Our Infrastructure Is Not ‘Crumbling.’ Repeat: Our Infrastructure Is Not ‘Crumbling’

The Federalist ^ | 02/07/2018 | David Harsanyi

[Eric]

Someone mentioned 'Unions'. Many people don't know the half of it. Union member's pay goes up automatically when the minimum wage goes up. Then there is the secret of "Prevailing Wages". These are wage amounts that are double and triple the regular wages that anyone locally makes, but is used to figure the bid price and what the project will cost.

Any construction that is NOT 'prevailing wage' will cost considerably less. Prevailing Wage is a union tactic that adds BILLIONS to the cost of construction in the USA.

(Someone from the union will now tell us why it's okay to pay so much.)

[Ozark Tom]

In addition to Oroville, California DWR just added 7 dams to a list which may be considered just as robust and safe.

[airplaneguy]

“Union member’s pay goes up automatically when the minimum wage goes up.”

Really? Do you have a couple of Union contracts that support that statement?

I’m a member of a union and I’m a conservative. My Union contract says nothing of the sort.

[spintreebob]

You got it. Eliminate all Federal gasoline, airport, energy, utility and Transportation taxes. Give a 5 yr transition period during which tax collectors (energy companies) are told to pay the tax directly to the state in which collected.

Then within 5 years the States can replace the Fed tax with state taxes, or not.

The simple fact is that maintenance and short connectors are cheaper if the Feds are not involved.

[sargon]

Our Infrastructure Is Not ‘Crumbling.’ Repeat: Our Infrastructure Is Not ‘Crumbling’

I'm not so sure.

So President Trump is wrong about the state of our infrastructure?

I guess I'd be satisfied with introducing some kind of accountability into the formula—something that eliminates the massive amount of waste and corporate welfare which seems to invariably accompany "infrastructure" spending.

If we could get to the point where infrastructure projects were completed "under budget and ahead of schedule"—as most of Donald Trump's private projects are—then that would be a bona fide improvement.

So, who is it that has been lying to the President about the state of this country's infrastructure?

What has caused the President to form the impression that our infrastructure is crumbling?

I'm willing to give the President the benefit of the doubt on this issue, and I'm certainly not convinced that our infrastructure isn't in bad shape. I do know that there hasn't been a decent infrastructure program introduced at the federal level in a decade or more, and I also know that at least some federal responsibility for infrastructure is Constitutionally authorized.

As such, I'm not automatically opposed to an infrastructure bill—especially if it's geared towards improving the efficiency and economy of projects by ensuring that they're delivered "under budget and ahead of schedule". Maybe introducing more competition would also be a good idea.

I'm eager to hear what the President has to say on this issue, and I'm not impressed with flippant dismissal by knee-jerk naysayers.

[PIF]

You need a prevailing wage clause to get the benefit of raising minimum wages. Many unions have them, but obviously not all.

[PIF]

Obviously never been to Wisconsin especially Southeast around Milwaukee county - axle breaker pot holes to rival Chicago’s ...

[airplaneguy]

We have periodic raises in the contract (CBA) but its not tied to the minimum wage.