Our crumbling infrastructure

[G.T.]

I was actually for infrastructure repair. Too bad that 800 billion dollars wasn't used for crumbling highways, bridges. Turned out to be just more govt waste. Same as Bush's 300B stimulus plan.

Ever think to look if any roads and bridges were worked on before saying this, though?

Sure, I've seen some local projects, even state projects. However, if the full amount had been used on a national level to upgrade our highway system and bridges, we could have seen some good use of our dollars. Just didn't happen though. Never does.

They never said that the full amount was going towards that though, so complaining now 2 years later that it didn't when it never was supposed to is like.........I don't know, a waste of bandwidth?

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Ever think to look if any roads and bridges were worked on before saying this, though?

Sure, I've seen some local projects, even state projects. However, if the full amount had been used on a national level to upgrade our highway system and bridges, we could have seen some good use of our dollars. Just didn't happen though. Never does.

They never said that the full amount was going towards that though, so complaining now 2 years later that it didn't when it never was supposed to is like.........I don't know, a waste of bandwidth?

Congress and it's never ending ineptitude is a waste of time, bandwidth....whatever you wanna call it. You and I are not.

 

[G.T.]

Sure, I've seen some local projects, even state projects. However, if the full amount had been used on a national level to upgrade our highway system and bridges, we could have seen some good use of our dollars. Just didn't happen though. Never does.

They never said that the full amount was going towards that though, so complaining now 2 years later that it didn't when it never was supposed to is like.........I don't know, a waste of bandwidth?

Congress and it's never ending ineptitude is a waste of time, bandwidth....whatever you wanna call it. You and I are not.

I don't think they're inept, I think it's all a little game. Politicians are corruptible by money. They are in the pockets of Big Corps., and coincedentally one side is pro corp, one side is pro Gov't, while both are on the same team imo.

 

[shintao]

No, rescind all the tax cuts. And close all the loopholes that allows people to offshore income.

You cannot pay the debt and bring the costs down just by spending cuts. Particularly when our infrastructure upon which our businesses and homes are dependent on are crumbling.

This is the reality that the Conservatives ignore. The conservatives, Eisenhower Republicans, were the architects of our Interstate System. The Conservatives are the architects of it's destruction.

I got a novel idear. Let's let ALL the people who depend on "infrastructure" pay Federal Income Tax" no breaks, no give aways, no rebate.. that'll fix things and balance the budget.

City water mains should be the responsibility of the local community, not the Federal government. You folks back in Hoboken or Topeka or Phoenix should be responsible for your water mains and should not be expected to also fix a broken main in Albuquerque.

And maybe if the Federal government didn't take so much of the people's money, siphon off a huge percentage to finance the federal bureaucracy, and then return a pittance or IOU to the states, the states and cities would be able to pass the necessary bond issues to take care of their own infrastructure needs.

And yes, all Americans, not just some Americans, should be responsible for a share in that.

That works for me. The unemployed & welfare roles have people who could be doing these jobs, as a means of paying their way.

 

[Rozman]

Lets remember the republicans insisted that a certain amount of the stimulus was tax cuts instead of infrastructure funds.

Lets also remember the republicans did NOTHING about therse matters while in office and called some of these projects PORK.

Can we bypass some tax cuts and all chip in like good Americans and FIX our country?

Can we bypass some tax cuts and all chip in like good Americans and FIX our country?

Nope...I pay enough in taxes already,Federal,State,City,Fica,Sales tax,Gasoline tax,tax on my parking space,medicare.enough already.You wanna pay more taxes?When you file this year work it out so you pay more or get less of a refund.

 

[Foxfyre]

Lets remember the republicans insisted that a certain amount of the stimulus was tax cuts instead of infrastructure funds.

Lets also remember the republicans did NOTHING about therse matters while in office and called some of these projects PORK.

Can we bypass some tax cuts and all chip in like good Americans and FIX our country?

Can we bypass some tax cuts and all chip in like good Americans and FIX our country?

Nope...I pay enough in taxes already,Federal,State,City,Fica,Sales tax,Gasoline tax,tax on my parking space,medicare.enough already.You wanna pay more taxes?When you file this year work it out so you pay more or get less of a refund.

Seems like some would figure that if Congress had any intention of fixing anything, at least something would have been fixed with the mega trillions we have already mailed into the U.S. Treasury.

But hey, those who think you aren't paying enough, the federal government takes donations of any size you want to send them. I encourage you to send all you have and make a pledge to send more when able.

The rest of us will applaud you.

 

[whitehall]

Experts: U.S. water infrastructure in trouble - CNN.com


Total cost to fix U.S. water systems: $334.8 billion over 20 years

Yearly U.S. water main breaks: 240,000

Sources: American Society of Civil Engineers, EPA Much of this is blamed on age. A large part of the U.S. water delivery system dates back to the years shortly after World War II. "Now it's time to replace that system and we've got to make those investments or we'll suffer the consequences," said Goldstein.

To get an idea of how old the nation's water pipes are, 30% of pipes in systems that deliver water to more than 100,000 people are between 40 and 80 years old, according to the EPA. About 10% of pipes in those systems are older.

More chicken little "sky is falling" left wing chicken sh*t that comes out every time republicans gain the majority in congress. Yeah lefties, water mains spring leaks and in the greatest Country in the world all we have to do is wait until they are repaired.

 

[Avatar4321]

Most Americans have been thoroughly propagandized into believing that Obama is responsible for all that is wrong with America. They voted accordingly in the last election. They deserve the results of willfully voting against their own best interests..again. Obama failing is all most Americans are concerned about. If the country fails ..so be it.

Funny, I dont think you can even get most of this board to agree that Obama is responsible for all that is wrong in America.

And btw, if Obama's agenda failed, our nation would be in far better shame that if he succeeds. Unfortunately, his agenda is being implimented. Which over all, is making this nation significantly worse.

 

[Avatar4321]

It is a national security issue because Americans can die without water, or power. Like the plague or polio, the government will step in to insure Americans safety. Gov. puts fluoride in water. They build massive water aqueducts to move water to LA.

For your question (a good one), we have seen big oil, when left to their own devices, overcharge US soldiers fuels in Iraq, and damn near bankrupt America, throwing thousands out of jobs, shutting down businesses, and closing banks, all because they said, our stockholders shouldn't be made to suffer because we are selling less fuel. The economy, hinged to oil is a National Security issue as well.

What will happen when big oil opposes a war because the win means we will get billions of tons of uranium to run our nuclear cars on? So they shut down the US military. That is a National Security issue. Or when they decide to gouge US citizens for the war and we can't afford it?

IMO all utilities should be under government control (not regulation), because there is no loyalty from US corporations, most of which are owned by foreigners who control your life.

I think you and I have different definitions of national security.

 

[Avatar4321]

I don't think they're inept, I think it's all a little game. Politicians are corruptible by money. They are in the pockets of Big Corps., and coincedentally one side is pro corp, one side is pro Gov't, while both are on the same team imo.

Politicians are corruptible? You act like they are the victims. Those poor defenseless politicians.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

It is a national security issue because Americans can die without water, or power. Like the plague or polio, the government will step in to insure Americans safety. Gov. puts fluoride in water. They build massive water aqueducts to move water to LA.

For your question (a good one), we have seen big oil, when left to their own devices, overcharge US soldiers fuels in Iraq, and damn near bankrupt America, throwing thousands out of jobs, shutting down businesses, and closing banks, all because they said, our stockholders shouldn't be made to suffer because we are selling less fuel. The economy, hinged to oil is a National Security issue as well.

What will happen when big oil opposes a war because the win means we will get billions of tons of uranium to run our nuclear cars on? So they shut down the US military. That is a National Security issue. Or when they decide to gouge US citizens for the war and we can't afford it?

IMO all utilities should be under government control (not regulation), because there is no loyalty from US corporations, most of which are owned by foreigners who control your life.

I think you and I have different definitions of national security.

People can die from lack of a whole lot of things. Put government in control of those things, they then have control over who dies and who doesn't.

 

[Avatar4321]

People can die from lack of a whole lot of things. Put government in control of those things, they then have control over who dies and who doesn't.

I know. My definition of National Security is the defense from enemies foreign and domestic.

Fighting starvation, disease, and poverty might help make us a stronger nation but I wouldnt consider it national security. Expanding the definition like that makes it quite meaningless.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

You seem to forget the republicans fought for the Tax cuts instead of infrastructure

Only three Republicans voted for the stimulus bill and one of them switched parties shortly thereafter, so it would seem to me that it was the Democrats who decided to pass tax cuts instead of infrastructure. Furthermore, why couldn't they have done both and cut out all of the bullshit?

 

[Wry Catcher]

Why exactly is the government responsible for the utlities? I mean originally they were private sector. What's stopping it from returning to the private sector?

Great idea. See how cheaply water has beome now that it is sold in plastic bottles.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Why exactly is the government responsible for the utlities? I mean originally they were private sector. What's stopping it from returning to the private sector?

Great idea. See how cheaply water has beome now that it is sold in plastic bottles.

Ok, so your sole source of water is Dasani?

Come on. Bottled water is a ripoff. We all know this; it has become a luxury.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

I have a 3,000 ft/2 house and a pool and two kids. My water bill is $40/month. Hardly an impositon. Now if I had to fill my pool with Dasani... whew!

 

[Wry Catcher]

I have a 3,000 ft/2 house and a pool and two kids. My water bill is $40/month. Hardly an impositon. Now if I had to fill my pool with Dasani... whew!

It appears you missed point.

 

[rdean]

he was supposed to fix our crumbling infrastructure with his first stimulus. he didn't get over it.

Oh look, a smug comment. How...different

Smug or not, she's correct. This is exactly what the stimulus funds should have been used for. In fact, we were made to believe that this was precisely what they were going to be used for. Instead we sent a million dollars to Africa to teach men how to properly wash their penises.

What Democrats wanted and what they got can be laid directly at the feet of the "Filibuster Party". More filibusters in the last four years from one party than from 1920 to 1980 combined.

And what exactly was it Obama was trying to do? The day his first budget kicked in, employment was 10.1%. Now it's 9.4%. Could have been better.

 

[Jarhead]

Oh look, a smug comment. How...different

Smug or not, she's correct. This is exactly what the stimulus funds should have been used for. In fact, we were made to believe that this was precisely what they were going to be used for. Instead we sent a million dollars to Africa to teach men how to properly wash their penises.

What Democrats wanted and what they got can be laid directly at the feet of the "Filibuster Party". More filibusters in the last four years from one party than from 1920 to 1980 combined.

And what exactly was it Obama was trying to do? The day his first budget kicked in, employment was 10.1%. Now it's 9.4%. Could have been better.

You need to question why you must use "comjecture" to make a point.

"could have been better".

Me? I see a channge in less than 1% point over a 2 year period and I say....well, that didnt work seeing as such a small change over the last 50 years is unheard of.

I use experience to make my evaluation.

You use "what if's".

 

[Truthmatters]

There is only one way to decide wether the stimulus worked or not and that is to project the "what if".

When you avert a mess that means the mess didnt happen and you can not examine the mess that didnt happen without doing what ifs.

Now every economist said we would have a second GD if something wasnt done.

Now you want to pretend that the problem solved was never a problem because it was averted?