Why further economic woes are inevitable. (death, Obama, dollar, governor)

[wutitiz]

As bad as this recession/depression has been, it has not been bad enough. It has failed to imprint the necessary lessons, to persuade the body politic that a new direction must be followed. That's why I think further economic shock and awe is almost inevitable in the coming decade or so. Beyond that, my crystal ball doesn't answer. But I don't think we're done yet, whether Obama is tossed out in 2012 or not.

Here's a microcosm from my state of Washington. In 2001 we had an earthquake in the Seattle area (the 'Nisqually quake' it is called). An elevated roadway, the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which snakes around downtown Seattle, was damaged in the quake. The governor said that in the event of another quake, thousands could be killed if we didn't tear down that viaduct. Ten years later, after much wrangling, we're finally attending to that matter of life and death, and replacing the viaduct with a tunnel. Horror stories about Boston's Big Dig notwithstanding.

But it came out the other day that as part of the project, the state is also putting up a $490,000 'Viaduct Museum.' Howls ensued from the taxpaying pubic, of course, but the DOT head calmly and firmly explained that it had to be done: "If we didn't do this, we couldn't build the tunnel," she avers.
Danny Westneat | Why a $490,000 viaduct museum now? | Seattle Times Newspaper

State officials have various excuses for why the museum is necessary. Federal requirements, mitigation, etc. But for me it all adds up to 'lessons not learned.' We're still doing things in the same old way, spending money as if taxpayer pockets have no limits.

Right now our state legislature is in special session trying to balance a budget still upside down after a spending binge from 2000-2007 and then a revenue shortfall. The governor wants a temporary half-cent increase in the sales tax, which fortunately will require a vote of the people to pass. State revenue is actually going up slightly, but somehow of course that translates to 'draconian cuts.'

And we're spending $490,000 on a 'Viaduct museum.' Lesson not learned.

[pghquest]

When the $1.8 billion Brightwater sewage facility opened out near Woodinville a few months ago, it included an $8 million conference center with meeting rooms, lending library and dressing room for events such as weddings. You better believe people scratched their heads over that one, too. Why would a poop plant need any of that?

Obviously, it doesn't. Except for one crucial detail. The plant probably would never have been built without it.

Perfect example as to why government is not efficient

[WestCobb]

Originally Posted by wutitiz

As bad as this recession/depression has been, it has not been bad enough. It has failed to imprint the necessary lessons, to persuade the body politic that a new direction must be followed. That's why I think further economic shock and awe is almost inevitable in the coming decade or so. Beyond that, my crystal ball doesn't answer. But I don't think we're done yet, whether Obama is tossed out in 2012 or not.

Here's a microcosm from my state of Washington. In 2001 we had an earthquake in the Seattle area (the 'Nisqually quake' it is called). An elevated roadway, the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which snakes around downtown Seattle, was damaged in the quake. The governor said that in the event of another quake, thousands could be killed if we didn't tear down that viaduct. Ten years later, after much wrangling, we're finally attending to that matter of life and death, and replacing the viaduct with a tunnel. Horror stories about Boston's Big Dig notwithstanding.

But it came out the other day that as part of the project, the state is also putting up a $490,000 'Viaduct Museum.' Howls ensued from the taxpaying pubic, of course, but the DOT head calmly and firmly explained that it had to be done: "If we didn't do this, we couldn't build the tunnel," she avers.
Danny Westneat | Why a $490,000 viaduct museum now? | Seattle Times Newspaper

State officials have various excuses for why the museum is necessary. Federal requirements, mitigation, etc. But for me it all adds up to 'lessons not learned.' We're still doing things in the same old way, spending money as if taxpayer pockets have no limits.

Right now our state legislature is in special session trying to balance a budget still upside down after a spending binge from 2000-2007 and then a revenue shortfall. The governor wants a temporary half-cent increase in the sales tax, which fortunately will require a vote of the people to pass. State revenue is actually going up slightly, but somehow of course that translates to 'draconian cuts.'

And we're spending $490,000 on a 'Viaduct museum.' Lesson not learned.

I agree with your overall point that we're probably in for more hard times no matter who is elected in 2012. However, your specific example of "lesson not learned" is weak. Washington State should build a Viaduct museum for $500,000. In time, that museum will pay for itself because people like me will travel to your state one day and pay $5 or so for each member of my family to go visit.

The biggest problem I see with America today is that we are adopting a "bunker mentatlity". We, a proud nation of explorers and adventurers, have scrapped the most important part of our space program. We're not maintaining the infrastructure that our great grandfathers built, and we're not building any new infrastructure for our great grandchildren to enjoy.

Times are hard, but the surest way to guarantee you're not going to have a future is to quit investing in it.

[wutitiz]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

I agree with your overall point that we're probably in for more hard times no matter who is elected in 2012. However, your specific example of "lesson not learned" is weak. Washington State should build a Viaduct museum for $500,000. In time, that museum will pay for itself because people like me will travel to your state one day and pay $5 or so for each member of my family to go visit.

The biggest problem I see with America today is that we are adopting a "bunker mentatlity". We, a proud nation of explorers and adventurers, have scrapped the most important part of our space program. We're not maintaining the infrastructure that our great grandfathers built, and we're not building any new infrastructure for our great grandchildren to enjoy.

Times are hard, but the surest way to guarantee you're not going to have a future is to quit investing in it.

In the first place, it seems unlikely that the museum will ever pay for itself. The state DOT people are not even arguing that. I expect that it will have to be free, because I doubt that many will pay even $5 to enter.

Even if it were argued that it will pay for itself, we've seen that movie before. When Amtrak was created, during the Nixon admin., it was said that it would soon be self-funding. Just a temporary subsidy to jump-start it was all they were asking for. Forty years later, Amtrak gets about a $35 subsidy from the taxpayer per every ticket that it sells.

Again, lesson not learned.

[gwynedd1]

Let get around to that after we do something about the 27 trillion of banker financed exurb barns we built while pretending we doubled the size of North America. It going to take awhile to get to the million dollar rip offs though.