Republican Intransigence
Immediately following the passage of the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ERRA) in the US Senate the senate leaders of each party held a brief news briefing. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader, representing the troglodyte wing of the Republican Party, attacked the ERRA on several different grounds.
One of his objections was a comparison of the proportion government spending is as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product. He argued that as a result of the spending, that percentage would rise to just under 30% from a recent average of 20%-24%. Thus he claimed that the ERRA was making our country look more like the socialist countries in Europe which he claimed run at a 40%+ rate.
What he failed to point out is that as a result of the Republican mismanagement of the economy, especially since the Ronald Reagen administration with its mantra that government spending is too large and must be reigned in by spending cuts and reduced taxes, the infrastructure of our nation has been left to deteriorate.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in its 2009 Report Card rates the state of our infrastructure as a "D" down from "D+" in 2005. Further they estimate that it will cost $2.2 trillion over the next 5 years to repair our infrastructure and bring us up to 21st century capability.
The ASCE figure does not include the costs to improve our nation-wide broadband deficit. Broadband Internet access is acknowledged as a major economic necessity for the future. Without that capability we will not be able to compete effectively in the global economy.
We are now ranked 22nd in the world in broadband capacity, or 15th amongst the 30 most industrialized nations. Yes, that means that 7 of the lesser industrial nations are ahead of us. One estimate is that catching up on broadband capability will require an investment of $46 billion over the next 3 years.
There are just some things that require an impetus from the government. As an example, in 1956 President Eisenhower, a conservative Republican, with the encouragement of the US automobile industry, recognized the need to upgrade our infrastructure in order to stay competitive and initiated the Interstate Highway System with federal government funding.
Rather than acknowledging this need, the troglodytes are still arguing against, not only necessary government intervention to help us recover from the deplorable state of our economy, but also against the need for government participation in providing for the common good by doing something that will not or could not be done by the free market economy without such participation.
One of his objections was a comparison of the proportion government spending is as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product. He argued that as a result of the spending, that percentage would rise to just under 30% from a recent average of 20%-24%. Thus he claimed that the ERRA was making our country look more like the socialist countries in Europe which he claimed run at a 40%+ rate.
What he failed to point out is that as a result of the Republican mismanagement of the economy, especially since the Ronald Reagen administration with its mantra that government spending is too large and must be reigned in by spending cuts and reduced taxes, the infrastructure of our nation has been left to deteriorate.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in its 2009 Report Card rates the state of our infrastructure as a "D" down from "D+" in 2005. Further they estimate that it will cost $2.2 trillion over the next 5 years to repair our infrastructure and bring us up to 21st century capability.
The ASCE figure does not include the costs to improve our nation-wide broadband deficit. Broadband Internet access is acknowledged as a major economic necessity for the future. Without that capability we will not be able to compete effectively in the global economy.
We are now ranked 22nd in the world in broadband capacity, or 15th amongst the 30 most industrialized nations. Yes, that means that 7 of the lesser industrial nations are ahead of us. One estimate is that catching up on broadband capability will require an investment of $46 billion over the next 3 years.
There are just some things that require an impetus from the government. As an example, in 1956 President Eisenhower, a conservative Republican, with the encouragement of the US automobile industry, recognized the need to upgrade our infrastructure in order to stay competitive and initiated the Interstate Highway System with federal government funding.
Rather than acknowledging this need, the troglodytes are still arguing against, not only necessary government intervention to help us recover from the deplorable state of our economy, but also against the need for government participation in providing for the common good by doing something that will not or could not be done by the free market economy without such participation.
posted by Michael | 10:39 AM
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