The Debt Bomb

A Bold Plan to Stop Washington from Bankrupting America

By: John Hart, Tom A. Coburn

Narrated by: John Pruden

In a nation whose debt has outgrown the size of its entire economy, the greatest threat comes not from any foreign force but from Washington politicians who refuse to relinquish the intoxicating power to borrow and spend. Senator Tom Coburn reveals the fascinating, maddening story of how we got to this point of fiscal crisis - and how we can escape.

Long before America's recent economic downturn, beltway politicians knew the U.S. was going bankrupt. Yet even after several so-called "change" elections, the government has continued its wasteful ways in the face of imminent danger. With passion and clarity, Coburn explains why Washington resists change so fiercely and offers controversial yet common-sense solutions to secure the nation's future.

At a time when millions of Americans are speculating about what is broken in Washington, The Debt Bomb is a candid, thoughtful, nonpartisan exposé of the real problems inside our government. Coburn challenges the conventional wisdom that blames lobbyists, gridlock, and obstructionism, and places the responsibility squarely where it belongs: on members of Congress in both parties who won't let go of the perks of power to serve the true interests of the nation - unless enough citizens take bold steps to demand action.

Throughout a distinguished career as a business owner, physician, and U.S. senator, Tom Coburn has watched his beloved republic careen down a suicidal path. Today, the nation stands on the precipice of financial ruin, a disaster far more dangerous to our safety than any terrorist threats we face. Yet Coburn believes there is still hope - if enough Americans are willing to shake the corridors of Washington and demand action. With an insider's keen eye and a caregiver's deft touch, Coburn diagnoses the mess that career politicians have made of things while misusing their sacred charge to govern.

Coburn's incisive analysis:

• Reveals the root causes of America's escalating financial crisis
• Exposes Washington's destructive appetite for wasteful spending, power grabs, backroom deals, and quick nonfixes
• Rises above partisanship to implicate elected officials of all stripes in steering the nation off course
• Lays out a common-sense guide to restoring order
• Concludes with a clarion call and sound advice for Americans dedicating themselves to defusing the debt bomb

Above all, Coburn believes the United States can continue as a beacon of opportunity for future generations - but how we act today will determine whether we deliver the nation to our children and grandchildren fully alive, on life support, or without a pulse.

©2012 Senator Tom A. Coburn, M.D. (P)2012 Tantor

Listen to this Book Before You Vote

This book is the alarming account of how politicians of both parties are putting their own career interests above the fiscal soundness of our country. Senator Coburn is an insider who watched and tried to stop the madness.

Senator Tom Coburn Tells it like it is.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes.
Because it is truthful. It explains economics and the differences between the national debt/deficit to those of us who are just looking at Obama and wondering "what does he really trying to accomplish?"

If you’ve listened to books by John Hart and Tom A. Coburn before, how does this one compare?

N/A

What three words best describe John Pruden’s performance?

Very good.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Cry, because our children and grandchildren will have to pay this debt off. While Obama continues to rack up loans and debt without anyone to stop him.

Any additional comments?

no

great prescription by a Senator and physician.

Coburn provides clarifying analysis and path to the cure of our ever larger debt .

Interesting and informative

What did you like best about The Debt Bomb? What did you like least?

I learned many facts about our nations debt and how Congress operates to keep putting us further into debt. I learned what the debt can do to our country"s future.

Would you recommend The Debt Bomb to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes. To become more informed on this subject.

Good message; much rambling to get point across

What did you like best about The Debt Bomb? What did you like least?

Like every good politician, goes around and around and around the same issue. Maybe too much about how politics is done in Washington.But the message is clear: spending is out of control in this country!

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have enjoyed more an abridged version.

Was The Debt Bomb worth the listening time?

He could get the point across in 1/3 of the time.

Can we afford another 4 years of this?

If you're still wondering for whom to vote (not just for president), then get this book and see what the stakes are. America, we're Broke! This book lays out the facts. Senator Coburn is the first politician that I've heard admit our "real" debt. $16 trillion is a smoke screen, Our real debt is over $120 Trillion and climbing. There are not enough rich people in the world to pay off this kind of debt. It's the spending, stupid!

A Informative, Nonpartisan Thrashing of Washington

If you could sum up The Debt Bomb in three words, what would they be?

Detailed, thoughtful, and constructive.Senator Tom Coburn uses this book to make a few points about the challenges we face as a country. The first is that our congress is plagued by what he calls "careerism" which is responsible for wasteful decisions designed not to provide valuable government services, but to aid in reelection efforts. He discusses the propensity that congress has for creating new programs, rather than doing the hard work required to fix the programs we already have that are designed to do the same things, but which are not working. The second is that both parties are to blame and that no reconciliation of our problems can occur unless both sides abandon their ideologies long enough to find solutions. He also makes some good points about the expansion of the role of government since its founding which were persuasive even to a liberal leaning person such as myself.

Would you recommend The Debt Bomb to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book to friends because it is a good way to motivate citizens to take a greater role in influencing their legislators.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

This is a book of non fiction. The narrator did a good job.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The discussions about way our congress does business did make me a little sad.

Any additional comments?

This book convinces me more than ever that government is actually not the problem. The problem is that we have bad government, and we have to do something about it.

Nonpartisan

If you could sum up The Debt Bomb in three words, what would they be?

Read this book

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The truth about our debt

Which character – as performed by John Pruden – was your favorite?

The American Taxpayer

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

We are broke, Congress is broke.

Any additional comments?

This book details why no solutions are coming out of Washington. Dr. Coburn tells it like it is, and has plans and is also willing to accept other plans that will prevent the destruction of our country. Don't be fooled, both Democrats and Republicans share the blame. If you want to save Medicare and Social Security, read this book.

Enjoyed the First Half More

I did not know much about Coburn prior to reader this book. I agree with some of the others that it is nonpartisan in the sense of he is not afraid to call out both Republicans and Democrats on the subject of debt. It is partisan in the sense that he is still calling for Republican party ideals of being fiscially conservative, but I felt that he was one of the few willing to go beyond mere words.
What I liked: the first 1/3 or so of the book Coburn lays out why it is a problem for America to rack up so much debt, and why in a global market this is a problem that could bring down the American empire just as debt has historically downed other empires. In a global market this transition could happen very quickly.
What I did not like: at some point the book shifted form explaining the American debt problem and the problem of long serving members of Congress and the Senate to being an autobiography of how Coburn himself has fought the debt problem. I was not looking for an autobiography when I read this book.