Crumbling Bridges a Sign Our Nation’s Economy in Trouble

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/14/crumbling-bridges-a-sign-our-nations-economy-in-trouble/

by Mike Hall, Mar 14, 2008

One of the nation’s most pressing needs is the rebuilding and renewal of America’s aging and crumbling infrastructure—including roads, bridges, waterways, transits systems and the electrical grid.

Earlier this week, AFL-CIO chief economist Ron Blackwell told a Senate committee:

Public investment in infrastructure is essential for restoring strong and sustainable economic growth essential for ensuring American prosperity.

Yesterday, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced legislation that could be a roadmap to rebuilding. The bill would establish a National Infrastructure Commission to set priorities and seek to achieve consensus at local and federal levels and among public, private, environmental, labor and other groups that agree on the need for revitalizing the infrastructure but are not always in agreement on the best way to go about it.

At a meeting yesterday at the Library of Congress announcing the legislation, Blumenauer said:

Bridges are falling down, levees are breaching, and antiquated water systems are putting both our environment and health at risk….We’ve got to address this for our economic vitality.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told the 150 representatives of various groups at the announcement:

As we have seen since the early days of our nation, the long-term benefits of investing in infrastructure far outweigh the costs, by strengthening our economy and creating good-paying jobs here at home. In 2008, it also relates to the national security of our country, the quality of life of the American people and the health of the planet.


FULL story at link.

[bronxiteforever]

1. Kick & R-Bridges are big government socialism supporting lazy people who can't swim.

:sarcasm:

[Lasher]

2. You got that right

It's been more important to cut taxes for rich people and fork all our money over to the military industrial complex. But not to worry, the invisible hand is gonna come out and pat us all on the heads any day now.

[kickysnana]

3. Crossover MN GOP members punished for voting for bridge funding...

3 Republicans who overrode veto lose party endorsement
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=160x29157

6 MN House Republicans loose leadership positions over veto override
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=160x28979

When I went to Sen. Wellstone's office to beg him to disallow the illegal 2000 FL electors and point out that Cheney still lived in TX where Bush still lived, a Constitutional ban, I was told by his staff (at least one of the people who died in the plane crash with him was there) that "no Dem would challenge the electors (the House Black caucus did and McKinney paid for it) I was told they "would be able to work with the GOP moderates" to which I said I thought that they had "killed them all already". At which point they realized that the folks in the room were not ignorant children and sweet words would not placate us.

Shortly after I said to my Marine Maj BIL I said "the food supply won't be safe, the economy will crash, there will be endless war"

I hate that I was right. Coming from almost totally disabled, after two years finally being able to sit for only 20 minutes at a time, relearning everything, how to talk, how to cook, how to walk, how to type, how to spell. How is that I was so smart and everyone else was so dumb? They believed the media and they were brainwashed by church, work and friends "not to go there" or be ostracized. Sadly, I was told not to discuss things with my kids friends. I did jokingly suggest they find some friends that had a "clue" but they were young and you have to let them live their lives. I just hope my kids don't have to try save themselves and all their airhead friends (and families cause it ends up that way).

What I don't know is exactly what is going to happen now. Fascism? Revolution? Anarchy? Our family did teach our kids what society and churches were not teaching but how many, ignorant, deluded, broke, panicked fellow Americans will survive what's now coming? I am so glad to have DU to know that at least some people are trying to stop this madness.