the new infrastructure (percentage, expenses, debt, interest)

[baystater]

So guys. At this point I believe it almost a given that we are going to be spending a lot of money on infrastructure in the next couple of years. So.......since we are going to spend the money anyways whether we like it or not (let not argue of going into debt on this thread). Then???

What do you guys think needs to be absolutely accomplished in that building/rebuilding?
What must we do to (hopefully) make America more competitive in a global market?
What can be done to improve or expand Americans quality of life? (if that's possible.)

Basically.......if we are going to spend the money on infrastructure what must we do to maximize each dollar spent on it?

[floridasandy]

i don't think infrastructure should be the first priority. that is like cleaning and painting your house when you are in debt instead of going out and earning more money. how does infrastructure reduce the federal deficit and the interest?

[baystater]

Originally Posted by floridasandy

i don't think infrastructure should be the first priority. that is like cleaning and painting your house when you are in debt instead of going out and earning more money. how does infrastructure reduce the federal deficit and the interest?

I understand your point.
But at this point I think it going to happen regardless, whether it's for go or for ill. So since they are going to do it anyways.........as I asked earlier what can we do to hopefully maximize each dollars spent on the new infrastructure programs coming to a town or city near you?

[scuba steve]

Rail, in three forms.

- Light for getting from place to place in town
- Commuter for getting to the city from the suburbs
- High-speed for getting from city to city

It's time to move on past the diminishing returns we get from adding lanes to our highways as a cure-all solution. The price of oil will increase again someday, and hopefully next time there will be an alternative to driving.

[bale002]

So far the incoming government has been talking about subsidizing basic consumption and spending on roads and bridges, which implies more consumption on oil and gas and on gasoline engine motor vehicles, with the potential Big 3 bailout lurking over this. In other words, more of the same. There is some mention of "green" technologies, almost an afterthought.

I would prefer to see investment in high speed railway and other forms of public transport, alternatives to the fossil-fuel fired internal combustion engine for private transport, nuclear power facilities, and other types of alternative energy power facilities.

[old_cold]

I go along with whatever would actually increase public/mass transportation.

[floridasandy]

the governments wants to promote roads for their taxability and also to help keep the car industry afloat. if we go to alternative transportation that would hurt the car industry that we are probably going to be "saving".
i read an article about dean kamen, the segway inventor, who has established his own little self-sustaining island. maybe he should be asked this question. i do think the answer to this question has to come from private enterprise and not the government.

[HappyTexan]

I think they should concentrate it on rail (passenger) and wind/solar technology to get the prices down.

[Nepenthe]

Telecommuting initiatives!!

1. Social: work on reducing the social stigma associated with telecommuting (working from home); emphasize the ability to reduce or even eliminate daytime childcare expenses, the elimination or reduction of commuting time and expense, and lower stress levels
2. Regulatory: relax/restructure some of the regulations that make it mandatory for some employees to be in the office at all times and put in place more relaxed standards that enable parents to interact with children more frequently while working from home
3. Financial: tax benefits for both workers who telecommute and (especially) businesses who allow and encourage a certain percentage of their workforce to telecommute
4. Technological: invest in much higher quality teleconferencing technology (lay fiber everywhere to dramatically boost throughput, which could eventually lead to DVD-quality Skype-like teleconferencing technology to any worker's home); also develop better means for business to keep tabs on employees working from home

[scuba steve]

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

Telecommuting initiatives!!

1. Social: work on reducing the social stigma associated with telecommuting (working from home); emphasize the ability to reduce or even eliminate daytime childcare expenses, the elimination or reduction of commuting time and expense, and lower stress levels
2. Regulatory: relax/restructure some of the regulations that make it mandatory for some employees to be in the office at all times and put in place more relaxed standards that enable parents to interact with children more frequently while working from home
3. Financial: tax benefits for both workers who telecommute and (especially) businesses who allow and encourage a certain percentage of their workforce to telecommute
4. Technological: invest in much higher quality teleconferencing technology (lay fiber everywhere to dramatically boost throughput, which could eventually lead to DVD-quality Skype-like teleconferencing technology to any worker's home); also develop better means for business to keep tabs on employees working from home

That would help the most - I can get a lot more done from home than I do at work. Probably due to there being no chatter from coworkers about how everybody in someone's neighborhood had the air let out of their tires, and then they decide to spin up a Spice Girls album and follow it up with a little Vanilla Ice