Obama to Call for Major Road, Rail and Runway Spending

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

I agree that our transporation infastructure is in dire need of overhaul and repair, and has for a long, long time. Still, I would question the wisdom in spending another $50 billion on top of the stimulus that was already supposed to include earmarks for infastructure. What happened to that money the first time around?

I do not think there needs to be wisdom behind this. The infrastruture is in deep disrepair. Just bridge conditions in some places alone are scary enough. Waterways, sewerage, electrical grids are slowing becoming to small to handle the growing population. I support this from Obama but he not attempt to sell it as a stimulus type deal. It needs to be sold to the American public at large as a necessity.

[SteamWake]

Sounds like 'make work' projects to me.

Maybe Florida will get that high speed rail after all.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

I do not think there needs to be wisdom behind this. The infrastruture is in deep disrepair. Just bridge conditions in some places alone are scary enough. Waterways, sewerage, electrical grids are slowing becoming to small to handle the growing population. I support this from Obama but he not attempt to sell it as a stimulus type deal. It needs to be sold to the American public at large as a necessity.

I'm not disputing the importance of infastructure. It does need a major overhaul. However, according the the New York Times article linked by Vendor, it is being sold as another 'stimulus'. Frankly, that doesn't matter to me; spending on infastructure is spending on infastructure; he can call it anything he wants. However, according to the numbers that Brad posted, we've just spent $150 billion on infastructure, which is now followed by a $50 billion chaser. To me, this says one of two things: Either the bulk of the last $150 billion was lost to beaurocracy and inefficiency or that the problem is so great that the previous spending was inadequate to the degree of being virtually invisible. In the case of the former, if $150 billion was chewed up in the system, then the $50 billion proposed would stand even less a chance. As for the latter, the additional spending would amount to a Band-Aid on a gangrened limb, meaning that if you are serious about infastructure overhaul, your figures need to be pushing towards a trillion in spending. Anything else would be mere political posturing.

[AVGWarhawk]

Most definitely it should not be sold as a stimulus deal. As far as the the original $150 billion spent, certainly inefficency and pork can account for lack of stimulus growth. Also, the way the government works it is very slow. The BRAC (base realignment and closures) that were instituted in 2005-06 are just now being bid on by contractors. Long time and red tape to get the the ball rolling.

[Takeda Shingen]

I'll concede that at the very least it is good that someone in the White House is finally talking about infastructure overhaul. Politically speaking, it is never a very sexy initiative, which is why it has been ignored for so long. Whether he means it or not and whether the spending will be effective, we have yet to see. I suspect that it will not be, but I may yet be proven wrong.