Putting the President's $50 billion infrastructure proposal into perspective

[ProSense]

The stimulus:

Infrastructure Investment
Total: $105.3 billion

Transportation

Total: $48.1 billion <44>

• $27.5 billion for highway and bridge construction projects
  
• $8 billion for intercity passenger rail projects and rail congestion grants, with priority for high-speed rail
  
• $6.9 billion for new equipment for public transportation projects (Federal Transit Administration)
  
• $1.5 billion for national surface transportation discretionary grants
  
• $1.3 billion for Amtrak
  
• $1.1 billion in grants for airport improvements
  
• $750 million for the construction of new public rail transportation systems and other fixed guideway systems.
  
• $750 million for the maintenance of existing public transportation systems
  
• $200 million for FAA upgrades to air traffic control centers and towers, facilities, and equipment
  
• $100 million in grants for improvements to domestic shipyards

link

Transportation was allocated about $48 billion, which included $27.5 billion for highway and bridge construction projects. That's about half the current $50 billion proposal.

Civil Engineers Respond to President's New Infrastructure Plan

RESTON, Va., Sept. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Response from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to President Obama's new transportation infrastructure investment plan:

"Out nation's economy can't survive without the stable foundation infrastructure provides. It allows goods to move across the country, water to flow from our taps and energy to be accessed with the flip of a switch. But, for decades, we have allowed that foundation to crumble," said Patrick J. Natale, P.E., F.ASCE, CAE, ASCE executive director. "The solution to reversing the trend, and creating a better reality for our children and our grandchildren, requires that we have a dedicated source of funding and an increase in federal leadership to actually put it into use. The President's new investment plan has the potential to be a real part of such a solution. We applaud him for taking a leadership position, and we encourage Congress to work with the administration on this critical national issue. We also look forward to learning more about the details of the plan, in particular, whether or not it will be paid for by the users, as has successfully been done since the beginning of the interstate system in the 1950s."

[zipplewrath]

1. Where's the perspective?

Contrast and compare that to previous efforts, or to other expenditures being made right now.

For example, how much have we spent in Iraq and Afghanistan in infrastructure?

[doc03]

3. How much was in the last Stimulus bill for infrastructure

and how much of that money has been spent to date.

[ProSense]

4. "For example, how much have we spent on Iraq and Afghanistan infrastructure?"

You want that to be the comparison? How about you provide the number? I'm fairly sure you will find that the U.S. has not spent $50 billion this year on the infrastructure of those countries.

This thread seems to have been ignored

[doc03]

11. That's changing the subject. I seem to remember just last

week hearing that not even half of the last stimulus has been released for projects. It's going on 2 years!

[Raine1967]

17. No -- actually it's not changing the subject at all.

Not at all.

Your question was answered. Maybe you didn't understand your question? I tend to think not -- but what you asked for was answered.

In an Ironic turn of the tail, Mitch McConnell wants to give up on the stimulus as well, because it isn't working *FAST ENOUGH* Don't believe me?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0719946120100907

Let's put aside that the good senator lied about the stimulus claiming it was a trillion dollars (it wasn't.), shall we? Oh hell, let's put aside that Reuters got the amount wrong as well. It wasn't 814 billion dollars, it was $787 billion. This is a BIG difference from a trillion dollars.

It has NOT BEEN 2 YEARS -- But don't let the facts get in the way.

[paulk]

12. we've spent $50 billion in Iraq

from this article -

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100829/ap_on_bi_ge/ml_iraq_us_reconstruction_legacy

over a period of years -

Obama's plan is to spend that money over a 6 year period, not all in one year as you say -

[ProSense]

15. Over six years.

That's $8 billion per year. Do you think the U.S. should destroy Iraq and not pay to rebuild it?

[paulk]

18. what does what I think about Iraq have to do with anything?

that's just more of your bullshit junior high debate skills

people on this thread were interested in some numbers to compare to, so I supplied them

since you didn't, even though you're the one that used "comparison" in your OP.

[ProSense]

20. The comparison is BS. n/t

[ProSense]

16. Also, this claim

"Obama's plan is to spend that money over a 6 year period, not all in one year as you say"

... is also flawed. The $50 billion is additional spending, not the amount that the U.S. spends annually on its roads or its entire infrastructure

The $8 billion spent annually in Iraq is to rebuild a country destroyed by war.

So really, this is an apples and pumpkin comparison.

[doc03]

2. How does that make any jobs (today)?

[ProSense]

5. How does any proposal make any jobs today?

You're hung up on repeating this, but nothing happens until Congress passes a bill.

[doc03]

7. And these projects won't make any work for months after that

and not one real permanent (job).

[ProSense]

9. "and not one real permanent (job)."

So you think what you advocated "make work" picking up garbage is a more permanent solution?

[doc03]

10. It puts money in peoples pockets (now) not

sometime in the future. You give people work today so they can pay their bills and continue buying things instead of letting them lose their entire life savings waiting for some stimulus that won't do them a damn bit of good unless they are in the construction trades.

[ProSense]

13. What do unemployment benefits do?

Is make work picking up garbage a high-wage, permanent job?

The Census put people to work too. Is that ideal?

You are arguing for make work against long-term job creation.

[doc03]

19. What about the people who can no longer get unemployment?

They have tried to get the unemployment extended for them and they aren't going to. If the Republicans can't agree to giving them unemployment give them work. You pick on one thing that I said (pick up garbage), I said I don't give a damn what they do. Back in the 30's the CCC did many different things, I could take you out today and show you some of the things they did back then. The purpose of the CCC and WPA wasn't to make permanent jobs it was to help people survive until the economy picks up. This new stimulus is for projects over the next 6 years, if I am out of work today it doesn't give me much hope if they may build a bridge 2 years from now. If I am an unemployed steelworker I am not going to get a job building a bridge anyway unless I have training and some kind of pull to get me in a construction union.

[ProSense]

21. The country is not

going to return to full employment anytime soon. That's the reality, and that means many people are going to be out of work for months to come. The conditions are improving, and more can be done, but you are complaining about something that is being done.

This program expires at the end of September. There have been calls for its renewal and expansion.

That is what needs to be done: expand a successful program that is already in place.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

14. Seriously....Perhaps a nice gardening website

You're posting gibberish.

Does it create a job today? No. And I'm at a loss to understand why you think it would or how you think that Obama (or any President) can create jobs on the spot.

As to creating "permanent" jobs, I'm not sure you understand the basics of how any economy works (no job is permanent) and I've pretty much written off any understanding of Keynesian Theory.

[Lost4words]

6. when you are starving you are happy for any scrap of food

this equates to crumbs when what is needed is bread! Something with substance not more half measures!

I have half measures comming out my,..........

[ProSense]

8. Yeah, a

$200 billion to $500 billion proposal for rebuilding America's infrastructure would prevent would be great and prevent people from starving. On the other hand, $50 billion is the same as zero.