• Comeback America

  • Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility
  • By: David M. Walker
  • Narrated by: Bob Walter
  • Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (58 ratings)

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Comeback America  By  cover art

Comeback America

By: David M. Walker
Narrated by: Bob Walter
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Publisher's summary

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 hear.

©2010 David Walker; 2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"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

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Comeback America

Those that listen to this book in its entirety will discover that the author does an excellent job of providing a detailed plan for fixing our financial system. Anyone that states otherwise failed to listen to the entire book or he or she allowed their political biases to cloud their assessment of this offering.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • L
  • 02-06-10

Not easy "read" but incredibly important

Ok, the subject matter is dry, but this book is so important that it should be required reading for every citizen. If you can't bring yourself to read it, then at least watch the documentary film I.O.U.S.A., which prominently features the author and at least reveals the basic financial problems facing all of us. The book gives some possible solutions. He tackles every sacred cow in government.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • J.
  • 02-14-10

A thought provoking book

This is not an 'easy' book and isn't a 'good feeling' story, but it is a book that every American should read and think about.

Mr. Walker draws on his experience to clearly state what he sees as major issues facing our country. I believe these are valid issues that may well impact the future of this country.

The author offers solutions to these issues. Some of those solutions are easy to accept while others are perhaps questionable.

He advocates a value added tax over other forms of taxation while declaring that our tax system must be simplified and more transparent. A VAT is certainly more simplified, but it is definitely not transparent. In fact it may well encourage our government to increase taxes without it being apparent to the taxpayer.

It isn't important that we agree with his solutions. What is important is that we are aware of the problems facing our country and we start the process of resolving those problems.

It will be difficult to change our culture from 'let others pay for my benefits' to one of 'let's share the burden' but that is exactly what needs to happen and this book is a very good explanation of why that change is necessary.

I was very disappointed to find that the web site he mentions at the end of his book is not yet up and running. I hope this failure will be corrected soon.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Must Read, If You Give A Damn

This book should be required reading for every voter in the USA. We need to clean house in Washington and put this country back on track.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not Impressed

After listening to the first half of the book I have yet to be impressed. He was touted as being non-partisan, however I noticed that he spoke very highly of the Obama administration and the Democrats (which historically have been the big spenders) even though they have increased the spending over the previous Bush administration (which was out of control). He doesn't give a lot of suggestions as to fix the problems just points them out. The only real solution was to raise taxes which could be why he seems to be such a big Obama supporter.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Unconvincing

Listening to the first three hours of Comeback America leaves quite a bitter aftertaste. Walker oversimplifies and does not offer the detailed and rich analysis that I so dearly anticipated. Instead of rigorous arguments you are presented with a wild array of narratives and unfounded hypothesis that resemble common stereotypes more than the insight of an experienced statesman. The lack of depth and rigor are thoroughly disappointing. This leaves one wondering how to tackle the inevitably grave challenges that America's finances face. Answers to this are most certainly not found in Comeback America's shallow analysis.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Yes.

The book here is not perfect. And he flouts the constitution, but he's an accountant. He nails the financial issues. Taxes, budgets, policy, all well done.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read for everyone who pays taxes in the US

Unless you think you are going to live forever, this book puts our current financial situation in a clear perspective. Every current politician and member of the Joint Chief of Staff should be required to read this book (assuming they are smart enough to read). David Walker gives us an option on how we can fix this mess before we bury ourselves so deep in the hole and we all have to learn to speak Chinese.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Required reading for US Citizens

What a fantastic book! Addresses the key components of our federal government’s fiscal challenges and how we, the citizens/voters, need to start with our own self-evaluation of our finances so we can work to fix this mess!

Written in 2010 so we are far worse off today than the author was postulating when he wrote it. Calls out BOTH political parties-as we should- for this mess. Also provides his solutions and challenges the reader to do the same and start taking personal and national finances seriously.

Listened to it twice back to back

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wish I read this book sooner!

Well written and easy to understand without the Political language. Have to get the word out to our younger generation.

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