems, and provided a number of sensible suggestions to help restore America's greatness. READ THIS BOOK IF YOU CARE ABOUT AMERICA’S FUTURE."—Ross Perot
 
"David Walker shows us how to regain fiscal sanity and why, if we don't, we're at risk of bequeathing a lower standard of living to our children and becoming a second rate power.  Every American should read this book because Walker gives us specific solutions, and shows there is still hope."—Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley
 
"DavidWalker has drawn a true frightening and fact-based picture of a looming crisis; a crisis that will make the recent financial meltdown seem like a walk in the park.  If this analysis doesn't stir you to action nothing will."—Paul O'Neill, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush (43)
 
"Comeback America is a brilliant, factual, and highly readable account of our current fiscal predicament, how we got there, how we can escape, and what we should do in the future.  It is a must read by every American, especially our elected leaders."—Carla Hills, U.S. Trade Representative under President George H.W. Bush (41)
 
"Every American should read David Walker's clear analysis of our dangerous future federal budget deficits and of our current political system.  One might not agree with all of Walker's opinions and recommendations, but they should stimulate serious debate about issues that will determine the future of our society; and hopefully contribute to moving forward on those issues."—Robert Rubin, Co-Chairman, Council on Foreign Relations and Former Secretary of Treasury
 
 “If you're a politician or citizen ready to get a grip—on budgets, spending, entitlement, and health-care reform—the ideas in Comeback America are a good starting point for a discussion.”—Philadelphia Inquirer

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Random House (January 12, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1400068606
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400068609
  • Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.9 x 9.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David M. Walker served as the seventh comptroller general of the United States and was the CEO of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) from 1998 to 2008. Currently the president and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Walker is a frequent speaker, writer, commentator, and congressional witness. He has appeared on a significant number of television networks, cable channels, and radio programs and has written for many major publications.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
168 of 174 people found the following review helpful
Not just talking, doing January 19, 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Let me begin by disclosing that I am familiar with the core point of Comeback America, namely that the government must get its fiscal house in order or this country 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 other occasions, and have watched I.O.U.S.A. at least four times.

Probably most people agree with the point 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 on 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 getting 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 are bad enough, marking steady deterioration in the government's fiscal position over the past decade and exacerbated by the current recession. The long-term fiscal gap, fed by a steady increase in "entitlement" outlays (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), is worse. As of 9/30/09, the government (and by extension this country) was in a fiscal hole of some $63 trillion, a total of liabilities and unfunded promises so vast that it is hard to comprehend, which was "rising every second of every day."

Do not doubt these numbers, by the way. Walker is a CPA by training, 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 Coming Generational Storm," Kotlikoff & Burns, 2004.
But the author's conviction that the American people must and can take action to avert the disaster is refreshing, and he offers some specific ideas for doing just that. Among them is appointing a Fiscal Future Commission, which would be empowered to propose sweeping changes in spending, entitlements and taxes that Congress would be committed to accept on an up or down vote.

The narrative of how the fiscal problem developed is a little hard on Bush 43, in my opinion, and a Republican-controlled Congress contributed to fiscal gains during the Clinton years. The commentary on President Obama's fiscal track record thus far seems optimistic, although Walker does note a possible gap between words and actions. Forget all that, however, because both parties contributed to the problem and playing the blame game can solve nothing.

Specific ideas are offered for revamping Social Security, overhauling the healthcare system (instituting new programs without fixing Medicare and Medicaid is no answer), raising taxes but also making them simpler and fairer, reducing the trade deficit, getting control of the Pentagon, and transforming government. Most people will differ with some of the ideas, certainly I do, but remember that they are suggestions rather than "must do's." If the American people start thinking seriously about what kind of government they want and are willing to pay for, we should all be able to live with the results.

Maybe this sounds a bit boring. "When you picked up this book," Walker observes in the epilogue, "you knew you weren't buying a light read for the beach - or a typical Washington tell-all full of espionage, sex scandals, war planning, and gladiators jousting in the political arena."

But I recommend that people read and reflect on Comeback America, and then act on the author's invitation to "put this book down, fellow citizens" and "let's get to work."
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96 of 101 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
My name is Robert L Rodriguez, CEO of First Pacific Advisors. I am a three time winner of Morningstar's Mutual Fund Manager of the Year Award for both domestic equities and bonds and my equity fund, FPA Capital Fund, was the number one diversified equity fund for the past 25 years ended September 30, 2009. I have used and referred to Mr. Walker's work for years and consider him one of the few that I would trust who has come out of Washington. His book is an easy read with a very straightforward analysis of the critical fiscal problems facing this country. He proposes several realistic recommendations to start addressing these problems. The greatest service he does is showing why light hearted, feel good sounding "solutions" will not and cannot do the job. Neither the Republican or the Democratic parties have been serious about discussing these challenges nor have they been willing to take real concrete actions toward solving these critical issues. If "we the people" do not start taking action and requiring our representatives to tackle these existing issues now, we will face a far more serious fiscal and federal crisis than the one we have just gone through in the not too distant future. As one of the few professionals who has been nationally recognized for having warned about the oncoming credit crisis, I believe "Comeback America" provides a workable template of resolution that can be begun today. Please share this important book with friends, family and your elected representatives. Your children and your children's children will thank you for it. For the record, I have no economic interest in this volume other than I believe David M. Walker's message needs to be heard more broadly. Thank you for reading my thoughts.
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47 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Lots of Work To Do - January 21, 2010
Format:Hardcover
David Walker, U.S. Controller General from 1998-2008, believes that absent significant reforms to current government programs and policies, federal taxes could double by 2030. His goals for the book are to explain our fiscal problems in ways that everyone understands, draw a road map for getting out of the mess, and provide tools with which to evaluate programs. "Comeback America" is well-written, non-partisan, and important reading.

Most Americans probably believe that our national debt is somewhere around $12 trillion. However, that excludes other programs that the U.S. has insufficiently funded - most notably Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid - thus, a true total of $56 trillion in federal government obligations - Walker's focus. (State and local governments have another unfunded $0.5+ trillion in unfunded liabilities for retiree benefits, per the U.S. Government Aaccounting Office, 11/09.)

Mandatory programs (Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid) took up over 60% of the $3 trillion 2008 federal budget, and we're currently running a $1.4 trillion deficit. This deficit almost doubled under Bush '43, and could double again in the next 8-10 years. By 2040, Walker believes federal tax revenues will only cover interest on the debt, and Medicare + Medicaid - if nothing changes.

Walker recommends starting the cure with Social Security. Its trust funds will run dry in 2037, and then require cutting benefit levels to 24% of current. He proposes to trim benefits for the middle and upper-income recipients (35% of retirees rely on Social Security for over 90% of their income), trim COLA increases, raise retirement ages, increase the cap on taxable Social Security wages, and require supplemental savings accounts totaling about 2-3% of payroll incomes.

As for health care, Walker proposes budget limits, malpractice reform, encouraging healthier lifestyles, emphasis on capitation payments, evidence-based practice and reimbursement, banning prescription-drug advertising, limiting what is covered, negotiating drug prices paid for Medicare, and charging more for higher-income people for Medicare Part A.

Revenue would increase by ending exclusions for health care, retirement plans, state/local taxes, mortgage interest, charitable deductions. Additional revenue would be raised through a consumption tax that exempted food, clothing, and shelter - Walker points out that our current income tax allows 40% to nothing, the top 20% pay 69% of the total, and two-thirds pay more in payroll taxes (Social Security + Medicare) than income tax, and does not believe that is equitable.

Defense consumes about 20% of the federal budget, and Walker believes much is wasted. For example - more than 20 command units must approve activation of as few as 20 National Guard or Reserve members.

Finally, Walker recognizes that these huge debts are the result of a dysfunctional democracy, and suggests a new Constitutional Convention and term limits as possible cures.

Bottom Line: "Comeback America does a good job of communicating the hidden, almost secret size of the federal debt. The author, however, errs recommending improvement efforts start with Social Security - unfunded Medicare and its associated prescription drug benefits are larger than unfunded Social Security obligations. Walker's expense reduction recommendations are also rather vague, though probably to avoid readers becoming sidetracked by debates over individual proposals. Nonetheless, "Comeback America" should be read by everyone. Clearly we have a lot of work ahead of us.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Eye opening
I heard the author speak and went out and bought his book. I found the message so powerful that I bought a copy for each of my children. Everyone needs to hear this message!
Published 3 months ago by Koskoman
A "Must Read"
David Walker has long and extensive "hands on" experience in dealing (and coping!) with Congress and the Washington bureaucracy. Read more
Published 7 months ago by billboy
read this if you need hope for how we might move forward from here
The former head of the Government Accountability Office, Walker left that position in the summer of 2008 to devote himself to calling attention to the national debt and the need... Read more
Published 10 months ago by LJK
A book with too much ego
The book is definitely overrated. The author may be an important person, but there are not many ideas, except in chapters like the fifth, sixth or maybe seventh. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mr. Pablo Rodas
Path to U.S. Financial Recovery and Beyond
This book "Comeback America" should be mandatory reading for every Representative, Senator, the President and all elected and appointed leaders of this country. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Elaine C. Bartelt
David Walker's "Comeback America"
A concise, eye-opening, fact-filled - and scary - overview of the current economic crisis - and how we might fix things. Read more
Published 12 months ago by RJ Hasman
Controversial but relevant recommendations, but easy to digest
As the former comptroller general of the United States, David Walker knows a little about the fiscal workings of the modern federal government. Read more
Published 12 months ago by PubliusDB
OMG!
I never read political non fiction, but a Miami Herald article on David Walker caught my interest, then the great reviews on Amazon closed the deal. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Nothin' Could be Fina'
Fuzzy thinking
If you've seen David Walker anywhere, you'll remember him as a straight talkin', former Comptroller General of the United States who is really REALLY worried about the financial... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Steve Dwight
Excellent insight
Must read. This information is necessary for every citizen to learn and understand. Our federal government is committing economic tyranny. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Jason B.
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