David Walker

You can't spend a lot more money than you take in and charge it to the credit card and not expect to have a day of reckoning.

Anybody on the left who signs a pledge that says, I won't reform Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, they're part of the problem. They're not part of the solution.

Anybody who signs a pledge on the right that says, I will never raise taxes, they're part of the problem. They're not part of the solution.

The greatest threat to America's future is not terrorism. It's not some country. It's our own fiscal irresponsibility.

there's no question that the political system in Washington is dysfunctional. And thirdly, there's no question that both political parties are to blame. The last 10 years have been the most fiscally irresponsible in the history of United…

they should be focused on making sure that we get our structural deficits under control and our debt-to-GDP down to reasonable and sustainable levels.

I don't think it should be business of S&P or any rating agency to tell a sovereign nation how to put its finances in order.

There's absolutely no question that the political system in Washington is dysfunctional. And, thirdly, there's no question that both political parties are to blame. The last 10 years have been the most fiscally irresponsible in the history…

Government doesn't create jobs that will last for the long-term. But they can do things that will help create an environment.

We need comprehensive tax reform. Maybe we ought to think about allowing a deduction for corporate dividends.

Quite frankly anybody who says -- I don't care who they are, who says they will vote against the debt ceiling increase irrespective of the deal is irresponsible.

anybody who says -- I don't care who they are -- who says they will vote against the debt ceiling increase irrespective of the deal is irresponsible.

No, there really isn't. We have to raise the debt ceiling because the fact is we don't know what the markets would do.

the base of the Republican Party will not support any type of tax increases -- even if it's eliminating tax expenditures where there can be a bipartisan agreement.

I can come up with $2 trillion to $3 trillion worth of deficit reduction without any tax increases, OK?

The president has got the high ground because he's basically saying, let's go for a long-term deal. I will put Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security on the table. All you need to do is to put tax expenditures on the table.

John Boehner is correct that the base of the Republican Party will not support any type of tax increases, even if it's eliminating tax expenditures where there can be a bipartisan agreement. He's wrong to say the American people won't…

Right now we have profiles in cowardice rather than profiles in courage.

We have profiles in cowardice rather than profiles in courage.

We're going to have to reform social security, Medicare, Medicaid, really control health care costs -- that's not what the current health care reform is about.

The commission has to have capable, credible and committed people and it's got to engage the American people beyond the Beltway with the facts and the truth. That's the only way it has a chance of succeeding.

We are on an imprudent and unsustainable long-term fiscal path.

If we do not do anything, it is going to go up to 40 percent-plus of GDP by 2040.

The recommendation of Senators Conrad and Gregg for a Bipartisan Fiscal Task Force is an excellent idea.

the simple fact of the matter is, if you have a hard 'D' or 'R' on your sleeve, you are going to be discounted dramatically by the American people