Podcasts about comptroller general

Accountability, Integrity, Reliability | Culture Hack | Calgary BusinessIn this episode of Culture Hack, host Adam sits down with the Honorable David Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General and author of America in 2040: Still a Superpower?, for a high-impact conversation about fiscal responsibility, leadership, and transformational change in both government and the workplace. From his iconic $10 Million a Minute Tour to his time leading the GAO, Walker shares insights on how values-driven leadership and accountability can reshape entire institutions. Like what you heard? Reach out, join the conversation, and let's talk culture and engagement. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay in the loop with future episodes.#CultureHack #yycbusiness #OrganizationalCulture #BusinessTransformation #DavidWalker #FiscalResponsibility #EngagedWorkplaces #ChangeMakers #AccountabilityMatters #ValuesDrivenA bit about our guest: David Walker has over 40 years of award-winning domestic and international leadership experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Also a also a speaker and best selling author, his latest book entitled America in 2040: Still A Superpower was published in October 2020 and updated in February 2022. Connect with David​ on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-m-walker-9a30888You can get a copy of America in 2040: Still A Superpower on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/America-2040-New-David-Walker/dp/1961254832/ref=sr_1_2About Adam and Culture Hack: Adam's alternate title at ENTA Solutions is The Culture Ninja. His passion is helping small businesses excel by creating an engaging company culture. Adam's goal is to help your team achieve clarity of purpose and wholeheartedly commit to your company's values and vision. Connect with Adam on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-kolozetti Culture Hack is Adam's new show, exploring the impact that company culture has on employee engagement. Adam is talking with business owners, founders, and CEOs in Calgary to get their take on company culture and employee engagement. Get leadership insights from passionate people that have a vision for their business and the drive to reach their goals. As an interviewer, Adam is the ideal choice to share your knowledge and experience in leading a business to success. Promote your brand and story on Culture Hack and: -Reach a global audience via the YYC Business website and the MegaPixxMedia YouTube channel. -Gain additional viewers of your Culture Hack episodes through free publication on YYC Business social media platforms. -Download your Culture Hack episode to your personal and company social media pages. Episodes are also available in podcast format and you can listen to them on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcasts. Filmed and edited by ENTA Solutions https://www.entasolutions.org

04-22-2025 David Walker Learn more about the interview and get additional links here: https://thedailyblaze.com/former-comptroller-general-of-the-us-grades-trumps-fiscal-policy-efforts/ Subscribe to the best of our content here: https://priceofbusiness.substack.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCywgbHv7dpiBG2Qswr_ceEQ

03-25-2025 David Walker Learn more about the interview and get additional links here: https://thedailyblaze.com/former-comptroller-general-of-the-us-on-why-we-have-rules-on-governing/ Subscribe to the best of our content here: https://priceofbusiness.substack.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCywgbHv7dpiBG2Qswr_ceEQ

Federal budgets, spending and appropriations the top parlor topics these days. You could almost forget that runaway entitlement and debt service spending are gaining momentum. Like a python constricting the life out of the republic. For a measured account of how Congress might proceed, I spoke with Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

02-27-2025 David Walker Learn more about the interview and get additional links here: (USE THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE) Subscribe to the best of our content here: https://priceofbusiness.substack.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCywgbHv7dpiBG2Qswr_ceEQ

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman discusses his book, "The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine." Then, Jack Brewer, former NFL player and chair of the Jack Brewer Foundation, discusses issues impacting Black men and boys in the U.S. Finally, U.S. Comptroller General and head of the Government Accountability Office, Gene Dodaro (doh-DAR-oh) discusses the GAO's latest report on federal programs deemed at high risk for mismanagement, fraud and waste. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few events raise the hackles of believers in good government more than the biannual list of high-risk federal programs. Compiled by the Government Accountability Office, it details where the government is bleeding the most money and where it's in danger of operational failure. For his perspective on the high risk list, I spoke at length with GAO's chief, Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. We started with how many of these reports he's overseen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speaker: Dr Stuart Baran is a barrister at specialist intellectual property chambers Three New Square IPAbstract: The UK Supreme Court has now given its long (and long-awaited) judgment in SkyKick v. Sky. It concerns the appropriate specification of goods and services as part of a trade mark application. In particular, the UKSC was asked to consider the circumstances in which a party applying for a specification broader than its intended commercial activities can be found to have applied in bad faith. The UKSC reversed the Court of Appeal on the approach in law, finding that Sky's trade mark registrations had been sought partly in bad faith, and should be partially invalidated. The Court found infringement of the remaining specification by one of SkyKick's products, but upheld the Court of Appeal's finding that there was no infringement by the other. It also found that it enjoyed a continuing jurisdiction to grant EU-wide relief given that these proceedings started before Brexit. Here I will focus on the part of the judgment about invalidity for bad faith. I will introduce what the Court has decided and its reasons, and then look at three questions: (i) to what extent does this judgment advance the law of invalidity for applying in bad faith?; (ii) is there now a difference between the extent of goods/services for which you can register your mark, and those for which you can enforce it?; and (iii) is this judgment likely to change applicants' approach to drafting their specifications?Biography: Dr Stuart Baran is a barrister at specialist intellectual property chambers Three New Square IP. After a degree in chemistry and doctorate in chemical physics, each at Oxford, he was called to the Bar in 2011 and has practised from Three New Square ever since, in all areas of IP but with particular emphases on trade marks and patents. Stuart was lucky to chair the Oxford International IP Moot for several years, starting during his DPhil. As a barrister, Stuart has appeared unled in every IP forum, from the UKIPO and European Patent Office to the EU General Court and Court of Justice as well as the UK High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He has been involved in a number of seminal cases across the IP spectrum, including Actavis v. Lilly, Newron v. Comptroller-General, Sky v. SkyKick, and Thaler v. Comptroller-General. Alongside his private practice, Stuart is Standing Counsel to the Comptroller-General which means he represents and advises the UKIPO and government departments on intellectual property issues. He was awarded Legal 500 Junior of the Year for IP in 2018; Managing IP Junior of the Year in 2021 and 2024; and was profiled as a JUVE Patent “One to Watch” in 2023. Outside of work he is a keen orchestral violinist, cook and Italophile.For more information see: https://www.cipil.law.cam.ac.uk/seminars-and-events/cipil-seminars

Speaker: Dr Stuart Baran is a barrister at specialist intellectual property chambers Three New Square IPAbstract: The UK Supreme Court has now given its long (and long-awaited) judgment in SkyKick v. Sky. It concerns the appropriate specification of goods and services as part of a trade mark application. In particular, the UKSC was asked to consider the circumstances in which a party applying for a specification broader than its intended commercial activities can be found to have applied in bad faith. The UKSC reversed the Court of Appeal on the approach in law, finding that Sky's trade mark registrations had been sought partly in bad faith, and should be partially invalidated. The Court found infringement of the remaining specification by one of SkyKick's products, but upheld the Court of Appeal's finding that there was no infringement by the other. It also found that it enjoyed a continuing jurisdiction to grant EU-wide relief given that these proceedings started before Brexit. Here I will focus on the part of the judgment about invalidity for bad faith. I will introduce what the Court has decided and its reasons, and then look at three questions: (i) to what extent does this judgment advance the law of invalidity for applying in bad faith?; (ii) is there now a difference between the extent of goods/services for which you can register your mark, and those for which you can enforce it?; and (iii) is this judgment likely to change applicants' approach to drafting their specifications?Biography: Dr Stuart Baran is a barrister at specialist intellectual property chambers Three New Square IP. After a degree in chemistry and doctorate in chemical physics, each at Oxford, he was called to the Bar in 2011 and has practised from Three New Square ever since, in all areas of IP but with particular emphases on trade marks and patents. Stuart was lucky to chair the Oxford International IP Moot for several years, starting during his DPhil. As a barrister, Stuart has appeared unled in every IP forum, from the UKIPO and European Patent Office to the EU General Court and Court of Justice as well as the UK High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He has been involved in a number of seminal cases across the IP spectrum, including Actavis v. Lilly, Newron v. Comptroller-General, Sky v. SkyKick, and Thaler v. Comptroller-General. Alongside his private practice, Stuart is Standing Counsel to the Comptroller-General which means he represents and advises the UKIPO and government departments on intellectual property issues. He was awarded Legal 500 Junior of the Year for IP in 2018; Managing IP Junior of the Year in 2021 and 2024; and was profiled as a JUVE Patent “One to Watch” in 2023. Outside of work he is a keen orchestral violinist, cook and Italophile.For more information see: https://www.cipil.law.cam.ac.uk/seminars-and-events/cipil-seminars

Donald Trump and Tariffs are big news.What will he do and what impact will it have on UK Businesses?I wanted to find out.Just before Pres Trump took office I had the chance to ask David Walker, theformer Comptroller General of the United States and an expert on US Finance and Politics.

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Dave Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General and author of America in 2040: Still a Superpower. Together, we explore America and North America's potential economic trajectory through 2040, examining how fiscal trends could influence global trade relationships and drive innovation in sustainable industries such as ocean farming and AI.Dave shares his insights on the ripple effects of environmental management and industrial automation on the global workforce and sustainability practices. We also dive into the pivotal role of climate policy in shaping the world's approach to sustainability challenges. Finally, Dave reflects on his groundbreaking book—what he might change and why, with the benefit of hindsight.Tune in to uncover what lies ahead for the U.S., global trade, and the planet's sustainability journey!Support the show

David provides a thoughtful analysis of the US economy and the US National Debt which now exceeds $36 TRILLION! He is very impressive. Using his extensive experience as a CPA, David served as the seventh Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) for almost ten years (1998-2008). He served under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. David also appeared in the Psychology of Retirement Movie Premiere Hosted by the Blue Heron Capital Team. This is a must listen podcast!

Will the United States remain a Superpower in 2040? What are the most significant challenges facing the U.S.? What key reforms are necessary to secure a better future for this country? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dave Walker, former Comptroller General of the US and author of America […]

Will the United States remain a Superpower in 2040? What are the most significant challenges facing the U.S.? What key reforms are necessary to secure a better future for this country? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dave Walker, former Comptroller General of the US and author of America in 2040: Still a Superpower? A Pathway to Success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will the United States remain a Superpower in 2040? What are the most significant challenges facing the U.S.? What key reforms are necessary to secure a better future for this country? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dave Walker, former Comptroller General of the US and author of America in 2040: Still a Superpower? A Pathway to Success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Roth Guy, we're excited to welcome a very special guest, former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker. With decades of experience serving under both Republican and Democratic administrations, Walker is here to share his expert insights on America's fiscal health. From the staggering national debt to the hidden tax of inflation, Walker breaks down complex economic issues in a way that's easy to understand and paints a sobering picture of what the future could look like if current trends continue. He warns that without significant changes, the US could face slower economic growth, increased taxation, and even the potential loss of the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency. What can we do in light of this outlook? Join us for part 2, where we'll explore actionable steps you can take to prepare for whatever lies ahead.   Here's some of what we discuss in this episode: 0:00 – Intro 2:38 – Current fiscal condition of the US 8:49 – The impact of fiscal imbalance on Americans 14:53 – Future financial challenges + stewardship   More about David: https://dbb.defense.gov/Board-Members/Board-Members-Bio-view/Article/3160065/ David's Books: America in 2024: Still A Superpower? A Pathway to Success https://www.amazon.com/America-2040-Superpower-Pathway-Success/dp/1665500824 Comeback America: Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility https://www.amazon.com/Comeback-America-Turning-Restoring-Responsibility/dp/0812980727 David on X https://x.com/davidmwalker7 The Tax Bomb https://thetaxbomb.com/   Connect: Website: https://centrusfs.com/podcast/   Call: 800-779-4592 Schedule your complimentary review with Jude: https://calendly.com/centruscalendar-/30min Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOyRZhgLenTC49qNZH9mEuQ/

We're thrilled to be back with former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker for today's show. With decades of experience serving under both Republican and Democratic administrations, Walker is here to share his expert insights on America's fiscal health. Last episode, we focused on the U.S. national debt, fiscal responsibility, and the challenges posed by excessive government spending. Today, we're covering some strategies that you can take to help protect yourself from potential economic challenges. Listen in as we talk about the importance of personal financial responsibility, including being debt-free, diversifying income streams, and planning for the long-term. We also discuss the critical role of leadership in addressing the national debt crisis.   Here's some of what we discuss in this episode: 0:00 – Intro 0:41 – What David learned on his bus tour 2:28 – What we can do + what David wants to see from government leadership 7:28 – Looking at your finances holistically 10:19 – David's thoughts on recent Fed rate cuts 17:37 – Wrap up   More about David: https://dbb.defense.gov/Board-Members/Board-Members-Bio-view/Article/3160065/ America in 2040: https://americain2040.com/ Get your free copy of David's new book: America in 2024 (while supplies last) Text 941-269-2499 David's Books: America in 2024: Still A Superpower? A Pathway to Success https://www.amazon.com/America-2040-Superpower-Pathway-Success/dp/1665500824 Comeback America: Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility https://www.amazon.com/Comeback-America-Turning-Restoring-Responsibility/dp/0812980727 David on X https://x.com/davidmwalker7 The Tax Bomb https://thetaxbomb.com/   Connect: Website: https://centrusfs.com/podcast/   Call: 800-779-4592 Schedule your complimentary review with Jude: https://calendly.com/centruscalendar-/30min Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOyRZhgLenTC49qNZH9mEuQ/

Remember the thrill of shaking a Magic 8 Ball to get answers to your childhood questions? Would we ace that math test? Would we be famous someday? Well, today, we're bringing a bit of that magic back. But instead of asking about pop quizzes and playground crushes, we're turning to the Magic 8 Ball for advice on something much more important: your retirement planning! What would the Magic 8 Ball have to say about these common retirement questions if it had the wisdom of a financial advisor?   Important Links: Website: http://www.yourplanningpros.com Call: 844-707-7381   ----more---- Transcript:    Speaker 1: Do you guys remember the thrill of shaking that magic eight ball that we had when we were kids and we would hopefully get the answers we were looking for and sometimes be disappointed when not? Well, let's have a little fun this week here on Plan with the Tax Man and go with the magic eight ball's guide to retirement planning. Let's get into it. Speaker 2: Look up in the sky. Speaker 3: It's a bird. Speaker 4: It's a plane. Speaker 5: No, it's the tax man. He may not be a superhero, but Tony Morrow has saved many retirement plans with his extreme knowledge of tax planning strategies. It's time for Plan with the Tax Man. Speaker 1: Hey everybody, welcome into the podcast. Thanks for hanging out with Tony and myself as we talk investing, finance and retirement. And Tony, I'm going to let you break out your magic eight ball and plan some financial stuff with us. I think sometimes people maybe actually approach their finances with this old idea. Sometimes they just don't quite do the things they should be doing, and I thought it'd be kind of fun, be kind of humorous to, I'll ask you some questions. You give us a magic eight ball answer, but then you also obviously elaborate on that for us. What do you think? Tony Morrow: I think that's good. Going back to the magic eight ball, I'm old enough to have had one of those. So for those of you that are young listening, you should look it up on the internet and see what kind of toys we had as kids. Speaker 1: Well, actually they still make it. Tony Morrow: Do they still make it? Oh my goodness. Speaker 1: Yeah, they still make it. Yeah. So the idea popped up with one of our producers or writers because they have little ones and they saw it and I was like, oh, well, there you go. I didn't know they still made that thing, but very cool. Yeah, so some of the really cool toys still exist, so that's always good to see, right? They're not all going the way of the Dodo Bird. I don't think Stretch Armstrong exists anymore, but I loved my Stretch Armstrong. Do you remember that? Tony Morrow: I remember the Stretch Armstrong. We had that and then we cut him and... Speaker 1: To see what was inside it? Tony Morrow: We wanted to see what was inside. Yeah, that was... Speaker 1: Just sort just some sort of goop? Tony Morrow: Yeah, some sort of goop. We liked The Six Million Dollar Man and all that. The bionic eye... Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. Six Million Dollar Man and his a little bionic eye. That was so cool. Tony Morrow: Yeah. So it didn't take much to entertain us. Speaker 1: No, it didn't because we didn't have these stupid phones, which was great. So anyway, let's have a little fun. Let's go back in time here. Tony, let's get it started. Should I start saving for retirement now? What does the magic eight ball say and what does Tony say? Tony Morrow: I have to agree with the magic eight ball because it's going to say yes. Definitely right now. It's never too late. And now it doesn't matter where you're at on the spectrum because you're going to need this. I was just in a meeting with my employees talking to them about that, about state of affairs today. Employers are not going to take care of you. This isn't the day of the pension, the old-fashioned pension, and where you work for somebody for 40 years and retiring at this monthly income, you can't outlive. I mean, it's all on us. So if you procrastinate this, the longer you do, the more you're going to have to save to get to your goals, and you need to have some goals anyway, but that is a short down and dirty on that. Speaker 1: Right. Yeah, no, I agree. And thinking about the magic eight ball too. So it had an assortment of answers, right? It had the yes, definitely. It had a bunch of, I guess what we would call the greens or the positives. Without a doubt. It's decidedly so. Outlook good. And then it had things like reply hazy or can't predict now. Had some of that middle ground. And it had some of those reds, right? My reply is, no, don't count on it. So on and so forth. So kind of thinking about those, Tony as you're shaking that and giving us some answers. But yeah, there's no better time than now no matter where you're at. Waiting another day only makes things even more complicated. So should I start saving now? Yes, definitely. Is a million dollars enough to retire on magic eight ball? Tony Morrow: Magic eight ball says, "Reply hazy. Try again." I'm going to answer. I think what they're talking about there is it depends. And ironically too, I was just reading an article this morning in a financial magazine saying that the new retirement numbers like 1.8, 1.9 million. Now again, that's just somebody's opinion and they make their piece for it. Speaker 1: Sure. Well, how you live, where you live, that's going to change all that. Tony Morrow: That's going to change all that. I think probably it depends on where you live, but it could be enough If you want a modest lifestyle, you're definitely not going to be destitute if we're just talking real general terms. But depending on what you want, what your goals are, that certainly may not be enough in today's world to do what you want to do. But that's kind of the number that still everybody's got in their mind, they like to shoot for. We as advisors like to take that a step further and say, "Look, let's really talk about what you want and see if that's enough or not." I think that's the help of an advisor. Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, Tony, we're two different people here on this podcast. A million dollars might work for you, and it might be more than I needed to get to. I could work too long and not enjoy my retirement if because I didn't need that much because maybe I have a pension and you don't to your point earlier. Tony Morrow: Right. Speaker 1: Right? Tony Morrow: Yeah. Speaker 1: Or maybe my lifestyle is much more significantly lower than yours or whatever the case might be. So is a million dollars enough? You have reply hazy great because well, maybe and maybe not. So retirement's a math problem. Tony Morrow: It is. Speaker 1: You got to solve the math. So maybe you've got to work to get to the million and maybe you could retire sooner, or maybe you got to work to get to 2 million, but you're not going to know until you run those numbers so definitely make sure that you're sitting down with a qualified professional like Tony on that. Magic eight ball, can I rely on social security for my retirement? Tony Morrow: I've got it in front of me. I looked it up on the internet. I wanted to see, and the first picture is the answer and it says, "Outlook not so good," and I agree with that. Social security that could be a whole topic and it's discussed a lot. I do a lot of webinars on it and I send out a lot of information on it. It is an important piece, especially for those that are getting closer to it, especially when they take it type of thing. But if you're relying on that, social security wasn't meant to be what some people think it is, and it really was an insurance policy to keep people from being destitute and dying in the streets way back when it was [inaudible 00:05:52]. Speaker 1: And we had much less people and all that. All the things we know. And I think Tony, let ask you to this way, can you do it? Yes, I've got a family member who's surviving solely on social security. Are they happy about it? No. Right? Tony Morrow: Right. Speaker 1: What kind of retirement do you want? And if you want the bare minimum, then yeah, it probably can be done because I mean many thousands of people, millions of people are probably doing it, but it's not the ideal thing, right? Tony Morrow: It's not the ideal thing. And this is where you want to have a plan. It can be part of your plan. Now, obviously, if you're at the end, and like you said, that's all you have, it's better than nothing, obviously. Speaker 1: Sure. That was the point. Tony Morrow: I've got an uncle who just passed away and they didn't do any planning. And ironically, he had a pension plan from the state, but he took the highest payout. So once he died, the pension's over, he does have a spouse that's still living. She's in her late eighties, and so they're down to $1,800 a month in social security net, and their rent is 1400. Now that's leaves $400 for everything else. That probably doable, but not great at all. So I mean, you want to probably stay out of that. And then looking forward, in about 10 years, social security trust fund is going to be paying out well more than it's taking in. They're going to have to fix it. That's why the outlook is really not that good. I don't think they'll let it go by the wayside, but it might look different in 10 to three years from now. Speaker 1: I definitely think it's going to look different for anybody under the age of 40. Tony Morrow: Yeah, absolutely. Speaker 1: It's going to almost have to. All right, so let's do a couple more here, Tony. Magic eight ball, can I expect to have fewer expenses in retirement compared to when I'm working? Tony Morrow: Yeah, don't count on it. Speaker 1: Yeah, that's the same thing. That's- Tony Morrow: That's the eight ball answer. Speaker 1: That's the same thing that Marsha Smith said to me when I asked her out to the eighth grade dance. She said, "Don't count on it." People often think this, Tony, they come in and see a financial professional like yourself, and they're like, "Well, listen, we think we got enough to retire on because we're going to spend less money in retirement than we are now." So they're kind of like fudging the math to make themselves feel good about maybe getting into retirement, but they don't truly have that plan. And as you've seen, because you've been doing this for many, many years now, do you want to live a lesser lifestyle in retirement, then don't count on it. Just because expenses change doesn't mean they're necessarily lower. Tony Morrow: Yeah. And then everybody that I see entering retirement two years in, they all are telling me the same thing is my expenses are higher. And it really is, comes down to a couple of things. One, healthcare costs rise tremendously, and two, they're doing more because [inaudible 00:08:22] they're actually out and they're spending more money, which is the whole idea. But the old adage, like you say, of, oh yeah, I can retire and I won't have any expenses. Some will go away, but others will increase. Speaker 1: Others come on. Yeah. Tony Morrow: Yeah. And so you got to watch that when you got to plan it. Speaker 1: Yep, so don't count on them. Don't count on it. It's a great response there from the magic eight ball. And again, all of this is going to come back to that, this is the point of why you need a full strategy design for specialty for yourself, because every situation is going to be a little bit different. So dialing it in, we can get all those generalities because we all do suffer from the same kind of universal questions when it comes to retirement. But then how each puzzle kind of plays out for person to person is different. And that's why it's so important, again, to sit down and talk with qualified professionals like Tony and his team at Tax Doctor Inc. All right, one or two more here, Tony. We'll wrap it up. Will my retirement play and be affected by future changes in tax laws? What might the magic eight ball say? Tony Morrow: Magic eight ball says, "Signs point to yes." I got to think that. Of course, I say that all the time because tax laws change almost all the time now, especially with administrations. And some of them were drastic. Back in the day, I remember tax laws were, major things were pretty few and far between. Now everything changes so quickly. And I definitely think you need to stay on top of that. Obviously you have your advisor for that to help you with that. But if you're not taking that into account that really could blindside you retirement, if you're not careful. Speaker 1: Well, you think about what the tax implications are going to do to us with our retirement plan. And it's one of those ones that can really scalp your plan. So it's like, Hey, we thought we've got a good plan in place, but then taxation rates come along or change or get higher. And obviously with the debt that we have, the signs are certainly likely that that's going to happen. I was just on an interview last week, Tony, with former Comptroller General of the US David Walker, and asked him the question, can we just tax our way out of this debt? And he's like, "No." I mean, even just taxing people to the hilt is not going to get it done. There's going to have to cut spending and there's going to have to be changes in order to fix all this. And the problem is finding politicians that will actually do it and [inaudible 00:10:29] be fiscally responsible. And he was talking about the fact that there hasn't been a fiscally responsible president since Bill Clinton. He said none of the presidents since Bill Clinton have been fiscally responsible. And I thought, well, that's kind of stark, right? So yeah, are we going to be affected by future tax changes? I would say signs certainly point to yes. I think magic eight ball's right on the money there. Okay. Let's see. Should I review my retirement plan annually, magic eight ball? Pretty easy one, I think? Tony Morrow: Without a doubt. Speaker 1: Without a doubt. Tony Morrow: Eight ball. And obviously that's an easy one. I mean, if you're not doing that, really then going to end up getting probably off track, especially if you don't do it for long periods of time. Speaker 1: Yeah. Tony Morrow: This is where I believe that an advisor can offer the most value, is to at least meet with your advisor, I would recommend this at least once a year. Make sure you're still on track. Make sure that your plan is still performing the way you want it to. And gives you a chance to make changes because maybe even your goals are something change. And if you just, especially in the accumulation stage when you're younger, you're just planning pretty easy to skip this and just hope for the best. And you don't want to do that because obviously as things change and a lot of the stuff that we just talked about comes into play, suddenly you could be way off. Speaker 1: Very true. Tony Morrow: Not even know it until it's a little bit too late. Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, course corrections along the way are important. That's why you have those, so certainly, yep, certainly a good idea to do and we'll make this last one a layup here. So should I consider working with a professional as I near retirement? The magic eight ball's got to say yes. Tony Morrow: Magic eight ball says, "Yes." Yeah, he's popping out saying yes. Speaker 1: That's right. That's right. Tony Morrow: I think especially as you get near towards retirement, your focus changes less on accumulation maybe to more of income distribution. Do I have enough to live on and how's this going to look for me? And that's where I think advisor can help not only continue to build things after retirement and making sure you're getting the income you need along with a little bit hopefully of growth and expense management. So I definitely would say yes. I'm not saying that you shouldn't work [inaudible 00:12:28] advisor even if you're young, but it's all the same, I think order to get to where you want to go, have that good plan in place. I think an advisor is a necessity in my opinion. Speaker 1: Yeah, especially as you do near retirement, we get older. Can you get by DIY-ing and building your wealth when you're younger? Yeah. I mean, many people do, and it's a little bit easier to build it than it is to do the preservation stage, which is retirement. But as you get closer to it, there's a lot more to deal with, which we obviously talk about on the regular and that's why you need to turn to a qualified professional like Tony, who's got 30 plus years in the industry. He's a CPA, a CFP, and an EA so he's a great resource for you to tap into. If you're listening to the podcast and you're not already working with him, consider reaching out to them at yourplanningpros.com. That is yourplanningpros.com. And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so you can catch new and future episodes by subscribing on Apple or Spotify or whatever platform you like using. You can find all that information again at Tony's website yourplanningpros.com, and get yourself onto the calendar with he and his team at Tax Doctor Inc. Tony, thanks for hanging out my friend and walking down the nostalgia path with the old magic eight ball here. Tony Morrow: Yeah, sounds good. We'll see you next time. It was a lot of fun. Speaker 1: Always appreciate you and we'll catch you next time here on Plan With the Tax Man with Tony Morrow. Speaker 7: Securities offered through Avantax Investment Services SM, member FINRA SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Avantax Advisory services. Insurance services offered through an Avantax affiliated insurance agency. Investment strategies discussed in this episode may not be suitable for all investors. Please consult with a financial professional.  

07-23-2024 David Walker Learn more about the interview and get additional links here: https://usabusinessradio.com/former-comptroller-general-of-us-on-harriss-fiscal-policy/ Subscribe to the best of our content here: https://priceofbusiness.substack.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCywgbHv7dpiBG2Qswr_ceEQ

07-03-2024 David Walker Learn more about the interview and get additional links here: https://thedailyblaze.com/bill-clintons-comptroller-general-biden-is-unacceptable/ Subscribe to the best of our content here: https://priceofbusiness.substack.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCywgbHv7dpiBG2Qswr_ceEQ

Will the United States remain a Superpower in 2040? What are the most significant challenges facing the U.S.? What key reforms are necessary to secure a better future for this country? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dave Walker, former Comptroller General of the US and author of America in 2040: Still a Superpower? A Pathway to Success.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will the United States remain a Superpower in 2040? What are the most significant challenges facing the U.S.? What key reforms are necessary to secure a better future for this country? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Dave Walker, former Comptroller General of the US and author of America in 2040: Still a Superpower? A Pathway to Success. 

 Hon. David M. Walker is a nationally and internationally recognized fiscal responsibility, government transformation/ accountability, and retirement security expert. He is a non-practicing CPA with over 40 years of executive level experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors, including heading three federal agencies (two ERISA agencies), two non-profits, and leading a global service line for Arthur Andersen LLP. His most recent full-time federal position was as the seventh Comptroller General of the United States and CEO of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) for almost 10 years. This was one of his three Presidential appointments by Presidents from both political parties, with unanimous Senate confirmation each time. Dave also served as one of two Public Trustees for Social Security and Medicare from 1990-1995, and as the first Chairman of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee for the United Nations.   Most recently, Hon. David M. Walker served as the Distinguished Visiting Professor and Crowe Chair at the U.S. Naval Academy where he taught the Economics of National Security. He currently serves on a number of government and non-profit Boards and Advisory Committees, including the Defense Business Board, the Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation, and as a National Co-Founder of No Labels.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Dawn speaks with David Walker, a seasoned professional in human capital strategy and former Comptroller General of the United States. They dive into Dave's unique journey through human resources and leadership, highlighting his extensive experience from Arthur Anderson to the Government Accountability Office. Key topics of this episode include the distinction between leadership and management, the importance of communication, and qualities essential for effective leadership. Dave shares insights from his own career, including his tenure as a professor at the Naval Academy and his principles on attracting and retaining top talent. Support the Show.Connect with Dawn:Website: www.managewithhart.comInstagram: @managewithhart

Set against the backdrop of Truth in Accounting's 2024 Financial State of the Union report, this educational conversation aims to examine the fiscal condition of our Federal government with our distinguished guest, David M. Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States and CEO of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) for almost ten years. Mr. Walker is a nationally and internationally recognized fiscal responsibility, government transformation/accountability, human capital, and retirement security expert. He has 40 years of executive-level experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including heading three federal agencies, two non-profits, and a global service line for Arthur Andersen LLP. 

04-23-2024 David Walker Learn more about the interview and get additional links here: https://usabusinessradio.com/former-comptroller-general-of-us-grades-speaker-johnsons-aid-package-win/ Subscribe to the best of our content here: https://priceofbusiness.substack.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCywgbHv7dpiBG2Qswr_ceEQ

Speaker: Stuart Baran, Three New SquareAbstract: The UK Supreme Court recently gave judgment in Thaler, upholding the refusal of patent applications listing DABUS, an AI, as the inventor. After looking at what the UKSC decided and why, I will consider three broader questions that arise from the litigation: (i) why did the case take the shape it did – in particular, was it driven by questions of procedure more than substance?; (ii) what does the judgment mean for patents arising from AI inventions in future?; and (iii) how do we approach the appropriate division of labour between the courts and Parliament in approaching these questions?Biography: Stuart is Barrister at Three New Square Chambers. He was Legal 500 Junior of the Year in IP, IT and Media for 2018. In 2019 he was appointed to a three-year term as one of two Standing Counsel to HM Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. He practises in all areas of intellectual property, including: patents, SPCs, trade marks, passing off, copyright, designs and confidential information. For more information see:https://www.cipil.law.cam.ac.uk/seminars-and-events/cipil-seminars

David Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States, assesses the state of the nation's current fiscal and economic condition and discusses the consequences of the failure to act to address some of the biggest challenges we face today.

We have the honor of being joined by David Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States and someone who was the CEO of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) from 1998 to 2008.Needless to say, he has a lot of insight into where the country is headed and how that could affect your dollars.In this episode, David is helping us discuss the state of the American economy, some strategies the average person can do to prepare, how the country might achieve fiscal responsibility, and more!This was truly an insightful conversation and it's one you don't want to miss!//Grab a Free Resource at http://retirewith210.com/ --Prefer to watch? Find video versions of every episode on our YouTube channel.Learn how our team at 210 Financial can help you plan for the future at www.210financial.com --Like more free resources? Grab one of our free guides here.//Investment advisory products and services made available through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Advisor.Insurance products are offered through the insurance business 210 Financial. 210 Financial is also an Investment Advisory practice that offers products and services through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Advisor. AEWM does not offer insurance products. The insurance products offered by 210 Financial are not subject to Investment Advisor requirements.All investments are subject to risk including the potential loss of principal. Any references to protection, safety or lifetime income, generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investments. Any and all other services related to insurance are an outside business activity and are not offered through or supervised by AE Wealth Management, LLC. Please remember that converting an employer plan account to a Roth IRA is a taxable event. Annuities are insurance products that may be subject to restrictions, surrender charges, holding periods, or early withdrawal fees which vary by carrier. Annuities are not back or FDIC insured.This podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual's situation.210 Financial is not permitted to offer and no statement made during this show shall constitute tax or legal advice. Our firm is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or any governmental agency. The information and opinions contained herein provided by third parties have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by 210 Financial.AEWM provides services without regard to political affiliation and the views of individual advisors are not necessarily the views of AEWM. David Walker is not affiliated with 210 Financial or AE Wealth Management, LLC. Opinions expressed by David Walker are his own opinions and not necessarily the views of AEWM.  2135194-12/23

The topic of this episode is, “What does the U.S. Government Accountability Office do?”To answer that question we have Gene Dodaro. He is the eighth Comptroller General of the United States—that means he is the head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). He has held that position since December 2010. Prior to becoming the top dog at this government watchdog agency, Gene held other executive positions at GAO, including Chief Operating Officer. Remarkably, Gene has spent a half of a century at the agency. So, with all that experience I can think of nobody better to ask the question, “What does the Government Accountability Office do?”Kevin Kosar:Welcome to Understanding Congress, a podcast about the first branch of government. Congress is a notoriously complex institution and few Americans think well of it, but Congress is essential to our republic. It's a place where our pluralistic society is supposed to work out its differences and come to agreement about what our laws should be, and that is why we are here to discuss our national legislature and to think about ways to upgrade it so it can better serve our nation. I'm your host, Kevin Kosar, and I'm a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank in Washington DC.Gene, welcome to the program.Gene Dodaro:It's a pleasure to be with you, Kevin.Kevin Kosar:Let's start at the very beginning. GAO was created a century ago. WhyGene Dodaro:GAO was created in 1921—right after World War I. The government had created a large debt during that time in order to promulgate the war, and there was concern about having a better, more disciplined way to handle the federal government's budget process. In the same legislation in which we were created, the Bureau of the Budget—which is now known as the Office of Management Budget (OMB) in the executive office of the President—was also created, and the very first requirement was put in place for the President to submit a budget annually to the Congress. Then GAO was placed in the legislative branch in order to provide a check and balance on the receipts and expenditures of federal funds and the proper application of those funds to meet the intent of the appropriation legislation for the Congress. So it was an arrangement put in place to provide more fiscal discipline to the federal government's budget process and execution.Kevin Kosar:At that time, GAO had a different name, which to some degree reflected its more limited mission at the time. What was it called back then?Gene Dodaro:It was the General Accounting Office. That's what it was when I first joined GAO in 1973. But at that time even, we were doing more than accounting, but that was our original name—the General Accounting Office.Kevin Kosar:It seems that...

Vincent and Joel sit down with Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Representative Bruce W. Bannister. They discuss the budget, how it really works behind the scenes, the Freedom Caucus's Extremism and its negative impacts, the practice of Family Law, leadership in the upstate, and what it was like to test whether   DONALD TRUMP's HAIR WAS REAL. Hear about the downfall of South Carolina's Comptroller General and who may replace him, listen to the recent developments on Medical Marijuana, Economic development and Scout Motor's new facility in the midlands, the arguments for Judicial Appointment reform, How the budget really works, and so much more!Keep up to Date with BITBR: Twitter.com/BITBRpodcastFacebook.com/BITBRpodcasthttps://bourboninthebackroom.buzzsprout.com

Vincent and Joel sit down with Sumter's own Senator J. Thomas McElveen III and discuss S.C.'s crazy death penalty abortion bill, hate crime legislation, the new State budget and how it works, big pay raises coming to state employees, tax relief, the Comptroller General's grievous mistake, Scout Motor's economic development in the midlands, the Upcoming Presidential Election, and so much more!Get your latest Statehouse update and hear firsthand the rationale behind some of the legislature's most controversial bills. Join Senators Sheheen and Lourie in this week's episode where they take a deeper look at upcoming legislation and lawmakers' actions in S.C. Keep up to Date with BITBR: Twitter.com/BITBRpodcastFacebook.com/BITBRpodcasthttps://bourboninthebackroom.buzzsprout.com

Joannie Nickel gives an update on the SC House of Representatives version of the state budget. Casey Fields and Scott Slatton talk about the impact of “culture-war” issues on legislation, the Scout Motors incentive package, efforts to remove the state's Comptroller General, the sober homes bill, the “shooting up a utility” bill and the affordable housing bill.

South Carolina's top accountant Richard Eckstrom testified a second time in front of a special Senate Panel Tuesday over a multi-billion dollar accounting error that spanned over a decade.  Eckstrom responded to accusations that his office was warned by auditors of the error. He said it's the treasurer's responsibility, not his, to reconcile the state's cash balances.  "That makes sense that that agency responsible for cash would be responsible for making sure those cash balances compore with balances shown in the accounting system," said Eckstrom.  It comes nearly one week after House Lawmakers filed a Resolution requesting an impeachment inquiry into Eckstrom.  Eckstrom told legislators in February that his office noticed the problem at the start of the pandemic. He added that the issue had been corrected and that it shouldn't impact their ability to debate the upcoming budget. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/sc-comptroller-general-testifies-calls-for-resignation-mount/101-7210b354-e562-4bf5-9a07-73b8cb436707 Police are searching for a man they say was impaired during a crash that left a man dead in February. According to the Statesville Police Department, the crash happened on Feb. 24, Gabino Hernandez Nunez was driving a 1995 Honda Civic on E. Broad Street when he crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a 2007 Honda Civic. The occupants of both vehicles were transported to a local hospital. Hernandez Nunez was released from the hospital but one of the passengers of his car, Juvencio Mata Carbajal, was pronounced dead two days later. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/man-wanted-after-driving-impaired-during-fatal-crash-police-say-statesville-north-carolina-investigation/275-d5053389-d40f-4756-ae9d-6ca5c87f43fe Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

South Carolina's top accountant Richard Eckstrom testified a second time in front of a special Senate Panel Tuesday over a multi-billion dollar accounting error that spanned over a decade. Eckstrom responded to accusations that his office was warned by auditors of the error. He said it's the treasurer's responsibility, not his, to reconcile the state's cash balances. "That makes sense that that agency responsible for cash would be responsible for making sure those cash balances compore with balances shown in the accounting system," said Eckstrom. It comes nearly one week after House Lawmakers filed a Resolution requesting an impeachment inquiry into Eckstrom. Eckstrom told legislators in February that his office noticed the problem at the start of the pandemic. He added that the issue had been corrected and that it shouldn't impact their ability to debate the upcoming budget.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/sc-comptroller-general-testifies-calls-for-resignation-mount/101-7210b354-e562-4bf5-9a07-73b8cb436707Police are searching for a man they say was impaired during a crash that left a man dead in February.According to the Statesville Police Department, the crash happened on Feb. 24, Gabino Hernandez Nunez was driving a 1995 Honda Civic on E. Broad Street when he crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a 2007 Honda Civic.The occupants of both vehicles were transported to a local hospital. Hernandez Nunez was released from the hospital but one of the passengers of his car, Juvencio Mata Carbajal, was pronounced dead two days later.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/man-wanted-after-driving-impaired-during-fatal-crash-police-say-statesville-north-carolina-investigation/275-d5053389-d40f-4756-ae9d-6ca5c87f43feWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

There's hardly anything that POTUS loves to brag about more than his ‘economic success'. He is, after all, a self-proclaimed “capitalist”. Even in last week's State of the Union address, he boldly claimed that he “cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion-- the largest deficit reduction in American history.” And he's made that same assertion over and over and over again. Unfortunately it's a complete lie. And just yesterday the Treasury Department released financial documents proving it. Every year the federal government publishes an annual financial report; it's sort of like what big public company like Apple does. The annual report contains financial statements, plus hundreds of pages of discussion, details, and footnotes. And yesterday afternoon they released the annual financial report for Fiscal Year 2022, which just ended a few months ago. It goes without saying that the government's financial condition is completely atrocious. Their “net financial position”, which is sort of like the net worth of the federal government, fell to MINUS $34.0 trillion… which is worse than the MINUS $29.9 trillion in FY21. The projected social security funding deficit also got worse… from $71 trillion to $75.9 trillion. The real headline to me, though, is the budget deficit lie. The President claims that deficit last fiscal year was $1.4 trillion, and that he (and he alone?) brought it down by $1.7 trillion. But that's not true at all. It turns out that the “budget deficit” is actually an inaccurate figure that can easily be manipulated. If you're a finance or accounting type, you might be surprised to learn that the budget deficit is determined on a ‘cash basis' and not ‘accrual basis'. This means that officials can easily accelerate certain revenues and push off certain expenses to massage the data and make the budget deficit appear better than it really is. Businesses aren't allowed to do this. Nearly every other organization in the country of any reasonable size has to follow strict accounting rules, booking revenue when it's earned, and accruing expenses when they're incurred. This provides a more honest, transparent, and standardized way of reporting financial results. So whenever they talk about the ‘budget deficit', this is really just a manipulated number that doesn't conform to proper accounting standards. Naturally this raises an important question: how much would the federal government's annual budget deficit be if they conformed to those proper accounting standards? i.e. the same ones that every major corporation has to follow? Well, lucky for us, we don't have have to guess. Because the government actually publishes that number too. They call it their “Net Operating Cost”. And it essentially represents the REAL budget deficit. It turns out that the FY22 Net Operating Cost of the federal government was MINUS $4.1 trillion. And that figure was MUCH worse than FY21's Net Operating Cost of $3.1 trillion. So this guy did not, in fact, “cut the deficit”. The real deficit, as determined by Net Operating Cost, INCREASED by a trillion dollars. There's so much more in this report, though. One of the other interesting points, in fact, is that the government actually failed its audit. Again. The Comptroller-General states very plainly that there are numerous “material misstatements” in the government's financial reporting and internal controls. There are actually laws that are supposed to prevent this from happening. Twenty years ago Congress passed something called the Sarbannes-Oxley Act, which imposed CRIMINAL penalties for company executives who fail their audits. If the federal government were held to the same standard as the private sector, dozens of officials should be facing jail time right now. Instead they'll retire to their generous, fully-funded pensions and receive lavish board seats and prestigious awards. They will never be held accountable. You, on the other hand,

There's hardly anything that POTUS loves to brag about more than his ‘economic success'. He is, after all, a self-proclaimed “capitalist”. Even in last week's State of the Union address, he boldly claimed that he “cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion-- the largest deficit reduction in American history.” And he's made that same assertion over and over and over again. Unfortunately it's a complete lie. And just yesterday the Treasury Department released financial documents proving it. Every year the federal government publishes an annual financial report; it's sort of like what big public company like Apple does. The annual report contains financial statements, plus hundreds of pages of discussion, details, and footnotes. And yesterday afternoon they released the annual financial report for Fiscal Year 2022, which just ended a few months ago. It goes without saying that the government's financial condition is completely atrocious. Their “net financial position”, which is sort of like the net worth of the federal government, fell to MINUS $34.0 trillion… which is worse than the MINUS $29.9 trillion in FY21. The projected social security funding deficit also got worse… from $71 trillion to $75.9 trillion. The real headline to me, though, is the budget deficit lie. The President claims that deficit last fiscal year was $1.4 trillion, and that he (and he alone?) brought it down by $1.7 trillion. But that's not true at all. It turns out that the “budget deficit” is actually an inaccurate figure that can easily be manipulated. If you're a finance or accounting type, you might be surprised to learn that the budget deficit is determined on a ‘cash basis' and not ‘accrual basis'. This means that officials can easily accelerate certain revenues and push off certain expenses to massage the data and make the budget deficit appear better than it really is. Businesses aren't allowed to do this. Nearly every other organization in the country of any reasonable size has to follow strict accounting rules, booking revenue when it's earned, and accruing expenses when they're incurred. This provides a more honest, transparent, and standardized way of reporting financial results. So whenever they talk about the ‘budget deficit', this is really just a manipulated number that doesn't conform to proper accounting standards. Naturally this raises an important question: how much would the federal government's annual budget deficit be if they conformed to those proper accounting standards? i.e. the same ones that every major corporation has to follow? Well, lucky for us, we don't have have to guess. Because the government actually publishes that number too. They call it their “Net Operating Cost”. And it essentially represents the REAL budget deficit. It turns out that the FY22 Net Operating Cost of the federal government was MINUS $4.1 trillion. And that figure was MUCH worse than FY21's Net Operating Cost of $3.1 trillion. So this guy did not, in fact, “cut the deficit”. The real deficit, as determined by Net Operating Cost, INCREASED by a trillion dollars. There's so much more in this report, though. One of the other interesting points, in fact, is that the government actually failed its audit. Again. The Comptroller-General states very plainly that there are numerous “material misstatements” in the government's financial reporting and internal controls. There are actually laws that are supposed to prevent this from happening. Twenty years ago Congress passed something called the Sarbannes-Oxley Act, which imposed CRIMINAL penalties for company executives who fail their audits. If the federal government were held to the same standard as the private sector, dozens of officials should be facing jail time right now. Instead they'll retire to their generous, fully-funded pensions and receive lavish board seats and prestigious awards. They will never be held accountable. You, on the other hand,

Imagine trying to herd cats. Even worse, try to herd cats in a crisis! In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse talks with former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen about leadership during a crisis. Whether it's a business crisis, family crisis, natural disaster, supply chain nightmare, government-mandated pandemic shutdown or something else, ethical leadership can make all the difference in ultimately navigating to "safe shores." Our guest mentor today, Thad Allen, has a lot to share about leadership and crisis leadership. During his Coast Guard career, Allen was asked by two U.S. Presidents to take over leadership of the Federal response to two monumental crises—the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. To achieve resolution in each of these disasters required bringing together a wide swath of diverse constituencies—each with their own focus, concerns, habits of communication and pain points. No easy task. Allen was so successful in his efforts that he became known in some circles as "the master of disaster." Allen also led the Atlantic Coast Guard forces in response to the 9/11 attacks and coordinated the U.S. Coast Guard response to a major Haitian earthquake. But what was Allen's secret for bringing very diverse groups together, leading them to work together to achieve a common goal? How did he herd cats in a crisis? Among other things you'll learn that one of the first things he does—every time, in every disaster with which he was involved—is to focus first on forging a unity of purpose and a culture of compassion. Yes. People First. Every Time! That required hyper-focused listening, clarity of assessment, finding the common threads and building on those, and... did we mention listening, putting people first?!! The lessons and experiences Thad Allen shares in this episode are worth more than gold for any human on the planet—in business, work, life, anywhere, anytime... and for cats too, if they'd only listen. FANTASTIC LEARNING and MENTORING in this episode! SHOW NOTES: THAD ALLEN: BIO: Admiral Thad Allen retired in 2010 as the 23rd Commandant of the US Coast Guard, after four decades of service. He transitioned to apply his expertise, leadership and learnings to other opportunities, retiring as an executive vice president (2017) and senior executive advisor (2021) at Booz Allen Hamilton. He currently chairs or serves on several federal advisory committees, is a member of the Board of Visitors to the National Intelligence University, and a member of the Comptroller General's Advisory Board. Admiral Allen led the federal responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He led Atlantic Coast Guard forces in response to the 9/11 attacks and coordinated the Coast Guard response to the Haitian Earthquake. He is a 1971 graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy, holds master's degrees from George Washington University and the MIT Sloan School and is the recipient of 5 Honorary Doctorate degrees. He held the James Tyler Distinguished Chair of Leadership at the Loy Institute of Leadership at the Coast Guard Academy from 2014 to 2021. ARTICLES: "Looking Back at 225 and 100: A former Commandant reflects on the "inflection" points of his personal and professional life and the Service itself," by Admiral Thad Allen, USCG (ret), '71, In the Service and Beyond "Recognizing and Responding to Today's Governance Challenges," by Thad W. Allen '71, Admiral James M. Loy Institute for Leadership "Hurricane Katrina: How the Coast Guard Gets It Right," TIME magazine, 10/31/05 "Confronting Complexity and Creating Unity of Effort: The Leadership Challenge for Public Administrators," by Thad W. Allen, Public Administration Review

First – a conversation with Gallup editor-in-chief Mohamed Younis on the polling organization's "Mood of the Nation" poll – an annual survey conducted in the beginning of the year, in the run-up to the State of the Union address.   Then, U.S. Comptroller General and Head of Government Accountability Office's Gene Dodaro discusses GAO's examination of how coronavirus relief funds have been misspent. Plus, both Congress and President Biden are signaling a desire for increased oversight of social media companies and so-called "Big Tech". We speak to Sasha Haworth from the Tech Oversight Project and Carl Szabo from the group Net Choice – on what that might look like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FTX, a large cryptocurrency exchange, recently went bankrupt, leading to calls for government regulation of cryptocurrencies. But you might be wondering, what are cryptocurrencies? In part one of this two-part series, listen to expert testimony provided over a four-year period informing Congress about the cryptocurrency industry, the promise of blockchain, problems - both real and overblown - with this new technology, and how best to regulate this complicated industry. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the shownotes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd264-cryptocurrencies-and-blockchain Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD235: The Safe Haven of Sanctions Evaders CD262: Inside C-SPAN with Howard Mortman Proof of Work Jake Frankenfield. May 2, 2022. "What Is Proof of Work (PoW) in Blockchain?" Investopedia. Initial Coin Offering (ICO) Jake Frankenfield. Aug 18, 2022. “Initial Coin Offering (ICO): Coin Launch Defined, with Examples.” Investopedia. Sherwin Dowlat. Jul 11, 2018. “Cryptoasset Market Coverage Initiation: Network Creation.” Satis Group. Madison Cawthorn The Associated Press. Dec 7, 2022. "Rep. Madison Cawthorn broke rules over a 'meme' crypto, a House panel finds." NPR. Regulations Cheyenne Ligon. Dec 5, 2022. “The ‘Good Cop and Bad Cop' of US Crypto Regulations.” CoinDesk. Bills S.4760 - Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act of 2022 Sponsor: Sen. Debbie Stabenow Audio Sources Cleaning Up Cryptocurrency: The Energy Impacts of Blockchains January 20, 2022 House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Ari Juels, Weill Family Foundation and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Professor, Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, Cornell Tech John Belizaire, Chief Executive Officer, Soluna Computing, Inc. Brian Brooks, Chief Executive Officer, BitFury Steve Wright, Former Chief Executive Officer, Chelan County Public Utility District and Bonneville Power Administration Gregory Zerzan, Shareholder Jordan Ramis P.C. Schemes and Subversion: How Bad Actors and Foreign Governments Undermine and Evade Sanctions Regimes June 16, 2021 House Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Jesse Spiro, Global Head of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Chainalysis Eric B. Lorber, Senior Director, Center on Economic and Financial Power, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Dollars Against Democracy: Domestic Terrorist Financing in the Aftermath of Insurrection February 25, 2021 House Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy Witness Daniel Glaser, Former Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, U.S. Department of the Treasury Examining Regulatory Frameworks for Digital Currencies and Blockchain July 30, 2019 Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Watch on C-SPAN Committee concluded a hearing to examine regulatory frameworks for digital currencies and blockchain, including S. 2243, to amend the Expedited Funds Availability Act to require that funds deposited be available for withdrawal in real-time. Witnesses: Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Circle, on behalf of The Blockchain Association Dr. Rebecca M. Nelson, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Congressional Research Service Professor Mehrsa Baradaran, Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine School of Law Exploring the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Ecosystem October 11, 2018 Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Watch on C-SPAN Committee concluded a hearing to examine the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem, including S. 3179, to require the Comptroller General of the United States to carry out a study on how virtual currencies and online marketplaces are used to buy, sell, or facilitate the financing of goods or services associated with sex trafficking or drug trafficking. Witnesses: Dr. Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business, New York University Stern School of Business Peter Van Valkenburgh, Director of Research, Coin Center Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

In this episode of The Power of Zero Show, David McKnight talks about what you can do to protect your pension in the current rising tax environment.  David explains that tax rates will rise dramatically within the next 10 years due to massively unfunded obligations like Social Security and Medicare.  According to former Comptroller General of the United States, David Walker, tax rates will likely double by 2030 to keep the country from bankruptcy. Given the impending doom, David believes it's time we all start to think about protecting our taxable income streams. David highlights that the pre-tax amount on your pension might be guaranteed, but your after-tax amount is not. If you'd like to protect your pension from higher tax rates, David explains the first step would be to consider a lump sum pension distribution option. If this option is available for you, it would be advisable to move as much money into a Roth IRA to shield your dollars from the impact of higher taxes.  However, when moving pension dollars into an IRA, David reveals you must move slowly enough so you don't move into a tax bracket that gives you heartburn, and fast enough that you don't get caught up with higher tax rates.  David discusses the role of tax-deferred retirement accounts when combating the impacts of rising tax rates.   Mentioned in this episode: David's books: Power of Zero, Look Before Your LIRP, The Volatility Shield, Tax-Free Income for Life and The Infinity Code DavidMcKnight.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube

Today's episode focuses on the impact of Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness program on the fiscal trajectory of the U.S.. David shares that Biden's plan has only one stipulation: your annual income must be less than $125,000 as a single person (or $250,000 for a married couple). The program only concerns federal student loans. and you can have up to $20,000 in student loans forgiven if you received a Pell Grant. Otherwise the limit is $10,000.  David questions whether Biden could do what he has planned, something that seems to be suggested by David Walker – former Comptroller General of the Federal Government – as well. David quotes Dr. Larry Kotlikoff who touches upon the fact that up to three million Americans over 60 are still paying off their student loans. For the non-partisan Penn Wharton, President Biden's plan includes three major components. They estimated that the debt cancellation alone will cost up to $519 billion, while the loan forbearance will cost another $16 billion, and the new income-driven repayment IDR program would cost another $70 billion. According to Maya McGinnis, President of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Biden's plan will do nothing to actually make education more affordable – meaning that it will likely drive up tuition costs, all while raising prices on a variety of other goods and services for ordinary Americans. Even the Washington Post concedes that the Biden plan will cause tuition to increase more rapidly, primarily due to its income driven repayment IDR provisions. David illustrates how the approach of Biden's plan will encourage students to take out more debt and colleges to charge more in tuition, and how this will impact you as you're trying to get to the 0% tax bracket. Mentioned in this episode: Will the Inflation Reduction Act Raise Your Taxes? This Could Increase Inflation David's books: Power of Zero, Look Before Your LIRP, The Volatility Shield, Tax-Free Income for Life and The Infinity Code DavidMcKnight.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube

Today, I'm talking to David Walker. David served as Comptroller General of the United States under both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Since leaving government in 2008, he has been focused on spreading awareness and talking about the national debt. He was the subject of the film I.O.U.S.A., named by Roger Ebert as one of the best documentaries of 2008, and is the author of a number of books, including Comeback America: Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility. I saw David speak back in 2010, and I've always been a huge admirer of his work. He's a huge believer in the importance of reeling in our debt. In his new book, America in 2040: Still a Superpower? A Pathway to Success, he compares the United States to the Roman Empire in decline and the steps that we can take to avoid that outcome.  In today's conversation, David and I dive deep into the matter of the national debt. You'll learn not just why David thinks debt matters, but how it impacts us as individuals–and what we can do about it. You'll learn about how our national debt, high taxes, and inflation are all inextricably linked, the policies that need to change, and how to factor the challenges that might come into your retirement plan. GET A FREE COPY OF DAVID'S BOOK, AMERICA IN 2040: STILL A SUPERPOWER? A PATHWAY TO SUCCESS Here's all you have to do... Step 1.) Subscribe to the podcast and leave an honest rating & review over on iTunes. Step 2.) Text BOOK, that's B-O-O-K to 866-482-9559 for a link to our book request page, complete the form and we will ship you the book for free. It's that simple! In this podcast interview, you'll learn: Why David believes a constitutional amendment is the only thing that might get our national debt under control. How debt contributes to out of control inflation and recession. Why taxes are all but guaranteed to go up so long as we fail to address our national debt. What needs to happen to reel in healthcare and education costs. How David has planned for retirement–and what retirement means to him. Show Notes: RetireWithPurpose.com/309 Rate & Review the Podcast: RetireWithPurpose.com/review Weekly Retirement Newsletter: RetireWithPurpose.com/weekend-reading

David shares that he got into the industry during the “calm before the storm.” It was 1997 and, during the State of the Union, President Bill Clinton announced that the national deficit was simply zero. Today, less than 25 years later, the national debt is $30 trillion. By 2010, however, David Walker – former Comptroller General of the Federal Government and a personal hero of David's – appeared on 60 Minutes saying that tax rates would have to double in order to keep the country solvent. 2010 also saw David McKnight starting to go around the country trying to warn and help people, and that's when he developed a presentation, which then turned into his 2014 book The Power of Zero. David explains that there are three basic types of accounts within which you can invest money for retirement and that the first two – the taxable bucket with yearly payments and the one with payments only at the end – are problematic given the rising tax environment.  David's focus over the years has been on teaching people how to reposition their money from taxable and tax-deferred to tax-free so that all heavy lifting will be done by the time tax rates increase. All of the experts David interviewed during his documentary shared the same message: “If we don't change the course as a country, tax rates within the next 10 years will have to increase dramatically”. Some experts even went further than that, claiming that the U.S. will go broke as a country unless tax rates are doubled. David's main goal is “to put 100,000 people on the road to the 0% tax bracket in the next 10 years”. David illustrates the fiscal gap accounting concept and point of view of Boston University's Doctor Larry Kotlikoff, who was featured in the documentary as well. His point of view seems to paint a much more dramatic picture with the national debt standing at $239 trillion. David shares the story of The White Coat Investor, a doctor out of Salt Lake City who believes that David's advice in his book The Power of Zero isn't good advice because “tax-free Roth Conversions are the devil”. Despite this, he eventually came around to David's suggestions. For David, the country is facing a completely politically-neutral issue: the maths problem of the U.S.' fiscal problems. David discusses why everyone should look at LIRPs as a valuable tax-free income stream. Mentioned in this episode: David's books: Power of Zero, Look Before Your LIRP, The Volatility Shield, Tax-Free Income for Life and The Infinity Code DavidMcKnight.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube

One of David's jobs as the host of the Power of Zero Show is to constantly remind listeners of the horrifying fiscal outlook the U.S. is facing. This episode looks at components that are contributing to this “fiscal apocalypse”. David Walker, former Comptroller General of the Federal Government, sees the Debt-to-GDP ratio as something worth focusing on. Currently, it's about 108% – about the same percentage as in the immediate wake of World War II. However, it's projected that it could increase up to 185% by 2052. Not being able to find a way to live within our means seems to be the root cause of this issue. By 2052, Federal spending will equal 30% of GDP, while actual revenue will remain at about 18% (based on current tax rates). David discusses the cost of servicing the U.S.' burgeoning national debt – which currently sits at about 1.5% of the country's GDP but that number is projected to reach 7.2%.  The fact that the Fed has begun increasing interest rates in a historic way has been evident. On June 15th, for instance, they raised the Federal rate ¾ of a point, the largest increase since 1994. And most economists predict an additional ¾ of a point in July. David talks about non-discretionary spending, the spending over which we have absolutely no control. We're either required to pay by law, like in the case of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, or by the U.S. Constitutions – like in the case of interest on national debt. David shares that, as we head toward 2052, non-discretionary spending tends to level off. However, the cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the interest on national debt, begins to shoot through the roof.  The main issue isn't discretionary spending, but rather non-discretionary spending, and that's what will eventually either bankrupt the U.S. or force your taxes to double. According to David, the aging of America is the main driver of all this debt. It's estimated that the cost of healthcare will rise to 20% of the entire economy. Additionally, by 2030, an astounding 70 million Americans will be age 65 or older and will qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.  And if that wasn't enough, it's estimated that the number of Americans contributing to Social Security for every one person that takes money out will drop from the current 2.8 to 2.2 by 2042. David shares that in order to fully fund Social Security between now and 2035, the U.S. would have to have $2.9 trillion, but the country currently has no funds. With Social Security trust funds likely to be depleted by 2035, Social Security will have to be funded purely off of incoming revenue. There are three scenarios that you could potentially face: a cut in your Social Security, a tax increase, or some combination of the two. When it comes to consequences for individual families, David predicts a paycheck decrease: a four-person family will lose about $4,000 by 2028, $8,000 by 2038 and $16,000 by 2048.  As far as people planning on financing their retirement through distributions from IRAs or 401ks, all of this translates into them taking much less money home after-tax. Mentioned in this episode: PGPF.org (Peter Peterson foundation) David's books: Power of Zero, Look Before Your LIRP, The Volatility Shield, Tax-Free Income for Life and The Infinity Code DavidMcKnight.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube

In this episode, Michael sits down with David Walker, Former U.S. Comptroller General, to discuss the state of the world today.

Wednesday April 13, 2022 Ecuador's Former Comptroller General Charged in Bribery Case