Why is the United States not investing in its own infrastructure and economic advancement?

Question

We should be going after known al qaeda members, but what does it take to invest in our own country. With the bridge collapse in MN and 8 Aug 07 flood of downtown Cleveland after heavy rain, officials say that drainage and road conditions are outdated, yet we pump millions into Iraq and other countries that may or may not be our allies in a few years, and may even be hostile to the US in the future. What are the longtime benefits in Iraq going to help with if our country here is fallling apart today... Literally

Answer 1

because they think it's better to invest in bombs and drop them in poor countries, make weapons and send them to unknown places, find weapons of imaginary destruction and finance whatever else somewhere else.

It is up to you to make a better place it depends on your vote.

Answer 2

Highway departments, public schools, state and local governments are ALWAYS whining for federal money. For all the money pumped into these entities what are we getting for our trouble? Schools that can't teach because they chase after some politically correct garden of eden. State highway departments where 7 guys stand around 1 guy working.

When California had an earthquake a few years ago, they cut the bullshyt in the bidding process and hired a company to get the job done ASAP. The company completed the bridge and road in RECORD TIME when all the red tape was cut. Why didn't California REFUSE to go back to the old highway dept ways? Because they obtain BILLIONS from the federal government and the old ways ensure they can continue with business as usual.

We can fight World WAR 3, 4 and 5 and still not spend as much as what federal, state and local governent bureaucrats can waste in one year.

How much has the "War on Poverty" cost? and we still have the "poor" bytching about poverty. Welfare costs WAY more than a war. War is a necessity , welfare is NOT. Supporting 7 kids from a crack whore never helped overthrow a dictator. Giving overbid contracts to a minority contractor who can't complete the job, never got millions of citizens the right to vote.

The moral of the my rant. Spend the money you steal from taxpayers wisely and you won't need to steal as much. One day the golden goose will run out of eggs.

Answer 3

Oil,that is how Iraq will help.Why do you think you ,US
and us,UK,are in this fly blown country not to free it.
Your roads bridges and infrastructure was built when
contracts were given to the man with the biggest
wad of the mighty dollar and now you are reaping
the rewards by your crumbling infrastructure.
Ours were built in Victorian times and most are
still going strong but over the years they have and are
being replaced.We in the UK have got to know the
bridge that fell and thousand more are also in bad shape
are more poor Americans about to perish if something
is not done rapidly ?

Answer 4

I wonder if our wonderful Congress could skip the funding for research of why butterflies migrate only north on Feb 30 for $2,500,000 (okay bad example of pork spending but...) and start earmarking and actually completing repairs for such things. And part two the PEOPLE have to suck it up and put up with it. Heck they are complaining now but I bet the same group would be the first to ***** and moan that the road is closed for sewer update or the bridge will be closed for 6 months for repairs or the road crews make to much noise and upset my miniature poodle.

Answer 5

Most of the infrastructure needs are the responsibility of the local and state governments being a former local government official. The problem is it has been to easy for state and local government to fund other programs that are higher on the wish lists of citizens. Infrastructure as one of my mentors used to say is not sexy so council and state legislators put funding to other programs and forget about the infrastructure in most cases.

Answer 6

China and the US knows that if we get into a fight it will be total annihilation of both countries,,therefore they will not start a war. If they call the debt due ,the government actually dont own anything. What will they do ,put a trade embargo in effect,,,without our trade what would their economy do,,,they will continue to swap dollars and merchandise and someday it will balance,,maybe when the bombs go off Japan is not a problem

Answer 7

Hatred of our country and its people by the leaders started with the Reagan administration.

The US has more people in prison and more per capita in prison than any other developed country.

The US has the worst healthcare and infant mortality of any developed country.

The US has the worst K-12 education of any developed country.

The US has the worst electrical grid, sewage, water treatment, roads, bridges, trains, and transit systems of any developed country.

The US has a broken voting machines infrastructure with faulty touch screens and unverifiable election tallies.

It is comparable to an abusive parent who starves, beats, refuses to educate or provide medical care for its children, yet has many brand new guns and other unneeded weapons on hand.

If this sounds crazy, it is.

Answer 8

We grew to fast. We out grew our britches so to speak and we tried to do too much, to fast , for our best interests. .
Fortune seeking has been stimulated through increasing the population in order to create consumerism in order to sustain economic growth.
So we build new infrastructure to house the immigrant population that drives the consumerism that drives the economic growth.
Unfortunately you also have to maintain the infrastructure that supports each successive population level going forward.
Globalization, in the manner in which it is being carried out ,has only added to the long term problem.
The foundation of our infrastructure is crumbling while we build new infrastructure to support immigration and have extended our building of new infrastructure globally as in the case of rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan.
The last I knew, population expansion in the US among citizens born in the US went into negative growth back in the 80’s.
That said our overall population growth through immigration has dramatically continued to increase.
Good for Wal Mart in the short term but not so good for folks driving across old neglected bridges trying to make a buck to spend at the mall.

Answer 9

If you notice, politicians never get elected by promising to maintain the infrastructure. They are under pressure to propose new spending programs like tax-supported health care. Or protecting the country from the latest enemy.
Thinking ahead is not the public's greatest talent, so it is hard for a politician to do it too.

Answer 10

I like what you have said but I would not want it to be used as a platform for political gains, I would just like them to spend the money and time we have already given for the jobs to be done. We did have a pre-pay plan to fix things in our country . didn't we? Or was that just a lick and a promise? We are multy task when need be, and now is that time to get the jobs done.

Answer 11

As Newt Gingrich has pointed out, we already are spending a ton of money on infrastructure but not in the right ways. He suggests a system of incentives/punishments for contractors to get their butts in gear to get things done more efficiently.

I will leave the Iraq question unanswered because nobody can say with certainty exactly what will become of the war.