Posted on 01/11/2009 7:09:12 AM PST by joeystoy
In this euphoric run-up to the ascension of The Oba-Messiah, all the usual suspects are lumbering toward the trough in order to slobber up the Fool's Gold now being minted by our leaders in Washington.
Consistently neglected in boom years, INFRASTRUCTURE is now the Golden Calf of the 21st Century New Deal, worshipped by one and all in every level of government.
Who can argue with it? Don't these worthy projects need funding? And aren't these the same public servants that have served us so well in good times and bad?
In recent years here in New York City the tax dollars fueled by Wall Street profits cascaded into the city treasury and--as in boom times past--roads, bridges and transit systems deteriorated.
Did any of our political leaders wail about our crumbling infrastructure?
"Sorry, bridges don't vote" came the reply from the political class.
Remember the gas tax? How about the bridge tolls that were supposed to benefit mass transit? Money, money, money with nothing to show.So now that stimulus is our government's most critical responsibility, the Fed is cranking up the printing presses.
Their mission: inflate the money supply to pay workers to dig holes in the ground.
Ten years from now when the next crisis hits we'll be treated to another round of bleating from those who advocate a commitment to infrastructure and we will have all forgotten about the previous roads and bridges scam.
This should come as no surprise.
Wasting money is what governments do and infrastructure is traditionally the way they do it. Nothing new here.
But what of social welfare, healthcare and education? Surely these are noble endeavors worthy of national mobilization and they figure prominently in the new administration's stimulus plans.
(Excerpt) Read more at give-n-go.blogspot.com ...
Where is all this crumbling infrastructure? Highways are ALWAYS being worked on - widened, repaved, etc.
The I-35 bridge incident took place DURING a renovation. This is all such BS. This is the largest pork project in world history.
Granted cities are more maintenance intensive but when a water main springs a leak, they fix it. No big deal.
“State Flower” - lol thanks for the laugh this morning.
We could burn a hefty chunk of this money on 10 big digs. And have little to show.
Which is what certainly will happen.
The big corporate builders with lobbyists will get the big infrastructure deals and will likely waste/pocket the dough.
China will get the money because Dianne Feinstein has a steel mill in Shanghai.
They are building the Bay bridge for us, or didn’t you know? That’s why our steel industry needs the bailout. Our tax dollars are going overseas to fund communist china.
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