Mobility in America.

[SniperFire]

Taxing the rich is the best solution.

I figured that is where this thread was heading.

That's not the direction I want it to go.

I would prefer to discuss the insanity of spending two to five Billion dollars every election cycle just to seat a government while our competitors over seas are investing in their people and their economies.

We're lookin' pretty stupid from space, compared with our neighbors...

That is just standard moral equivalency stuff. The two items are not related, in reality.

 

[Nosmo King]

We have more roads, bridges, highways, airports, etc. in America than ever before.

Much more mobile now than our 'heyday' v. China, whom you say is surpassing us because our roads are crumbling.

Yes, we need to maintain them, and there are problem spots, but the notion that our transportation systems are failing is largely bullshit.

Are there bridges in your community? there certainly are bridges here in Pittsburgh, and according to the PENNDOT survey of bridges, over 60% of them are deficient or failing. And that's not spin, that's not partisan and it certainly isn't bullshit.

 

[Mr.Nick]

Americans are by far THE most mobile people in history. Most of us have the means get from one coast to the other in a matter hours or days using various combinations of public, commercial and/or private transportation and infrastructure built and owned by We, The People.

Government is an integral part of that transportation network, and failure to address our outdated and crumbling publicly owned infrastructure will result in America falling behind our competitors economically. While we prepare to spend $2 billion + electing our next president, China and our other competitors are busy building infrastructure designed to get and keep their people moving.

If we don't start taking our competition seriously soon, we'll loose this game. Well, our kids will be the losers, righteously cussing us for generations.

States built the roads, private companies laid the train tracks (see Illinois Railroad), private companies operate buses, trains and airliners...

The federal government had nothing to do with our transit system(s)...

 

[Mr.Nick]

Imagine New York City if the people living there in the 1800's did not have the vision and political will to build the public transportation system that made the city what it is today.

Right now a substantial portion of the worlds food supply comes from an area in southern California made fertile by public works projects that brought water to the desert. How much of California's economy was created out of thin air by just that one vision that received backing by public money?

And how many idiots read headlines about spending money, or denying projects, in order to preserve certain bugs & fish - - - - - - and get all mad and calling people idiots.....

before they actually study, and learn that certain said bugs and fish are necessary to keep said lands / waters fertile for growth..........

People are idiots.

People aren't idiots - they're greedy... and our current system rewards those who ask "What's in it for ME ME ME over the next quarter year?" instead of the more pragmatic "What's in it for my community over the next 4 generations?"

The problem with unregulated capitalism is that it focuses so much on the short term and not on the next generation.

The freedom for any given individual to focus on their current issues needs to be balanced by leadership focused on the next 50 years.

That is absolutely WRONG.....

Socialism focuses on the short term - capitalism focuses on growth, hence the long term...

Capitalism doesn't fail - Keynesian economics fail because socialism fails...

We built an empire on capitalism until Woodrow Wilson came a long and fucked everything up.

 

[Seawytch]

We don't need to ONLY tax the wealthiest Americans (that use more of the "commons" than us rabble), we could also cut defense spending drastically. Maybe close a base or two overseas. Cut out a nuke or two. All good steps in the right direction towards rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.

Naw, screw it. Just cut Medicare and let the bridges collapse. Reduce the surplus population.

 

[Katzndogz]

Imagine New York City if the people living there in the 1800's did not have the vision and political will to build the public transportation system that made the city what it is today.

Right now a substantial portion of the worlds food supply comes from an area in southern California made fertile by public works projects that brought water to the desert. How much of California's economy was created out of thin air by just that one vision that received backing by public money?

It was true at one time that Southern Caifornia and Central California was a provider of a substantial portion of the world's food. However, once a liberal judge shut off the water to protect the delta smelt, those vast farms and orchards were forced to go fallow, the rich topsoil has long ago blown away in dust. The families who owned these farms lost them, the people who worked them are on welfare, and we got our produce from Chile instead.

 

[Mr.Nick]

We don't need to ONLY tax the wealthiest Americans (that use more of the "commons" than us rabble), we could also cut defense spending drastically. Maybe close a base or two overseas. Cut out a nuke or two. All good steps in the right direction towards rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.

Naw, screw it. Just cut Medicare and let the bridges collapse. Reduce the surplus population.

Idiot - the states FIX THE BRIDGES - not the federal government...

Geez....

What the hell is wrong with you Obamabots??? you don't even understand how government and infrastructure works. You think the federal government provides everything.

 

[SniperFire]

We don't need to ONLY tax the wealthiest Americans (that use more of the "commons" than us rabble), we could also cut defense spending drastically. Maybe close a base or two overseas. Cut out a nuke or two. All good steps in the right direction towards rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.

Naw, screw it. Just cut Medicare and let the bridges collapse. Reduce the surplus population.

It isn't very smart to spend national dollars to rebuild your local bridge, Brainac.

You reduce the taxation for the national dollars going to a project, and then let the people decide LOCALLY what to do with their new-found monies.

 

[Nosmo King]

Americans are by far THE most mobile people in history. Most of us have the means get from one coast to the other in a matter hours or days using various combinations of public, commercial and/or private transportation and infrastructure built and owned by We, The People.

Government is an integral part of that transportation network, and failure to address our outdated and crumbling publicly owned infrastructure will result in America falling behind our competitors economically. While we prepare to spend $2 billion + electing our next president, China and our other competitors are busy building infrastructure designed to get and keep their people moving.

If we don't start taking our competition seriously soon, we'll loose this game. Well, our kids will be the losers, righteously cussing us for generations.

States built the roads, private companies laid the train tracks (see Illinois Railroad), private companies operate buses, trains and airliners...

The federal government had nothing to do with our transit system(s)...

Federal land grants and protection against Indians and highway men built the Transcontinental railroad. The US Cavalry strung telegraph lines. Lincoln signed legislation granting the land. And then, 100 years later, Eisenhower signed legislation establishing the Interstate Highway system. And federal grants to the states maintains them.

 

[Mr.Nick]

We don't need to ONLY tax the wealthiest Americans (that use more of the "commons" than us rabble), we could also cut defense spending drastically. Maybe close a base or two overseas. Cut out a nuke or two. All good steps in the right direction towards rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.

Naw, screw it. Just cut Medicare and let the bridges collapse. Reduce the surplus population.

It isn't very smart to spend national dollars to rebuild your local bridge, Brainac.

You reduce the taxation for the national dollars going to a project, and then let the people decide LOCALLY what to do with their new-found monies.

90% of community infrastructure is built by the state, the federal government doesn't build roads or bridges - the state does (using private contractors, usually union contractors)...

But I agree with you..

Maybe if there weren't so many dependent on government to provide; food, shelter, clothing, x-boxes, LCD flat screen TV's etc who are more than capable of working yet choose not to we would have more money to take care of those who TRULY need the help.

No, everyone wants that free "Obama money."

Of course progressives overlook all the lazy sloths in this country and use little old granny as an excuse to keep social welfare going...

 

[Mr.Nick]

Americans are by far THE most mobile people in history. Most of us have the means get from one coast to the other in a matter hours or days using various combinations of public, commercial and/or private transportation and infrastructure built and owned by We, The People.

Government is an integral part of that transportation network, and failure to address our outdated and crumbling publicly owned infrastructure will result in America falling behind our competitors economically. While we prepare to spend $2 billion + electing our next president, China and our other competitors are busy building infrastructure designed to get and keep their people moving.

If we don't start taking our competition seriously soon, we'll loose this game. Well, our kids will be the losers, righteously cussing us for generations.

States built the roads, private companies laid the train tracks (see Illinois Railroad), private companies operate buses, trains and airliners...

The federal government had nothing to do with our transit system(s)...

Federal land grants and protection against Indians and highway men built the Transcontinental railroad. The US Cavalry strung telegraph lines. Lincoln signed legislation granting the land. And then, 100 years later, Eisenhower signed legislation establishing the Interstate Highway system. And federal grants to the states maintains them.

Yes 100-years later....The state builds roads/bridges and maintains the existing roads/bridges using state tax dollars and property tax dollars (if it is a community project)...

The federal government doesn't maintain or build new roads or bridges..

 

[Katzndogz]

Liberal logic.

Because the government built the interstate highway system (something it should do) the government gets to decide what kind of car you should drive, or even if you should drive at all (something it should not do).

 

[SniperFire]

Why do Leftists have to make every fucking issue a 'with us or against us' partisan deal?

 

[Mr.Nick]

Liberal logic.

Because the government built the interstate highway system (something it should do) the government gets to decide what kind of car you should drive, or even if you should drive at all (something it should not do).

The federal government didn't build all the highway systems... The federal government built the original highway system - since then its been vastly expanded via the state government(s) via your state income tax/ property tax dollars...

The progressives here are arguing for higher federal taxation and are using state-based infrastructure projects for their argument - which is totally ignorant....

 

[whitehall]

The mobility we enjoy is a direct result of the freedom that is guaranteed in the Constitution. You don't have to worry about border crossings like they do in Europe or Asia or Africa. You can whiz across the border of any State in the Union and never give it a thought. Anyway, you used to be able to whiz around the Country before the green socialists decided that we should pay $10 for a gallon of gas.

 

[Mr.Nick]

Hell here in Illinois we have to pay tolls to use the highway... Every 10-15 miles its $1.50. Which is allegedly used to maintain the highway, but I don't buy that shit one bit. I think it goes to social welfare programs and to labor unions...

 

[Nosmo King]

Why do Leftists have to make every fucking issue a 'with us or against us' partisan deal?

Kinda like persuading the country to go to war, huh? Don't tell me you think that "Leftists" have an exclusive right to make such an argument!

 

[SniperFire]

Why do Leftists have to make every fucking issue a 'with us or against us' partisan deal?

Kinda like persuading the country to go to war, huh?

Nothing at all like that, Bozo.

 

[Mr.Nick]

Why do Leftists have to make every fucking issue a 'with us or against us' partisan deal?

Kinda like persuading the country to go to war, huh? Don't tell me you think that "Leftists" have an exclusive right to make such an argument!

Going to war is a bi-partisan issue.

Our congress needs to pass bills to fund the war, and that takes a majority agreement - that means democrats voted to fund these wars...

The president can declare war all he wants but funding a war is a different animal...

 

[Nosmo King]

Why do Leftists have to make every fucking issue a 'with us or against us' partisan deal?

Kinda like persuading the country to go to war, huh? Don't tell me you think that "Leftists" have an exclusive right to make such an argument!

Going to war is a bi-partisan issue.

Our congress needs to pass bills to fund the war, and that takes a majority agreement - that means democrats voted to fund these wars...

The president can declare war all he wants but funding a war is a different animal...

There are two point that need to be addressed.

One: sniperfire, in a fit of utter stupidity, thinks (that's rich!) that the dreaded "Leftists" "make every fucking issue a 'with us or against us' partisan deal". I was illustrating a similar argument made by the Moron Bush.

Two: the other point needing to be addressed is squarely atop your skull. Ever hear of the Department of Transportation? Do you realize they not only establish standards for interstate highway construction, but fund that construction through grants to the states?