American Infrastructure and the Unemployed

Hi Everyone,

If you happen to have a strong interest in infrastructure issues, please follow my blog over the next several days. I’m taking the new Infrastructure Report Card (by the American Society of Civil Engineers) and breaking it down by category. For example, my last three blog posts are:

Infrastructure Report Card: Schools: “D”, Infrastructure Report Card: Drinking Water: “D”, & Infrastructure Report Card: Aviation: “D”

Then, I’m comparing today’s situation with the New Deal (mainly the WPA).

http://nddaily.blogspot.com/

Thanks,

--Brent www.wpatoday.org wpatoday@gmail.com

Gallop Poll results indicating that 72% of Americans think public money should be used to get people back to work, infrastructure in particular.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/161438/americans-widely-back-government-job-creation-proposals.aspx?utm_source=add_this&utm_medium=addthis.com&utm_campaign=sharing#.UUmZWUTWEi0.twitter

Seems like a short sighted "solution". Put the unemployed to work on dressing up roads, etc. while U.S. businesses continue to go down the drain due to ailing business models that need drastically amended.

Instead, put the money into steering the businesses into the new global economic model.

Well, at least the Chinese won't hit pot holes when they visit their China owned companies throughout America soon!

well the roads around here need to be fixed someday, i am afraid to travel on some of them...

maybe the republican party can show me where the "Private Industry" highway system is.....its not on anyone of my maps.

Sarah: I don't see investing in American infrastructure, and investing in the unemployed, as short-sighted.

Here's one example of how doing so can enhance business activity:

Currently, many rural counties are having trouble attracting business because they lack high-speed Internet (google search it). If the unemployed were trained to install high-speed Internet there would be several benefits:

1. The unemployed would be learning new skills.
2. The unemployed would have money to spend at local businesses.
3. New businesses would find these areas more attractive to re-locate to.

As the economy was improving during the Great Depression (GDP increased significantly almost every year of Roosevelt's presidency), and during WW2, and after the war, business expanded on New Deal roads, across New Deal bridges, from New Deal airports, etc.

In my opinion, investing in infrastructure and currently-living Americans is both a short-term and a long-term strategy.

Looking for other ways to enhance business is good too, but what are the unemployed going to do today? Are we going to tell them, "Well, you'll just have to be evicted, homeless, and bankrupt until things improve through free market strategies, even if that takes years"?

I think there is a way to correct current problems that also enhances the future. I think the New Deal proved that.

--Brent

Okay, I get it. Just as long as unemployment goes down as employment goes up.

But where is the material like steel going to be bought from? Steel went overseas many years ago. Jones & Laughlin, U.S. Steel, etc.

Will we help other countries become that much richer and wiser? After the bridges, roads, and buildings are repaired, will businesses today (not 80 years ago) improve?

It's a different world and economic model today...

Sarah: I agree, there are many issues related to America's sagging economy, and a new WPA certainly wouldn't be a cure-all.

But it just amazes me that our political "leaders" can devote so many resources to foreign countries (for example, hundreds of military bases and two wars), but to our own jobless citizens, they say, "Sorry, can't help you." I just don't buy that.

But your points are well-taken.

--Brent

WPA Today wrote:Sarah: I agree, there are many issues related to America's sagging economy, and a new WPA certainly wouldn't be a cure-all.

But it just amazes me that our political "leaders" can devote so many resources to foreign countries (for example, hundreds of military bases and two wars), but to our own jobless citizens, they say, "Sorry, can't help you." I just don't buy that.

But your points are well-taken.

--Brent

This country does not "give" anything away, most foriegn construction is probably carried out through contracted global corporations, ( i would like to say "american corporations", but they are global) with sizable kickbacks to the local power elite (politicians, monied class)...

The poor people in the Phillipines are still stuck with the debt of the Marco regime..

Elvis: I think you're probably right in many cases, but I still believe that a lot of U.S. tax money is wrapped up in foreign military base construction, as well as the soldiers and equipment inside those bases. Here's an interesting article talking about some of this:

http://www.fpif.org/articles/bring_war_dollars_home_by_closing_down_bases

--Brent