A recent report gives American infrastructure failing grades across-the-board, highlighting the need to focus on updating and strengthening old and outdated bridges, ports, water delivery systems, levees, roads, tunnels, etc.
Stumble It!
Infrastructure
January 28th, 2009 · 5 Comments
Stumble It!
5 responses so far ↓
1 tehehehe // Jan 29, 2009 at 9:04 am
Spending on “infrastructure” may well be appropriate. But should it be part of a “short term economic stimulus” package, or should that be addressed through the normal budgeting and appropriations process?
I think we can all agree with the CBO that “infrastructure” spending wn’t actually get into the economy before 2011, hardly meeting the goal of “jump starting” the economy right away.
2 Anonymous // Jan 29, 2009 at 9:31 am
There is one “infrastructure” program that is not only “shovel ready”, but is already underway and merely needs a bit more funding to complete it. A program that will have a positive effect on unemployment as well as have an effect on reducing crime.
We should use some of the stimulus package money to complete the border fence along our southern border (something Congress has already approved, but not adequately funded). Then we might start on a fence along the norther border.
This would be good for Obama and the Dems since over 70% of americans support the project. Might help overcome some of the GOP opposition to the “porcine” stimulus package as well!
3 stacyb // Jan 29, 2009 at 9:42 am
Reasonable people can differ on how to spend kazillions of federal dollars but infrastructure puts people to work right away and has a long term positive effect for the country- unfortunately, we have seen the deleterious effect of neglecting infrastructure- the levees in New Orleans, the water main break right outside of DC, bridge collapses, here in Boston a tunnel collapsed, etc.
Anonymous- I honestly don’t know enough about the status of the border fence project to comment on how it will effect the economy- is the project on hold?
Thehehe- I think the CBO projection of 2011 has been called into question by some bipartisan experts but I don’t have a link at my finger-tips right this second. I think no matter what Congress does, it’s not going to work instantaneously.
One big problem we all face right now is the budgetary crisis in the states and I am not sure how the federal stimulus will impact that short or long term.
I think there is a lot of pork in the stimulus bill that could be shaved off but some of the measures represent ideological differences and people disagree on whether or not this or that spending will effect the economy and the fact is, Obama and the Dems should be able to win that battle. However, the politics demands the Dems not go over-board with pet projects or flagrantly wasteful spending but again, some pet projects may actually have a positive effect despite ideological differences.
4 tehehehe // Jan 29, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I agree that there is pork. I also agree that some of the debate is “philisophical”.
The Republicans “lost” the election. The Dems can rightfully claim that they get to “decide” the philosophical choices. I am more than willing to let the Dems put in projects that can provide stimulus to the economy in the next 19 months (the time scope of the ’stimulus’). That’s reasonable.
And the Dems can have projects that take longer than 19 months if they deem them “justifiable” (even if i philosphically disagree), but those should be dealt with in the normal budgetary process, not a “stimulus” package designed to “get the economy back on track”.
Spending on infrastructure is fine. Heck, there is some that must be done, and eventually it all must be done. but there is a process for budgeting that. It is NOT an emergency stimulus package. Can’t we agree on that?
5 tehehehe // Jan 30, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Obama and Clyburn “channel” the Bush Administration:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/01/30/video-clyburn-scoffs-at-iraq-withdrawal-timetables/
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