I'm going to answer a question gone 3-time unanswered on Washington Journal

[ThomWV]

Question: "All these shovel-ready construction jobs that President Obama talks about sound great but what happens when the road is built, when the project is over?" We'll be right back where we are now, the callers whine. The hosts and guest shrug and let it go.

It is surprising to note that as well educated as the people who appear on Washington Journal no one explains that money earned by the early projects enters the economy and demands the employment of the people who then service their needs.

Construction worker gets a new job rebuilding a decrepit bridge. Construction worker buys a new pickup truck. Auto worker gets called back to work to make truck, auto worker gets paid. Auto worker now has money to build addition to house. Auto worker hires construction guy (and his new truck) who just finished up the bridge job to build addition on the house. The cycle goes on.

Its that simple and yet nobody on C-Span was able to explain it to the callers.

[Robb]

1. The whole trickle-up thing is a hard for them to fathom at this point

It's rather counter to everything they've been parroting for decades now.

[xchrom]

2. those jobs never end.

roads are constantly being degraded -- bridges taking on wear and tear -- and there is a tremendous need for more rail -- if they increase bus services the way they should -- a need for building and maintening busses.

we've ignored infrastructure to our peril -- and those jobs are in constant need of renewing.

[ejpoeta]

6. and our roads nationwide are in such disrepair that it's going to take awhile to finish.

then there is the grid. and laying broadband. how do these folks think we have gotten where we are. obama's plan is a reverse. up til now, it has been.... people economically struggling, spend less money. they don't buy goods, so factories lay off people. and there is the cycle as it continues and has done. now, forgetting the fact that the fact that our economy runs on spending, which I think is a big problem in and of itself. because instead of producing and selling goods, we are just buying. that does not lend itself to saving. then we would need the safety net more than ever!!! i mean, the idea that the government sending us money would only work if we SPEND it frivolously says volumes about the problems we have.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Somone Needs To Study The CCC....

So when they built the TVA, all those jobs vanished? Tell that to the people who maintain the dams and work the power plants in that area. Not to mention all the people who got electricity and all the businesses that set up shop thanks to those improvements.

Or, let's take a highway...in our area we joke that there are two seasons...construction and non-construction season. Many of these jobs are "make work" jobs in the eyes of repugnicans...the first shitstains who would bitch if those rodes were all rutted and full of potholes (and given the GOOP mindset they'd gladly let the road crumble if it meant more war). Also, not to mention that better roads leads to revitalizing areas...higher proptery values and the better chance for an area to atttract business. Duh.

The problem is many in this country think money comes out thin air...have little clue as to how an economy works. But then for nearly 30 years, we've lived in a country where getting rich quick was the game...greed was good. Let's see how things fare now as the common good gets a priority for a little bit.

[BR_Parkway]

4. I didn't tune in, so the way the question was asked could make for

some different answers.

But there are some of us wondering the same thing - are there any limits to growth and how could we go about building a new economy without some of the flaws of the old (namely, one that doesn't require higher and higher amounts of consumption every year)

Obviously, if the caller was more the whiny toned "But Rush said....." type, this higher level of thinking about the subject doesn't apply.

[Ganja Ninja]

5. Not only that but we end up with a tangible asset..

A road or a building or whatever. Its a lot better than flushing the money down that rat hole in Iraq. We build our economy and have something of value to show for it in the end. What a concept.

[ThomWV]

7. 3 tangible assets, the bridge, the truck, and the building addition

[ogneopasno]

8. You forgot the steelworker mining the iron for the bridge and road, and the railroad and ship and

dock workers transporting that ore, and the steelworkers smelting it, and so on. But you're right, it's not that hard to figure out.

[lamp_shade]

9. I bookmarked this earlier this morning and just sent it off to a whole bunch

of people. It's a very good thread.

[Coexist]

10. yes, Imagine that... once the CCC built the national parks and roads and bridges

then the US didn't slip back into a depression. Gee.

[treestar]

11. What flippin' idiots

All constructions projects end sometime. They get finished. Duh. Construction worker goes on to new project.

Geez, maybe they should quit making movies. Actors are left without a job when the movie is finished.

[chollybocker]

12. ....and if workers are paid a decent wage

they're able to save a few bucks each month for retirement, or invest in new businesses, which create...more jobs.