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Infrastructure was supposed to be a big part of the stimulus package. The reality was that only a fraction of the $250 billion proposed for infrastructure ended up there ($64 billion with $ 27 billion to highways and bridges).
It is reported that $2.2 trillion dollars is needed to meet current infrastructure needs. The reported amount translates into over $400 billion dollars a year over the proposed 5 years period just to address immediate needs. That would certainly have a significant stimulative affect on the economy.
To bring our infrastructure up to 21st-Century standards the investment would be even higher. Instead of kicking the can down the road America should show its leadership and vision by establishing a "race to the moon" charge to our society to develop the world-class infrastructure, energy systems, building technology, and next-generation transportation products that work in conjunction with a new national infrastructure.
This mission would create more jobs for our economy than we currently have workers to support and would act as a driver for construction, manufacturing, and small businesses. It also would alleviate emigration issues since the amount of work generated would be greater than the number of people we have to fill them. Cities in decline across America could see a renaissance as new residents move in to get to work.
The country would also benefit from reduced dependence on foreign oil as new energy, building, and transportation systems would significantly improve our energy efficiency and could take advantage of existing resources such as natural gas that could be integrated into the new infrastructure systems.
Let's stop with the cheap money and 0% interest loans to financial institutions making risky bets with our money. Instead of billions of dollars disappearing in bad hedge fund bets we, as a nation, can create something of lasting value that benefits the majority of our citizens.
Infrastructure is the key to economic growth. These jobs would have a multiplier effect on our economy and provide broad-based sources of tax revenue. An Infrastructure Revolution could be the driver for the next 50 years or more providing America with continued growth and prosperity!
I've seen a bunch of perfectly good roads getting repaved with "Wasting your Money" signs plastered all over them. There's plenty of actual work that needs to be done, but those projects aren't shovel-ready. You don't need a year of planning, five years of environmental impact studies, and then years of lawsuits to repave a road.
What do you expect when one party with about half the electorate tells its followers infrastructure is just waste and all America needs is another tax cut?
American infrastructure is a fricking joke! It takes the average city how many months of laziness and inefficiency just to fix a few potholes???? The Japanese were rebuilding entire roads in a matter of days after the tsunami. US infrastructure on average rates a D. Our bridges, roads, highways, etc. are in terrible shape. The richest country in the world..........but we gotta go fight those evil terrorists in the middle east because they hate our freedom. LOL.
Yes we all know these infastructure jobs Obama has pushed has helped bring down the unemployment rate.
While Germany had a 11% of unemployment rate in 2005
Germany currently has a 5% unemployment rate.
Why? Well Germany cut taxes on corporations & the rich in the mid 2000's
It has been extremely successful.
While Obama's stimulis package has been a huge flop.
Obama's stimulis package maybe huge but he must have some bad E.D because his stimulis package is big & floopy & just can't get the economy up.
That's utter BS! While they may have cut taxes on the rich and corporations Germany has some of the strongest unions, specifically auto unions, in the world. German CEO's make 30% less than their American counterparts. If you're going to speak out of your rear end atleast put forth a valid, believable argument. The US government used to get 1/3 of their revenue from corporate taxes back in the 1950s when the American middle class was BOOMING!. Now that revenue stream has dropped to less than 1/10th in 2010. That's FACT....you can go look it up! Corporations are raping this country! Not only do they not pay enough taxes they are turning around and stiffing the American worker. And our government either turns a blind eye or has their hand in the corporate cookie jar. American government is one big revolving door of corporate power and backroom deals.
First of all we already have a spending and borrowing porblem which isn't going to be solved by more borrowing and spending. this sounds like the greek solution;nothing more. What we are facing now is deficit reductiog not building. Plus we need to address huge amounts in unfuded liabities in entitlements. Its cuts that are coming not more spending .Its simpson/Bowles cuts that have been kicked down the road really;not borrowing and spending'we are too good at that.
I can think of probably $20 billion of infrastructure projects in my region alone that are awaiting funding. My feeling is do it now while traffic is light (a lot fewer people driving to work) and Engineers as well as construction workers are starving for work. The dividends will pay for decades. More tax revenue, less welfare, and more productivity when the economy is healthy, instead of people or trucks stuck on inadequate roads and other facilities.
The problem is we don't have the political will to do it. Perhaps a military buildup would have more political support. It enabled Reagan to reduce the unemployment rate three points in two years and, of course, get re-elected by a landslide.
We have big problems with our roads in SC. We have one of the lowest gas tax rates in the country and boy can you tell when you go for a drive. We can't allow our roads and bridges upkeep to continue to be ignored but it's not a priority in this state.
Infrastucture doesn't pay the bills. It is a short sighted responce to an economic problem. When is the last time that you saw a cost center spew out cash?
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