US infrastructure is far behind Europe (wage, suspect, Alabama, dollars)
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Don't know about the OP, but I don't think that is really necessary. It is actually possible that the US can rise to Europe's standards. It's just a matter of investment for the common good.
For some reason, Americans seem to really hate those two words, "common good."
I'd be curious to know how many miles of paved roads the U.S. has compared to, say, Germany or France. I would think we would have considerably more miles of roads that have to be maintained, and I'd wager we have more miles in relation to our population than any European country. If so, that would mean we have more miles per tax paying citizen, which would naturally make it more difficult to maintain all of our roads to the high standards of smaller, denser countries.
Edit: If this information is reliable, it appears the U.S. has considerably more miles/km of paved roads than any other country:
As a generalization Americans have little interest in the quality of life, but want more quantity in life. Most Americans don't really care what their environment looks like, including roads.
This thread must stick to discussing infrastructure and spending.
Discussing European politics vs. US politics is off topic for this forum.
The fact of the matter is infrastructure investment and government spending goes hand-in-hand with politics, whether you like it or not.
It's a matter of paying more taxes to a larger government for it to invest more money into infrastructure improvements. Some people don't want that type of larger government nor do they want to pay more taxes to it, thus the political side of this.
The taxes here are not even that low. There are federal (15-25%), state, city, social security (6.2%), medicare (1.45 %), property taxes (3000+ a year!) What do we get back? Free healthcare? Free college? Perfect roads? Modern public transportation? The property tax doesn't even include garbage! Cell phone companies charge for incoming calls! Something that has never been seen or heard in Europe because the government has rules and they have to follow them. How can you charge twice (2 people) for the same call? How about the 0-day paid vacation by law. Most people get from 5 to 15 days a year while people in Europe get 25-40 days because this is the law.
In Germany for example, they pay 30% in INCOME TAXES alone for the folks who make the least amount of money. This doens't include the tax on health care and the VAT tax of 19%. The total tax wedge there is 50% ON AVERAGE.
In the US, it's 30% total (much less than that for a lot of people).
This is all according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Germany also has strong unionization (also a strong manufacturing base), next to no free trade and next to no illegal immigration problem, unlike the US.
In Germany for example, they pay 30% in INCOME TAXES alone for the folks who make the least amount of money. This doens't include the tax on health care and the VAT tax of 19%. The total tax wedge there is 50% ON AVERAGE.
In the US, it's 30% total (much less than that for a lot of people).
This is all according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Germany also has strong unionization (also a strong manufacturing base), next to no free trade and next to no illegal immigration problem, unlike the US.
LOL and I am the Queen if England. Can you post any sources? I lived and worked in Germany for a few years before moving to the US and taxes there were indeed higher, but I paid nowhere near 30% income tax or 50% overall. I had around 60-65% left of what my gross income was.
How many lanes is not the most important thing. Quality of pavement is even more important and Europe is far ahead. Here is the difference between a typical US freeway and a typical European freeway.
The quality of pavement varies from state to state as it is in each country in Europe. Some cities need more lanes to reduce the volume of traffic. Texas for example did something clever by using frontage roads to separate local traffic away to reduce bottle neck back ups at the exits from the main highway. This is much more convenient that waiting in a long back from an exit. You can also do u turn without waiting at a stupid light. I'm a truck driver who drive the roads everyday in 47 states. I can tell there is a huge difference on what is efficient design or not. The worse offender is Boston which forces it's drivers to use the shoulder (clogging up exits) when they are too cheap to spend the money to expand extra lanes towards the median. Using the shoulder is very dangerous which explains Boston's traffic problem today. I see accidents all the time. The quality in some states in the country here is good as long as it is maintained and not neglected. Keep in mind every state has section of highway that is bad but there are states that have mostly maintained freeways. Chicago for example redid the Dan Ryan Expressway not too long ago. Indianapolis has probably the newest improve highway system in the country. Out of all the interstates I driven in 47 states I would say New York's I-86 is the worst (pot holes, cracks etc.) due to neglect because it didn't have tolls which is a sorry excuse letting that happen.
It's not so much the quality of pavement alone but how it's maintained and most importantly the efficiency of design to meet the traffic volume demands.
Well, a simple solution to getting better roads is to put toll booths on every highway.
A simple solution is get rid of corruption and the unions who hijack the highway project funds. There are many states with better efficient well maintained roads without tolls everywhere just go to Indianapolis or Dallas. You pay enough in taxes you don't need tolls.
Houston has a toll but is limited and not everywhere like you see in the northeast.
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Houston has a toll but is limited and not everywhere like you see in the northeast.
Texas has amazing freeways. Fastest and Largest in the country. I also love the service roads most of the freeways have, very convenient
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Can you post any sources? I lived and worked in Germany for a few years before moving to the US and taxes there were indeed higher, but I paid nowhere near 30% income tax or 50% overall. I had around 60-65% left of what my gross income was.
