This is a quasi-ground breaking posting for me. I will offer my services to endorse and work for one of the presidential candidates – if that candidate chooses the right Vice Presidential candidate.

I have never publicly endorsed a candidate for any elected office. Sure, I had friends who have run and I quietly offered advice, but never have I stumped or wrote for any candidate. And I can assure you I’ve never contributed money to any candidate.

That could all change. If one of the presidential candidates chooses my Vice Presidential choice, you just might see me on the campaign trail.

Before you think I’ve gone Hannity, Beck, and O’Reilly on you, let me explain.

I don’t think Hillary, Barack, and Johnny Mac are anxiously waiting to hear my choice in this posting. Nor would they consider my choice. And if they agree with me, I doubt they would want me to campaign for them.

I only ask you to consider the person I’m nominating and what he stands for – the one underlying issue that could seriously damage the United States and possibly the world economy for the next 20 to 50 years.

You’re probably wondering why I would put so much gravity on a VP candidate. First, I’m benign on the three current presidential choices. I think they all have the ability to be president and I would be somewhat comfortable with each of them as Commander-in-Chief. However, I have some serious problems with each of them – primarily the interests they’re beholden to once they get into the Oval Office.

Second, whoever is elected will run the country at the mercy of whatever Congress is elected.

Third, none of the candidates have discussed the most important issue – fiscal responsibility and the looming disaster of Social Security and health care. Sure, John McCain talks like he’s a member of the Concord Coalition. But it’s hard to reconcile his financial goals with his desire to continue the fight in Iraq. Meanwhile, Obama and Clinton rarely mention it.

The only presidential person to mention my VP choice was Joe Biden. I don’t recall the three remaining candidates even uttering his name, let alone discuss his expertise on the issue.

So here it is: my choice for Vice President of the United States.

David Walker.

David Walker is U.S. Comptroller General; in short, he’s the nation’s accountant. Unlike many government officials, elected or appointed, Walker is truthful and insightful.

It’s a speech entitled “Fiscal Facts and Keeping America Great”, he says:

As the federal official who signs the audit report on the government’s financial statements, I’m here to tell you our government’s financial condition is worse than advertised.

Walker warns us about the unfunded commitments for Social Security and Medicare. I can hear some of you now saying, “boring!” OK, let me spice it up. The price tag is more than $50,000,000,000,000. That’s $50 trillion. And you owe it. Walker explains:

Our government has made a whole lot of promises that, in the long run, it can’t possibly keep. And here’s why. Fifty trillion dollars translates into an IOU of about $440,000 for every American household. Keep in mind that the median household income in this country is less than $50,000 a year. For the typical family, it’s like having a mortgage that’s 9½ times their annual income. And that mortgage doesn’t even come with a house! This burden is rapidly outpacing the net worth of most Americans and the growth rate of our economy.

However, Congress and the President won’t tell us about the future debt. We balanced the budget, right? Wrong. We’ll pay it later. Wait, let’s have our kids pay it when they’re older.

It’s like going home to your wife and saying, “The bills are paid, Honey” but you failed to mention the five million dollar loan you pushed back twenty years on that forty foot, gold statue of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan discussing Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations.

Walker says the lack of transparency in government and the lack of solid reporting by the media leave many of us without any real answers about the dangers ahead.

Unless we reform Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, these programs will eventually crowd out all other federal spending, including defense. Based on historical federal tax levels, by 2040 our government could be doing little more than sending out Social Security checks and paying interest on our massive national debt.

Think about that. We won’t be able to buy weapons systems or educate our kids because we’ve spent too much money to make sure someone can clean up the mess in your parents and my diapers. If this scenario is not taken seriously the only way to a viable U.S. is to adapt Kevorkian-like methods and get rid of all the baby-boomers once they hit a certain age.

I know what you’re saying. “Daly, you make sense on the issue. But Walker couldn’t get elected.”

I believe he can. First, he’s been on the campaign trail. Walker has taken his message on the road. He even spoke to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce a few months ago. Although I didn’t attend, a number of folks told me that Walker’s message blew them away.

Second, he’s stood up to the scrutiny of 60 Minutes which did a great piece on him about a year ago.

Third, he’s optimistic about the future – the trait all politicians need to win votes. He says:

Yes, it’s going to take some tough choices on a range of important issues. But a few thoughtful reforms phased in over time can do a lot to put us on a prudent path. In my view, modest sacrifices today will almost certainly help to ensure a better tomorrow.

The real difficulty is convincing elected officials and the public that the time to act is now. If we wait until a crisis hits, we’ll have few options, and they’ll be far harsher and more disruptive.

Other countries with similar challenges have already acted. The two best examples are Australia and New Zealand. Like the United States, they have aging populations. Unlike the United States, these two countries have stepped up to the plate and dealt with some of their serious long-term challenges. Among other steps, they’ve reformed their overburdened public pension and health care systems. The efforts by policymakers in Australia and New Zealand show it’s politically possible to make difficult decisions that require short-term pain in the interest of long-term gain.

And he finishes with a flurry even Teddy Roosevelt would be proud of:

My hope is when you leave here today, you’ll spread the word among your friends and family about the challenges we face. By facing the facts and making sound policy choices, I’m confident we can fulfill our stewardship responsibilities to your generation and to future generation of Americans.

As Teddy Roosevelt said, “fighting for the right cause is the noblest sport the world affords.” I would encourage each of you to pick your cause, and do your best to make a real and lasting difference.”

Now this is a guy I can back.

---