Failing US Infrastructure
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- ZOOP
America is now looking at a chain reaction that could be the most understated pending disaster in it's history. The total cost to repair the outdated roads, bridges, dams, water supply/drainage, electrical, and related systems now tops $22 trillion. This will take some very creative solutions to solve, as we simultaneously face the weakened dollar, slow job growth, and a potential second financial crisis in the very near future. The "New Deal" of the depression era comes to mind, but this current problem overshadows it in every respect. Please take a little time to offer any creative solutions here, as this doesn't seem to be taken quite as seriously by the government as it deserves. This is nothing less than saving the future of this country for the future generations, at least as much of it as we can.
- Benja820
and you seriously think this is where to find this answers?
- kona0
you've come to the right place
- Benja820
MORE HELVETICA
- ZOOP0
Something of this scale will take every effort to correct, many grassroots programs have changed history in surprising and powerful ways. If you have any constructive ideas, or know anyone that does, please offer them here, it can't hurt.
- hektor9110
the sound of inevitability - once we get there we will understand what needs to be done.
- locustsloth0
- Duct it?adumbratesly
- Two chickens in a bucket.stoplying
- more likely "Duc' it!"locustsloth
- Duct tape, turning no no no into mmm mmm mmm :DZOOP
- Continuity0
Diverting a healthy chunk of your budget away from empire-building to infrastructure programmes seems a good start ...
- autoflavour0
I think if Flash was allowed to be on the ipad, you would find most of these issues would fade away
- Ipad *sigh* that's it, i'm selling one of my kidneys.ZOOP
- ZOOP0
I personally am debt free, it's this insane government that is out of touch and doesn't seem to fully understand the consequences of underestimating this problem that can literally turn America into a second or third world country. It's a virtual house of cards, once one major part fall into a state of disrepair, it affects the others, and so on.
- dMullins0
There will never be another New Deal. Ever. This nation will never be single-minded enough again for that to happen. The bottom will have to completely fall out before any progress starts up. You can thank Kickstarter.
- mikotondria30
The money to fix it has only gone to one place: as profit for energy/utitlity company shareholders, when it should have been going to maintenance.
The money needed to fix it can only come from one place: working people paying more for their services.
It's called trickle-up economics and there isn't a damn fucking thing you can do about it. Rich people pull the strings, call the shots and take your money.
You need to shut the fuck up and work harder.- Energy brokering, i was floored by that, it's a national security issue.ZOOP
- ETM0
An empire in decline...
- Rome, Britain, what advice can you give?ETM
- Change your attitude toward immigration.mikotondria3
- Horp0
What's wrong with you people? Haven't you seen the new Chrysler 300s?
Stop looking for reasons to be glum.
- ETM0
There seems to be some much potential to rebuild and reboot the US economy and mentality, yet their are no leaders to really get you started.
- No, Obama is not going to do it. Too busy balancing on the partisan tight rope.ETM
- You can't become a leader without massive corporate sponsors who have no political will to rebuild and invest.mikotondria3
- Sadly, that is the tie that binds modern politics and dooms us all to failure.ETM
- Obama will receive over 1 billion for the 2012 campaign, corporate interests own both parties. :(ZOOP
- ETM0
Has anyone ever done the numbers on the money spent in Iraq protecting energy interests, vs what could just have been purchased/brokered on the open market with that money? Just curious how much oil 8 trillion dollars buys.
- not so much when it's no longer priced in USD. US Hegemony is the name of the game.monNom
- CanHasQBN0
It's a combination of:
1. We built too many roads with the foolish idea that sprawl and suburbanism was a somehow a good thing. It's completely unsustainable and too vast and expensive to continuously maintain.
2. Americans think taxes are evil and persistently fight to lower them even though we already pay some of the lowest among first-world nations.
3. Most Americans are only concerned with their internal realm (granite countertops, square footage, stainless steel appliances, 3-car garage) and couldn't give a rat's ass about what their external (public/social) realm is like. Paying taxes for a proper civic life is not something they are willing to do.
We took up too much space, and now it's a bitch to maintain it. Just like buying a mansion... it takes more effort and money to keep it up.
Sprawl is the very root of a huge number of our problems. From obesity, to air quality, oil dependency, and infrastructure maintenance.
- this, this, this, this, thisrandommail
- totally agree. Makes me laugh when people say "I work 40 miles from home". Move!DrBombay
- "but i have a skylight in my bathroom, I can't move!"CanHasQBN
- Funny enough, that top pic is from Canada.Continuity
- same crap you'll find in america on every corner.CanHasQBN
- And in Canada. There's effectively very little difference between the two, in that respect.Continuity