Learn from the fall of Rome, US warned

[mawilson 2,133]

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, the country’s top

government inspector has warned.

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.

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were

“striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought

down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident

and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”.

“Sound familiar?” Mr Walker said. “In my view, it’s time to learn from history and take steps

to ensure the American Republic is the first to stand the test of time.”

Mr Walker’s views carry weight because he is a non-partisan figure in charge of the

Government Accountability Office, often described as the investigative arm of the US Congress.

While most of its studies are commissioned by legislators, about 10 per cent – such as the one

containing his latest warnings – are initiated by the comptroller general himself.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Walker said he had mentioned some of the issues

before but now wanted to “turn up the volume”. Some of them were too sensitive for others

in government to “have their name associated with”.

“I’m trying to sound an alarm and issue a wake-up call,” he said. “As comptroller general I’ve

got an ability to look longer-range and take on issues that others may be hesitant, and in many

cases may not be in a position, to take on.

“One of the concerns is obviously we are a great country but we face major sustainability

challenges that we are not taking seriously enough,” said Mr Walker, who was appointed during

the Clinton administration to the post, which carries a 15-year term.

The fiscal imbalance meant the US was “on a path toward an explosion of debt”.

“With the looming retirement of baby boomers, spiralling healthcare costs, plummeting savings

rates and increasing reliance on foreign lenders, we face unprecedented fiscal risks,” said

Mr Walker, a former senior executive at PwC auditing firm.

Current US policy on education, energy, the environment, immigration and Iraq also was on an

“unsustainable path”.

“Our very prosperity is placing greater demands on our physical infrastructure. Billions of dollars

will be needed to modernise everything from highways and airports to water and sewage systems.

The recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis was a sobering wake-up call.”

Mr Walker said he would offer to brief the would-be presidential candidates next spring.

“They need to make fiscal responsibility and inter-generational equity one of their top priorities.

If they do, I think we have a chance to turn this around but if they don’t, I think the risk of a

serious crisis rises considerably”.

The Financial Times

[SteveLaura 0]

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were

“striking similarities†between America’s current situation and the factors that brought

down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident

and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central governmentâ€.

...

Current US policy on education, energy, the environment, immigration and Iraq also was on an

“unsustainable pathâ€.

...

“Our very prosperity is placing greater demands on our physical infrastructure. Billions of dollars

will be needed to modernise everything from highways and airports to water and sewage systems.

The recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis was a sobering wake-up call.â€

Agreed. Is America becoming complacent? Chalmer Johnson's 'Nemesis' makes similar points.

Edited August 14, 2007 by SteveLaura

[Otto 83]

Edited August 14, 2007 by Karin und Otto

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Hmmm… he makes some good points about economic over-extension and declining infrastructures – but comparisons to Rome are a little hysterical in my view, not to mention somewhat irrelevant.

[almaty 19]

i agree..i have not been to any slave orgies recently

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Problem is – whenever someone makes a comparison like that, it tends to overshadow the points being made, not least because some people (like Bill O’Reilly, for instance) prefer to focus on the comparison and not the key points.

[SteveLaura 0]

Hmmm… he makes some good points about economic over-extension and declining infrastructures – but comparisons to Rome are a little hysterical in my view, not to mention somewhat irrelevant.

I agree, regarding declining moral values, but I suppose it's a device to give people some comparison. America, arguably, is as dominant and influential today as the Roman Empire was in its day. Complacently believing - and acting - as if being number 1 is enough without any back-up is short-sighted.

i agree..i have not been to any slave orgies recently

You should get out more, Dean.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

i agree..i have not been to any slave orgies recently

Oh, I hear Galigula in downtown D.C. throws some good parties.

[SteveLaura 0]

Problem is – whenever someone makes a comparison like that, it tends to overshadow the points being made, not least because some people (like Bill O’Reilly, for instance) prefer to focus on the comparison and not the key points.

Yet he wouldn't have a problem get red-faced about the 'declining moral values'. (Just don't include 'drug-misuse'.)

[thesnowman 1]

Although the comparison to Rome is slightly over the top I can see where he gets it from. An over extended army and a bloated democracy at home that is becoming more corrupt. I don't think he meant it as a direct comparison, but just to emphasize that even the seemingly most robust countries can go pear shaped.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I get what he’s saying – but given the underhand methods of debate these days (on here as well in the media), making statements like that is really asking for trouble. There seems to be a tendency to ignore the substance and focus on facile aspects of presentation.

Had an experience like that the other day – when a throwaway remark I made that was completely separate from the point I was making got seized upon as though it were the only thing I said.

[SteveLaura 0]

I don't know. I think it's sad if reasonable arguments have to be exorcised of similes and metaphors just because fcukwits like Bill O'Reilly will have a problem with them.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't know. I think it's sad if reasonable arguments have to be exorcised of similes and metaphors just because fcukwits like Bill O'Reilly will have a problem with them.

To be fair - I think some of them are so overused as to be meaningless anyway. Rome is one, Nazi Germany is another.

[SteveLaura 0]

Sure. There's a potential for taking arguments to the extreme, which is where Hitler normally enters the debate.