Public Works Projects - Is It Time?

Our infrastructure is in such bad shape and there are so many people out of work. Isn't it about time that we consider public works programs to put people to work fixing our crumbling roads and bridges? And why wasn't this considered more seriously at the beginning of the current administration's term?

-P

more.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/110711-biden-to-tout-recovery-summer-at-yellowstone-grand-canyon


Vice President Joe Biden is in Big Sky, Mont., this weekend in preparation for "Recovery Summer" events at national parks early next week.

Biden will visit Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Parks on Monday and Tuesday. The parks have received $25 million in stimulus funding, and the vice president will tout the participation of more than 1,000 workers in the 17 construction and maintenance projects funded by the Recovery Act cash.

The White House said in a Saturday release that there are 800 stimulus projects under way at national parks this summer, more than eight times as many as last summer.

...why haven't we heard more about this? Is this another example of not grabbing the message...not getting the word out. This administration has done some important things for our country. It is too bad that the perception is that so little has been done.

-P

That's what Biden will be doing; they had major projects they wanted to complete first, now is the time to toot their own horns, and hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more of that.

Obama has also started:

Obama touts ‘enormous progress’ as he urges focus on economy

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/110591-obama-touts-progress-as-he-looks-to-return-focus-to-economy

...play is huge. But they are not the only reason the message doesn't get out.

they are visible.
They bring something meaningful into people's lives-- the workers and those who see the work.
They put the unemployed to work in, hopefully, significant numbers.
We need more infranstructure, not less, and not what's crumbling now.

it's amazing to me that some people can be so selfish that they can't even act in their own actual best interests. rich people think that handing over tax money to the poor in the form of public jobs must somehow come out of their pockets, so they oppose them without thinking.

the reality is that rich people aren't making as much money as they could because there are too many cash-strapped and debt-ridden would-be consumers right now. hand over money to them and they will start buying again, and guess where the money will end up?

right, in the hands of rich people.

A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS, REMEMBER???

if you think it works for supply-pull, then you have to admit it works for demand-push.

We've been in the 2nd Great Depression since '01. And we can end the two wars of choice, start to bring the troops home, and offer them work in repairing the crumbling infrastructure along with training in the medical professions; after awhile we won't have a medical professional shortage any more.

monorail system... there are so many things that would benefit America in ways too numerous to count, yet we continue spending our treasure on overseas wars of choice to benefit that sacred 0.5% of the wealthiest among us. We need to find a way to DEMAND real change.

was so busy funneling money to big banks and big corporations they really forgot about the "little" person. We could even put in work projects for electronic projects. New energy projects. It doesn't just have to be roads and bridges, goodness knows they need them tho. If all that stimulus money had been put to use like this we would have job creations by now. Some for the blue collar workers and some for white collar workers. And since we have the health care bill, which is OK but doesn't cover everything, a lot of people could pay for their own, since the jobs wouldn't have benefits. That way big business couldn't get their greedy hands on the money. That is why the republicans are ranting and raving tho, big business didn't get the money it went mostly to the states, after the big banks got their share.

You can build a lot of infrastructure just with the $1 trillion we've
spent blowing the shit out of Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention
the hundreds of billions we spend on "defense" every year.

Tesha

are remarkably similar to republican policies.

Every economist will tell you "Infustructure Drives the Economy" yet the Dems spent the bulk of the TARP money on "feel Good" projects.

They won't be feeling too good come November, yet I'm sure they'll find some way to blame us voters

...roads and bridges obviously. There is so much that needs to be done in this country for the country. To me, it seems like a "no brainer." I can hardly think that the Repugs would have serious issues with this. They must even see what needs to be done. They wouldn't be able to argue that people in real need are freeloaders.

This is a part of "creative" leadership which I believe is lacking right now. We have to think outside the box.

Remember when we used to tout the point that the Bush Administration lacked curiosity...lacked imagination. This is what I thought would change with the new administration.

Why can't the current administration pull all the governors together. Have them prioritize the most urgent needs in their states with regard to infrastructure. Set up a program within their states using the Federal government to help regulate the division of labor.

I see very little downside to this kind of program. The only thing that the Regugs could complain about is that a Public Works Program could possibly take business away from local business...like private contractors. But, this seems to be a small price to pay for the enormous upside on so many levels.

Creative solultions....creative thinking. Imagination.

-P

Separate the Army Corps of Engineers from the Army just like they made the Air Force a separate service. People could enlist in the new branch of the service called the Engineer Corps. They would make rank and advance by learning construction skills that would pay when they left the Corps. The service could begin repairing bridges, building parks, and basically fixing our whole infrastructure. Make it like the Forest Service if you have to.

Another form of service could be the National Railway Service. The NRS builds, maintains, and runs passenger rail for the country. There is no sane reason that I can't get a train from Dallas to Denver without going to Chicago.

People working. Americans getting value for their tax dollars.

It would be a significant step in the right direction.

Always. The fact that we even ask the question shows how twisted our thinking has become.

There are always dams to be built, or torn down, parks to erect, bridges to fix.

like the WPA or CCC. We don't need hoards of contractors, subcontractors, and sub-subcontractors sucking off the funds.

My family went camping this summer at a park that was created by the CCC. It's still in good shape, but I was impressed by what was built a long time ago by the people for the people.