Posted on 07/07/2019 6:32:19 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
In late April, President Trump and Democratic congressional leaders finally found something they agreed on: infrastructure. Outside the White House after a meeting with the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat, issued the pronouncement, “Big and bold.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Democrat from New York, echoed the takeaway: “We agreed on a number, which was very, very good, $2 trillion.” Trump himself has been publicly quiet but didn’t dispute that he told the Democrats he “like[s] the number.” By May, this renewed spirit of cooperation had fallen apart, at least temporarily, with a second meeting collapsing amid Mueller investigation recriminations. Still, though, conventional wisdom, whether under this Congress and president or another, sees a mega infrastructure initiative as a worthy bipartisan project.
Indeed, a nation now famous for its airport delays, potholed highways, “summer of hell” mass-transit crises, and leaded urban water may welcome the $2 trillion figure. Why not, as Schumer reiterated, “get something done … in a big and bold way?” So far, though, this trio is off to a bad start. America doesn’t need to be wowed by a figure in the trillions, a campaign marketing tool for both parties.
What it does need is a slow, sober assessment of its real-world infrastructure necessities and quiet, not-so-bold competence in getting the work actually done on time and on budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Well, it needs to be done.
Does anyone trust Congress not to use about 800 billion of that for pork and shoring up some pension liabilities?
One of his examples is an interstate between Las Vegas and Phoenix. Then he goes on a density rant, and complains about spending money on low-traffic things (”a subway line that supports 1.3 million riders a day is more productive than a bridge that carries 100,000 cars and trucks each day.”).
Then he calls it a healthcare cost crisis (because we “reward” workers that retire early, and continue to pay their healthcare costs).
Very confusing story, and very inconsistent in the arguments presented.
Has anyone seen road repairs with the new gas tax money in Mexifornia? Me neither.
“A vehicle miles traveled tax to transform the highway system into a tolled network that pays for itself may be sound economic theory. Practically speaking, given limited mass-transportation options in much of the country, it’s also a multithousand-dollar-per-year tax hike on the middle class.”
Nice to see he at least gets this point right.
“Has anyone seen road repairs with the new gas tax money in Mexifornia? Me neither.”
Not that they’ll ever try this approach, but the easiest way to get traffic moving again is to simply DEPORT THE ILLEGALS. Don’t need to spend a penny on road work.
True dat! Here in L.A., if you deported the illegals, and I bet there’s 1-2MM of them, you’d certainly reduce traffic...
Those with vast amounts of control over the telecom infrastructure must not also have control of the news.
Breakup Comcast
I don’t see it happening unless it all goes on the credit card.
Non-union labor would be great but I won’t hold my breath.
So let’s say it costs $100 to pave teo feet in CA.. how much do you think it costs in Mississippi or Tennessee?
This is a blue state bail out, plain and simple. The Democrats are ecstatic, well of course they are. The money off your kids table is always better than their own.
We’re going to do this again? Congress and Zero did this already in the form of debt. This is a States issue not federal.
They’re apparently using some of the proceeds to widen a stretch of US 101 north of San Francisco. They also plan to make a direct connector from northbound US 101 to eastbound I-580, although I don’t know if that will use new money or not.
ICE is apparently about to start deporting 1 million adjudicated illegals, so that’s a start.
No Wall...
No Infrastructure...the economy is good.
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