Former GAO head says Washington not helping the economy

It appears that Congress has reached a compromise on a disaster aid package which will prevent a government shutdown at the end of the week. But a much bigger challenge looms. By the end of this year, Congress will have to figure out how to reduce the federal debt by about $1.5 trillion over the next decade. That deadline was part of the deal reached this summer to raise the federal debt ceiling.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with David Walker who has been warning about the dangers of debt and deficits for years. He led the U.S. Government Accountability Office from 1998 to 2008, and he's now the head of the Comeback America Initative, which advocates for fiscal responsibility. He is in Minnesota today to speak to the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce.