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The US is not to be envied in this respect as the infrastructure to be built and maintained is so extensive due to the sheer size of the country.
If you want to be considered a first world country in a globally competitive economy you've got to pay the freight.
The question is rather simple does America have the national will to be a first world country? If it does then we'll pony up the money and fix our infrastructure.
If not then we'll fall into second world status both in the quality of infrastructure and our economy. If we start the spiral we'll see more companies leave the United States and lose even more jobs. Eventually we'll have to turn things around at a greater cost in the future or become even less globally competitive.
The bottom line is infrastructure quality is CRITICAL to economy growth.
If you want to be considered a first world country in a globally competitive economy you've got to pay the freight.
The question is rather simple does America have the national will to be a first world country? If it does then we'll pony up the money and fix our infrastructure.
If not then we'll fall into second world status both in the quality of infrastructure and our economy. If we start the spiral we'll see more companies leave the United States and lose even more jobs. Eventually we'll have to turn things around at a greater cost in the future or become even less globally competitive.
The bottom line is infrastructure quality is CRITICAL to economy growth.
Is a lot of US infrastructure privatized? That is always a problem as private companies want profits and won't invest if a project is not promising enough. Since labor cost is a major factor, can't unemployed men help maintain highways instead of sitting around?
Here we have similar problems. Just recently a bridge over a huge river was simply closed as it is not safe anymore, but the state does not have or want to spend the money to fix it. So initially people in that city protested a lot (it is the only bridge anywhere around), but it seems they have accepted by now that in the future they will have to drive an extra hour every day.
Is a lot of US infrastructure privatized? That is always a problem as private companies want profits and won't invest if a project is not promising enough. Since labor cost is a major factor, can't unemployed men help maintain highways instead of sitting around?
Only railroads are private. There are a lot of private companies contracted by the government to operate/maintain infrastructure, but the roads/airports/ports themselves are generally owned by state or federal governments.
China seems to be putting most of the profit derived from US sales into its infrastructure from highways to high speed rail. Maybe we should take note.
Our military is something the government has full rights to and must have to protect our nation.
What we don't need is jumping into everyone's business.
I believe the best defense is the best offense and the best offense is the best defense.
Look, we would never think of going into China, for the same reason we went into Iraq, or even terrorist in Afghanistan. Why is that? Because China has the best offense and defense on the planet.
We need to be the power that no one else wants to mess with. Not mommy breaking the kids up from fighting, or all hell bent to trash a nation looking for a few bad dudes.
What did we do without Medicare? What did we do before Social Security?
What did we do before Welfare?
Is it a coincidence that since those things have been implemented, we have fallen from a well bonded prosperous nation, where everyone looked out for everyone else as a big family, has turned into us relying on the Government to take care of it as you sit there and watch it unfold in front of you. That is not what founded this nation and that is not what got us to be the nation envied by all other nations citizens. We got away from that crap in the last quarter of the 1700's. Blood was lost and we had FREEDOM! Not Federal Government making choices for us. Local and State governments... yes. Federal... NO!
China seems to be putting most of the profit derived from US sales into its infrastructure from highways to high speed rail. Maybe we should take note.
"U.S. Plays Catch-Up on High-Speed Rail By KATE GALBRAITH
Published: September 5, 2010
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Spanish trains whisk passengers from Madrid to Barcelona in little more than two and one-half hours. Japan has bullet trains. China is building a vast network of high-speed rail routes, including the recently opened line between Guangzhou and Wuhan, which covers 1,070 kilometers at the world’s fastest average speed. ..."
Prior to 1900 there was no interstate highway system in this country. Prior to 1900 there was no commercial aviation. The use 19th century paradigm’s to deal with 21st century problems is patently absurd. There is no private commercial entity that could undertake the massive funding needed for the interstate highway system. There is no commercial entity that wants to take on the liability of the air-traffic control system.
We have neglected the maintenance on America's infrastructure for so long, it is crumbling! Now we have disintegrating gas lines, grids unable to keep up with our energy needs, collapsing bridges,...........etc
People for less government and lower taxes are going to get what they asked for..........a country that can no longer sustain them!
Stop all the spending on wasteful social programs and a bloated military and spend on infrastructure. Otherwise, if you love social programs, don't complain about the roads and bridges.
Stop all the spending on wasteful social programs and a bloated military and spend on infrastructure. Otherwise, if you love social programs, don't complain about the roads and bridges.
this is more an issue of inept politicians. people want roads, and they government has plenty of money for that. but government wastes all the money.
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U.S. Plays Catch-Up on High-Speed Rail
