Screwed!

tomder55 · Aug 14, 2007, 09:10 AM

History's great lesson is that civilizations ,empires and great nations rise and fall. It would be arrogant on my part to presume that the United States is immune. That being said I think his clarion call is overstated . I also note that he neglects to point out that Rome fall was a victim of the Goth Huns et al that it brought in for cheap labor.
From the article :

Quote:

Walker, who was appointed during the Clinton administration to the post, which carries a 15-year term.

.

So it is a mistake to call him non-partisan just because he currently serves in the Bush adm. Walkers message appears to be more taxes, not surprisingly for a Democrat appointed by Bill Clinton .

Dark_crow · Aug 14, 2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by excon

Hello Righty’s:

Here’s an assessment of how well Bush and his brain screwed things up. And no, this isn’t a lefty speaking…. He’s a non partisan figure in charge of the Government Accountability Office. He says we’re in big trouble.

"The US government is on a “burning platform” of unsustainable policies and practices with fiscal deficits, chronic healthcare underfunding, immigration and overseas military commitments threatening a crisis if action is not taken soon.

David Walker, comptroller general of the US, issued the unusually downbeat assessment of his country’s future in a report that lays out what he called “chilling long-term simulations”.

These include “dramatic” tax rises, slashed government services and the large-scale dumping by foreign governments of holdings of US debt."

Want to read more about your guy screwed you:

FT.com / World - Learn from the fall of Rome, US warned

excon

The pitiful part is that this will not likely be debated by the news media; or even by Congress. Instead his character, motives, and analogy will be attacked.

tomder55 · Aug 14, 2007, 11:02 AM

Yeah well I'll put some more cheap shots on the guy . Before he came to work for the Clinton Adm . He was a partner at Arthur Anderson . You remember them as Enron's auditors. Sarbanes-Oxley was passed in 2002 to deal with document shredders like Anderson . Do I think he was aware of their faulty auditing practices while he was a partner ? Yes.

Dark_crow · Aug 14, 2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomder55

yeah well I'll put some more cheap shots on the guy . Before he came to work for the Clinton Adm . He was a partner at Arthur Anderson . You remember them as Enron's auditors. Sarbanes-Oxley was passed in 2002 to deal with document shredders like Anderson . Do I think he was aware of their faulty auditing practices while he was a partner ? Yes.

Hah-ha-ha lay it on brother, never mind the facts, they are only confusing and muddy the water

tomder55 · Aug 14, 2007, 11:24 AM

What facts ? I have heard about our road to ruin and the faulty analogies to Rome all my life. Let's not make it sound like his cassandra call is something new. I have no doubt that he has the same old tired prescriptions that come from the liberal play book that have not worked since Roosevelt.

He talks about looming retirement as an example . President Bush presented a real solution to the problem and he was met with DOA proclaimations before his plan was reasonably debated. Now we are told unless we shell out more cash and expect less return that the system will collapse. Well yeah ;because the system was fundamentally flawed to begin with .

The way I read it ;Walkers solution to the fiscal cancer it to feed it some more $$$$ .Let's hear him talk about shrinking some of those beloved social programs and then I may take him seriously .

Dark_crow · Aug 14, 2007, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomder55

What facts ? I have heard about our road to ruin and the faulty analogies to Rome all my life. Let's not make it sound like his cassandra call is something new. I have no doubt that he has the same old tired prescriptions that come from the liberal play book that have not worked since Roosevelt.

He talks about looming retirement as an example . President Bush presented a real solution to the problem and he was met with DOA proclaimations before his plan was reasonably debated. Now we are told unless we shell out more cash and expect less return that the system will collapse. Well yeah ;because the system was fundamentally flawed to begin with .

The way I read it ;Walkers solution to the fiscal cancer it to feed it some more $$$$ .Let's hear him talk about shrinking some of those beloved social programs and then I may take him seriously .

I don't know what facts, and I don't know anything about how to fix the economy; I do know the tax collectors are even stealing from poverty stricken retires in order to get all they can. I was simply suggesting that what a comptroller has to say should he investigated by congress and not simply written off as nonsense based on character, possible motives, and poor analogy. He is after all not blogging for some special group, but rather is a government employee.

ETWolverine · Aug 14, 2007, 11:43 AM

[quote=excon]And no, this isn't

tomder55 · Aug 14, 2007, 11:56 AM

Here is his solution as per his address to the National Press club last month :

Quote:

“immediately increase state and local tax revenues by 16.8 percent, or immediately decrease state and local spending by 14.1 percent”.

(note he doesn't recommend reductions in Federal expenditures)

http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d071113cg.pdf

Dark_crow · Aug 14, 2007, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomder55

Here is his solution as per his address to the National Press club last month :

(note he doesn't recommend reductions in Federal expenditures)

http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d071113cg.pdf

You flatter me with the idea that I can comprehend that link; as you know I am a simple Philosopher and Historian; and that is the perspective from which I view life and government.
He is not operating in the capacity of an economist but that of a simple bookkeeper that is saying there is a problem. That is my view and if he were my bookkeeper and said there was a problem I would take it serious. As for his suggestions as to how to rectify the problem, that is another matter altogether.

Screwed!

Add your answer here.

Check out some similar questions!