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I agree a wish list would be a good idea.

I have some ideas on how he could make a start on jobs, steel industry, heavy equipment industry, infrastructure, and drought and flood control at almost no net cost. Just expand the Army Corps of Engineers, recruit people specifically for it, buy a lot of new equipment from Caterpillar etc. and set them to work building levees and flood relief channels and settling ponds along the Mississipi and other rivers as well as a lock system to keep the river at a navigable level during droughts. We should be minimizing the amount of clean fresh water we allow to reach the ocean, keeping as much of it as possible where it can be used to “green the west”. Use Federal lands wherever possible to create new waterways from the western rivers that feed the Mississippi and keep that water in the west. Pay for this expansion with bonds paid back by savings in the Federal Flood Insurance program and sales of water to farmers and industry in the new lands opened up.

THAT is a great proposal! I have been arguing with friends for years that the surplus of water in the middle of the country in “flood” months should be diverted to the West. It’d be a heck of a project, but scope doesn’t make something impossible, if it is well thought out.

I think my biggest difference with your plan is that I’d not have the Corps do the actual construction - that could be ramped up to be done by private companies under the supervision of the Corps.

Also, most of the Missouri / Mississippi River system lock system is already in place — what is needed is enough water in reserve to feed it during dry months or even droughts. Get really ambitious, and even added management of water in the lower Ohio River could be included. No need to blow up the “Birds Point Levee” as a safety valve, if anyone remembers that...

IMO, the water shortages out West could be addressed first, which would surely have economic benefits. Plus, sales of water to those now short of it (Las Vegas, much of CA, etc.) would help finance the next phase (your greening of the West.)

Then... We keep hearing the world is running short on food — with the completion of “phase 2” we really could feed (sell food to) the entire world, aquaculture included. Your point about river shipping is well taken as well: That is a BIG deal, and could probably even be extended in range somewhat. Even recreational and tourism opportunities could be increased, although, I would observe that in the region I’m in (Mid-South) many existing facilities are lightly used.

“Dream big”, Trump said!