Presentation by

the Honorable David M. Walker

Keep America Great:

Gortner Lecture George Mason University

United States Government Accountability Office

GAO-08-152CG
President Merten, Director Posner, distinguished members of the faculty, students, ladies, and
gentlemen. It is an honor to be with you this afternoon, and I thank you for giving me this
opportunity to address you.

Lately, I’ve been speaking out about our nation’s future. During the past two years, I have
traveled to 22 states as part of the Fiscal Wake-up Tour. In addition, I’ve appeared on a number
of major radio and television programs this year to talk about the growing fiscal challenge facing
America. You may have heard me on the Diane Rehm Show or perhaps you saw me on the CBS
news program 60 Minutes or on Comedy Central’s Colbert Report. The facts don’t change
during these appearances, but the means and messages do, depending on the venue and target
audience.

The agency that I have the honor to lead—the Government Accountability Office, or GAO—is in
the truth and transparency business. Or as Stephen Colbert would say, we’re all about
combating “truthiness.” As the so-called “investigative arm of Congress,” GAO is in the
oversight, insight, and foresight business. We “speak truth to power,” and we try to make
government work better and for the benefit of all Americans.

In my view, it’s important to state the facts and speak the truth to the American people in
connection with our fiscal situation and other important public policy issues. Too many
television and radio programs today are essentially “fact-free zones,” full of opinion, ideological
rhetoric, and partisan spin. In America, we believe in free speech. As a result, everyone is
entitled to their opinion but not their own facts. The facts are neither blue nor red. In reality,
facts are colorless and should be transparent.

Today, I’m pleased and honored to spend a few minutes speaking to you on the importance of
keeping America great. I firmly believe that each of us can play a part to help ensure that our
individual and collective future is better than our past. After all, our nation’s future is what you
and I and our fellow citizens make of it. That why our constitution starts with the words “We the
people.”

From a personal perspective, while the Walker family has been in America since the late 1600s,
to my knowledge, I’m only the second person in my Walker line to have graduated from college.
Before my father, most of the Walkers were mineworkers, farmers, or ministers. Despite my
family’s modest beginnings, I now have the good fortune of being the seventh Comptroller
General of the United States and head of the GAO. Only in America!

From a broader perspective, clearly America is a great country, possibly the greatest in history.
We’ve risen from one of many colonies ruled by England to become the world’s only current
superpower. We’re the longest-standing republic on earth and a beacon of liberty for the rest of
the world. Those Americans like myself who have traveled extensively overseas know that
while our country is far from perfect, in general, we have it pretty good today. Yes, Americans
have much to be proud of and much to be thankful for.

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America is number one in many things but not all things. As a result, while Americans have a
right to be proud, we should never be arrogant. Unfortunately, the world has seen more than a
little American arrogance of late, both domestically and internationally. That must change.
After all, whether we’re talking about safeguarding public health, protecting the environment, or
combating international terrorism, the United States can’t go it alone. We’re going to have to
partner for progress on these and other types of issues, which have no geopolitical boundaries.

Let there be no doubt, America’s true strength is its people. America is a very diverse nation,
and our diversity is a great asset—an asset we have yet to fully capitalize on. Despite our
diversity, we Americans are united by our belief in equal opportunity. Through perseverance
and hard work, any of us can achieve a better life. Our love of freedom is equaled only by our
devotion to faith and family.

While America is a great nation, we face a range of large and growing sustainability challenges
that too few policymakers are taking seriously. In so many areas—fiscal policy, foreign policy,
health care, education, energy, the environment, immigration, our infrastructure, and Iraq—
we’re on an unsustainable path. I’ll briefly touch on three of these areas to prove my point.

First, since America’s most valuable asset is its people, I’ll start with education. The United
States now has the best higher education system in the world. All of you are the beneficiaries of
that system.

Unfortunately, we’re not even in the top 20 nations in math and science scores at the high-school
level. This represents a huge problem in a knowledge-based economy. If our country expects to
maintain its standard of living, we’re going to have to stay competitive on measures like
innovation, productivity, and product quality. Fixing our K-12 education system will require
radical reform and concerted efforts by all levels of government and all sectors of our economy.
We must move beyond rhetoric and start delivering real results for a broader spectrum of the
American population.

Second, our nation’s fiscal outlook. While short-term federal deficits are coming down, we face
large and growing longer-range deficits and debt burdens due primarily to the retirement of the
baby boom generation and rising health care costs. The retirement of the boomers will begin in
three months, and when boomers begin to retire en masse it will bring a tsunami of spending
that could swamp our ship of state.

Congress recently debated raising the debt limit and it was just raised for a fifth time during the
past 5 ½ years to about $9.8 trillion. Yes, I said trillion! While debate on this issue is
understandable and appropriate, it’s time that we started treating the disease rather than merely
debating the symptoms. This country has been diagnosed with fiscal cancer. This cancer can be
cured with tough choices, but it will get worse over time if our elected officials fail to act. This
fiscal cancer is manifested in large operating deficits and growing long-range fiscal imbalances.
It is perpetuated by a lack of meaningful statutory budget controls, a very large and growing

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percentage of the budget that is on autopilot, a failure to pursue performance-based approaches
in connection with major spending programs and the tax preferences, and a variety of other
current practices. These conditions are inappropriate and unsustainable. Hopefully, a capable,
credible, and bipartisan commission or task force will be formed to “set the operating table” for
the next President and the next Congress in connection with these and other important matters.

To help save our future, we must impose tough budget controls, reform Social Security,
Medicare, and Medicaid, and reprioritize and constrain other spending. We also need to engage
in comprehensive tax reform that will not undercut our economic growth or competitive
advantage while raising additional revenues. We must do all of these things and the sooner the
better because time is working against us and our debt clock is ticking. Fortunately, there are
several bills pending in Congress now to create a task force or commission to address the issue
of fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity. No matter what form or organization such a
group would take, it should have a statutory basis, be bipartisan, involve leaders from both the
executive and legislative branches, and require a super-majority vote for any recommendations
to be sent to the President and the Congress. It should also require an expeditious and up-or-
down vote in the Congress. In addition, its primary objective should be to make the tough
choices necessary to keep America great, and to help make sure that our country’s, our
children’s, and our grandchildren’s future is better than our past. Hopefully, these congressional
bills will be given serious and timely consideration by the Congress and the President.

Many young people think that Social Security won’t be around when you retire, but they’re
wrong. It will be reformed, and hopefully sooner rather than later. Our real problem is
Medicare, Medicaid, and health care in general. Our health care system is badly broken. We’re
now number one in the world in health care spending and obesity—facts that don’t bode well for
our wallets or our waistlines. Despite spending huge amounts on medical care, the United States
has above average infant mortality, below average life expectancy, and much higher than
average medical error rates for an industrialized nation. We also have the largest percentage of
uninsured individuals of any major nation. It’s pretty clear we’re not getting very good value for
our health care dollars. Frankly, if there’s one thing that could bankrupt America, it’s health
care costs.

Comprehensive health care reform will probably need to occur in installments over a number of
years. Our goals should be fourfold: First, provide universal access to basic and essential health
care. Second, impose limits on federal spending for health care. Third, implement national
evidence-based medical practice standards to improve quality, control costs, and reduce
litigation risks while avoiding heroic measures. And finally, take steps to ensure that all
Americans assume more personal responsibility and accountability for their own health and
wellness.

One thing is clear: Young people will pay the price and bear the burden if others fail to act to
address our mounting fiscal burden and other sustainability challenges. More importantly, I’m
talking about these challenges here at George Mason University because the students enrolled in

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this program are likely to become the future leaders of our country! As a result, you are our
greatest hope for bringing about change.

Unfortunately, many institutions and individuals in America today suffer from several afflictions:
myopia, tunnel vision, and self-centeredness—just to name three. Too many people are focused
on the word “me” rather than the word “we.” Too many people are focused on what they want
today rather than what they need to do to help ensure a better future. And too many people are
focused on their own narrow interests rather than the greater good. Furthermore, too many
elected officials suffer from “mural dyslexia” or the inability to read the handwriting on the wall.

Ignorance, apathy and arrogance can be fatal when it comes to a nation and its people. The
Roman Republic provided us with some important lessons in this regard over 1,500 years ago.

Let us not forget, the Roman Republic fell for many reasons, but three seem to resonate today.
First, a decline in moral values and political civility at home. Second, an overconfident and
overextended military in foreign lands. Third, fiscal irresponsibility by the central government.
Sound familiar? We must learn from history and make sure that we are the first republic to
stand the test of time.

In our constitutional democracy, it’s “we the people” who are ultimately responsible and
accountable for what does or does not happen in the capitals around our country. As a result, all
of us must be informed and involved in order to make a difference. We must not forget, God put
each of us on this earth to serve our fellow man and to make a difference for others.

For those of you who are students, are early in your career, or even those of you who are more
seasoned, as you look to the future, each of you needs to search your head and your heart to
decide how you’re going to make a difference on this earth. This is one of life’s most important
decisions. When you search your head and heart in your pursuit of happiness, don’t forget your
communities, your country, and your fellow man. To help build a better future, I ask that each of
you dedicate at least two years of your life to serving others.

When you consider your public service options, remember that the U.S. government is the
largest, the most diverse, and arguably the most important entity on the face of the earth. We
need top talent in the federal government to successfully address our many sustainability
challenges. Yes, the federal government needs men and women with skills in public affairs,
business, and other fields from top universities like George Mason.

I also ask that each of you become more informed about the issues facing our nation and more
involved in demanding change. It’s time we held current and prospective elected officials
accountable for upholding their fiduciary and stewardship responsibilities to our country and its
citizens.

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One person clearly can make a difference in today’s world. My favorite 20th century president,
Theodore Roosevelt, is proof of that. TR, as he’s often called, was someone with character,
conscience, and conviction.

As our 26th and youngest president, he was an optimist who firmly believed in the potential of
government to improve the life of every citizen. As a trustbuster, TR took on some of the
nation’s more powerful and ethically challenged corporate interests. And he won. As an
environmentalist, TR left us with a legacy of great national parks like Yosemite. As an
internationalist, he led peace talks to end the Russo-Japanese War. In fact, TR is the only
American to have won both the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Nobel Peace Prize.

TR firmly believed that it was every American’s responsibility to be active in our civic life. As he
said, “Fighting for the right [cause] is the noblest sport the world affords.” Democracy is hard
work but it’s work worth doing. And that’s really at the heart of my message tonight. How
America looks in the future is largely up to us. It’s you, I, and our fellow citizens who are
ultimately responsible for what does or does not happen in Washington.

In closing, in addition to reflecting over the presidency of TR, I’ve also been studying the life of
George Washington, particularly his two terms as President. What’s often overlooked is that
George Washington was a great believer in fiscal discipline. In his farewell address in 1796,
Washington spoke to the issue of public debt. He urged the new nation to avoid “ungenerously
throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear.” This advice is as sound
today as it was over 200 years ago. By ignoring George Washington’s words of wisdom and
postponing difficult policy decisions, our government is, in fact, making a choice—a choice with
unacceptable fiscal and ethical consequences.

We can and must do better than the path of least resistance. The road less traveled won’t
always be easy, but it’s a journey that our children, grandchildren, and future generations of
Americans will thank us for taking. I hope you’ll join with me in stating the facts, speaking the
truth, and acting to help save our collective future. All of you should find your cause in life and
fight to make a difference. I’ll continue to try and do my part. All that I ask is that you do your
best to do your part to keep America great. We can, we must, and with your help, we will do
what it takes to keep America great!

May God bless each of you, George Mason University, and the United States of America.

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