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TOPIC: "Ed Rendell: Rebuild our infrastructure" (Post-Gazette.com 7/27/10)

Sanders

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Status: Offline

Posts: 4567

Date: Jul 27, 2010

"Ed Rendell: Rebuild our infrastructure" (Post-Gazette.com 7/27/10)	Permalink

Read @ Post-Gazette.com Ed Rendell: Rebuild our infrastructure The U.S. is in danger of becoming a third-rate economic power Tuesday, July 27, 2010 Most schools are out for a summer break after final grades were toted home in students' backpacks throughout the country. Around the same time, America got its infrastructure report card -- and the results aren't good. Imagine sitting around the kitchen table reviewing Junior's grades. His last report card shows a cumulative average of D. As a family, parent, teacher or community, wouldn't we do all we could to try to help this student improve? Of course we would. It's the same with the state of the country's infrastructure. Consider some of these "grades," as reported in the American Society of Civil Engineers' most recent infrastructure report card: transit, D; energy, D+; dams, D; bridges, C; aviation, D; drinking water, D-; hazardous waste, D; schools, D; and wastewater, D-. I'd say this defines our infrastructure situation as one in crisis. The record is clear. We've received failing marks. How can this be possible? And, given all the other challenges we face as nation, why should we care? Ask yourself these questions: How much time do you waste stuck in traffic congestion? And how secure are you driving across one out of every four of America's structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges? What about you and your family consuming D-grade water? Would you purchase and eat D-grade food? Full article @ Post-Gazette.com ----------------------------------------------------- Very good article. Gov.Randell makes his case. I think infrastructure projects should be put on a schedule of rebuilding. 1/10-th of infrastructure should be rebuilt every year so that we do not ever come to a stage of self-assessed rating of D. Depreciation schedule and rebuild schedule need to match closely on anything that is critical to the success of any entity, even a nation. Otherwise, we are left with footing a huge bill and a nation hurting as we are now... not knowing how to make the economic case for such a huge bill having already lost the economic edge necessary to sustain such expenditure. I just hope it is done in a sensible and schedule-driven manner rather than putting all expenses at once onto taxpayers. If indeed such a high bill is passed onto taxpayers, it will become an artificial impetus to the economy that cannot be sustained which is not very good for America anymore. We as a country need to learn new ways of spurring the economy that does not involve huge steroid-like injections into the economy, even if it is for rebuilding infrastructure. Care with economic spending must be considered right along with balanced spending across industries that are required to sustain balanced growth in the economy. -- Edited by Sanders on Tuesday 27th of July 2010 01:12:03 PM __________________ *Democracy needs defending* - SOS Hillary Clinton, Sept 8, 2010 Democracy is more than just elections - SOS Hillary Clinton, Oct 28, 2010 Madam Secretary Blog at ForeignPolicy.com Project Vote Smart - Stay informed and engaged!

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