--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First, the year 2004, the year past, the…" description: "\"First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller General of the United States, David A. Walker, said that arguably it was the worst year in America..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png" --- # First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller… ![“First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller General of the United States, David A. Walker, said that arguably it was the worst year in American fiscal history, clearly setting our Nation on an unsustainable path.” quote by Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png) > “First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller General of the United States, David A. Walker, said that arguably it was the worst year in American fiscal history, clearly setting our Nation on an unsustainable path.” [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker warns that 2004 marked a severe fiscal crisis, putting the nation on an unsustainable trajectory. **In simple terms:** 2004 was a disastrous fiscal year for the US. Key Takeaway Recognize and address fiscal unsustainability. Themes economics policy government fiscal responsibility Mood concerned urgent Type political analytical When to use this quote - budget planning - policy making - public finance - economic forecasting Key Concepts budget deficits national debt spending cuts tax reform Questions to Reflect On - How can policymakers prevent repeating fiscal mistakes? - What reforms could restore fiscal health? A Different Perspective Fiscal warnings can be politicized and ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Years past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-past/) ## Related quotes > [The big winners under the American fiscal system are the rich, who pay some of the lowest taxes anywhere in the world; the old,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/the-big-winners-under-the-american-fiscal-system-are-the-rich-who-pay/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [2004 has to be my year. No more excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-beltre/2004-has-to-be-my-year-no-more-excuses/) [Adrian Beltre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-beltre/) > [ I just look back on my season \[2004\] as a year where I've had to prove myself. I've had to fight all the way… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-rusedski/i-just-look-back-on-my-season-2004-as-a-year-where-i-ve-had-to-prove/) [Greg Rusedski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-rusedski/) > [I've also been documenting an unsustainable way of life. And you see in peoples' stories that this world of consumerism does not support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-greenfield/i-ve-also-been-documenting-an-unsustainable-way-of-life-and-you-see/) [Lauren Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-greenfield/) > [There is a major problem of unsustainability of our environment, and we're seeing it in our natural resources, peak oil is probably upon us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/there-is-a-major-problem-of-unsustainability-of-our-environment-and/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I know it sounds really lame and hater-ish, but I think 2009 was maybe the worst year for music ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-know-it-sounds-really-lame-and-hater-ish-but-i-think-2009-was-maybe/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [Here in Beacon, I feel like this was the worst year yet. The entire town, like a lot of winter towns, just kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/here-in-beacon-i-feel-like-this-was-the-worst-year-yet-the-entire/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“Winter arrived with December, and the world continued to suffer the loss of the Internet and most forms of communication. Supply chains were disrupted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-a-rayner/winter-arrived-with-december-and-the-world-continued-to-suffer-the/) [Mark A. Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-a-rayner/) > [My worst year. The only thing that I know for a fact now is that if it's really a bad day, then I draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-abdulmajid/my-worst-year-the-only-thing-that-i-know-for-a-fact-now-is-that-if-it/) [Iman Abdulmajid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-abdulmajid/) > [I was having the worst year of my life before the offer from 'EastEnders' came through. I was 58, my kids were grown up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-brown/i-was-having-the-worst-year-of-my-life-before-the-offer-from/) [June Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-brown/) > [The first year I was sober was probably the worst year of my life. My immune system was screwed. I completely isolated myself. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-first-year-i-was-sober-was-probably-the-worst-year-of-my-life-my/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [At the time, it all seemed pretty normal. It was okay to have a pink guitar and glow-in-the-dark pants, and play with a drill.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/at-the-time-it-all-seemed-pretty-normal-it-was-okay-to-have-a-pink/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [1992 was the worst year of my life, to watch my dad lose. It was a painful experience. Yet when I became president, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/1992-was-the-worst-year-of-my-life-to-watch-my-dad-lose-it-was-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [2018 was the worst year in my life by far. I needed to pay bills. I don't have money. All the problems start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/2018-was-the-worst-year-in-my-life-by-far-i-needed-to-pay-bills-i-don/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [“That's how the worst year of my life starts--in a Mustang with steamed-up windows, with a beautiful boy who cries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/that-s-how-the-worst-year-of-my-life-starts-in-a-mustang-with-steamed/) [Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/) ## More by Jim Cooper > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Congress as a whole is less popular than it's been since polling was invented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/congress-as-a-whole-is-less-popular-than-it-s-been-since-polling-was/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [The real problem with big issues like Medicare is that both parties have to be brave at the same time. Every pollster will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/the-real-problem-with-big-issues-like-medicare-is-that-both-parties/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [It took the first 204 years of our Nation's history to accumulate $1 trillion in debt. And now we are doing that every 2 or 3 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-took-the-first-204-years-of-our-nation-s-history-to-accumulate-1/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [If we don't change, millions of American families are just one medical emergency, or one layoff, away from financial disaster and bankruptcy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/if-we-don-t-change-millions-of-american-families-are-just-one-medical/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Aging nations have arteries clogged with obsolete laws, slowing blood flow and preventing oxygen from reaching all parts of the body politic. Physicians call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/aging-nations-have-arteries-clogged-with-obsolete-laws-slowing-blood/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Our nation suffers when Congress fails to pay America's bills on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/our-nation-suffers-when-congress-fails-to-pay-america-s-bills-on-time/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [The truth is that health-care reform will always be a nuisance, with version 2.0 followed by next year's 2.1. As long as it boosts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/the-truth-is-that-health-care-reform-will-always-be-a-nuisance-with/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Members walk into the chamber full of hatred. They believe the worst lies about the other side. Two senators stopped by my office just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/members-walk-into-the-chamber-full-of-hatred-they-believe-the-worst/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute have criticized Bush for his big increases in spending, which far exceed those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/conservative-think-tanks-like-the-heritage-foundation-and-cato/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Most of my folks back home think Social Security and Medicare are sacred commitments stronger than the strongest contract. And yet if you look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/most-of-my-folks-back-home-think-social-security-and-medicare-are/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“I would rather avoid disaster than take it out for dinner and a movie. - Chynna Lennox ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/i-would-rather-avoid-disaster-than-take-it-out-for-dinner-and-a-movie/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [If you need to put your money in a safe and secure place and you want it to earn interest, Treasury bonds are safer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/if-you-need-to-put-your-money-in-a-safe-and-secure-place-and-you-want/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [This is a simple change that will provide a huge financial boost for many Americans, particularly low- to moderate-income families. It is an important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/this-is-a-simple-change-that-will-provide-a-huge-financial-boost-for/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Ultimately, Congressional medicine is like veterinary medicine: It must be strong enough to work, and tasty enough to swallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/ultimately-congressional-medicine-is-like-veterinary-medicine-it-must/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) [Explore all 41 Jim Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller General of the United States, David A. Walker, said that arguably it was the worst year in American fiscal history, clearly setting our Nation on an unsustainable path.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Cooper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-comptroller-general-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-comptroller-general-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f7/jim-cooper-16128_firsts_first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-co_2567896.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“First, the year 2004, the year past, the Comptroller General of the United States, David A. Walker, said…” — Jim Cooper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jim Cooper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "First, the year 2004, the year...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-comptroller-general-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/first-the-year-2004-the-year-past-the-comptroller-general-of-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```