Imagine if we had acknowledged infrastructure problems BEFORE it was a buzzword issue...

[newtothegame]

If infrastructure renewal was important BEFORE it was cool to say so...

If we had fixed things BEFORE the construction boom and the oil boom made engineering and construction so expensive...

America's infrastructure issues (highways, bridges, electrical grids) have been ignored for decades. And we were all complacent in letting it stay that way until the MN bridge collapse in 2007 created the hip buzz issue of "crumbling infrastructure."

Imagine if we had all gotten on this horse when it was an issue that could have been addressed with simple upkeep instead of the 100's of billions that must now be spent on actual replacement of everything?

I see the same happening with global warming...the mess will be MUCH more expensive and likely much more devastating (and deadly) to fix down the road...

[LiberalEsto]

1. The American Society of Civil Engineers was talking

about infrastructure problems years ago. I used to help do parts of their annual conference programs and I remember seeing many discussion forums planned on the subject of America's deteriorating infrastructure. This was maybe 2003-2005.

Their concern then was over deferred maintenance by the feds, states, counties, school boards and municipalities as a way of cost-cutting.

Now the chickens have come home to roost.

You're absolutely right that fixing things now will cost far more than having done regular maintenance over the past decade.

[jwirr]

2. And once upon a time - preRaygun - they had to money to put their

words into action.