Sen Sanders Proposes “Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure”

[rhett o rick]

Our infrastructure is collapsing, and Americans know it. They see it every day in the potholes they drive over, the bridges in their communities that have been shut down and the water pipes that burst.

The sad truth is that the American Society of Civil Engineers gives the United States of America an overall grade of D-plus on the condition of our infrastructure. That doesn’t just mean roads and bridges. It also means airports, dams, drinking water, electrical grids, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, mass transit, ports, public parks, rail lines, schools, and solid waste and wastewater management. Only one of the 16 categories evaluated earned as high as a B-minus (solid waste), and just four others finished in the C range (bridges, ports, public parks and rail).

Is this the best our country can do? No. We can and we must do better. That’s why we need to invest at least $1 trillion over five years to rebuild America. This will not only make us safer, more productive and more efficient, but it will generate income and create jobs — lots of jobs. The estimate is that this $1 trillion investment will create and maintain 13 million jobs — which is exactly what our economy needs. We have ignored our infrastructure crisis for too long. The time to act is now.

We are a great nation, but we cannot be a world leader when the physical infrastructure of our country is rotting and we are falling further and further behind other countries. We cannot be a world leader when real unemployment is more than 11 percent and millions of our people are unable to find decent-paying jobs. If we are serious about the future of our country and the needs of our middle class, it is imperative that we invest in infrastructure and rebuild America.
It’s high time we stopped bailing out Wall Street and started repairing Main Street.

See more on this and Sen Sanders other proposals at: https://berniesanders.com/issues/

cross posted in GD

[djean111]

1. Don't forget that the TPP (and probably the TTIP as well) will require all government contracts

over a certain dollar amount to be offered to all signatory countries. So we may invest a trillion dollars, but I doubt that American companies and workers would necessarily benefit. Those jobs would likely go to countries who will pay workers substantially less. And don't forget - under the TPP and TTIP, any rebuilding that causes damage to the environment or whatever will happen no matter what regulations are in place, if following codes or regulations impedes profits.

A side effect of the TPP and TTIP is that less and less money will be paid in taxes and into social security and Medicare funds.

[Enthusiast]

3. That is why the TPP is secret and that is why we must stop the TPP.

[TBF]

2. Very similar to FDR's WPA -

and that is exactly what we need to put our workers back in jobs & shore up our infrastructure (rather than selling parks to the highest foreign bidder etc)

[BrotherIvan]

4. And should be explained as such to family and friends

Great parallel. This isn't radical, this country has already done it. The New Deal created the middle class in this country. People don't believe in it anymore, don't believe that such a thing is even possible. We have to convince them that it can be, but they have to lose their fear and clinging to corporate candidates and jump.

[Cheese Sandwich]

6. Well, I think the WPA hired workers directly as WPA employees.

Bernie's plan is just a normal liberal stimulus plan on a bigger scale. It would take bids and hire private companies to do most of the work.

FDR's programs like the WPA, CCC, and TVA were actually a lot more socialist than anything Bernie Sanders is suggesting.

As far as Bernie's economic proposals he's actually further to the right than even the Democratic party was back in the 40's and 50's.

It just goes to show how much things have changed.

[L0oniX]

5. Spend "our" money on this country for a change ...not drones and bombs.

[-none]

8. ^^^^THIS^^^^

For a nice change of pace.

[Wilms]

7. Of course he would do that! n/t