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TechnoratiA 40-year-old bridge collapses into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Levees give way in New Orleans at the foot of the Mississippi. An 83-year-old steam pipe produces an eruption that terrorizes Manhattan. As our infrastructure literally crumbles beneath our feet, America is building the largest embassy compound in the world in Iraq -- an area larger than the Pentagon -- to manage a war now estimated to cost $1 trillion.
What happened at both ends of the Mississippi and is happening in cities across the country are tragedies, but they aren't random accidents. They are the direct price of the right wing in power. Scornful of government, intent on cutting taxes and slashing spending, they systematically have shorted public investment in our basic infrastructure -- in bridges and roads, in rail lines and air systems, in parks and schools.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave America a D for its infrastructure in their most recent report in 2005. Ironically, bridges did better -- a grade C -- than sewers, water treatment and a range of other areas. In the report, more than one out of every four bridges in America were rated as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Don't think about that when you drive over your next bridge.
For over 25 years, we've cheated on public investment. ''Government,'' Ronald Reagan preached, ''is not the solution. Government is the problem.'' Activists like Grover Norquist took this to the extreme, saying, "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can . . . drown it in the bathtub.''
Norquist and his allies have bullied Republicans into signing a pledge never to raise taxes. In Minnesota, the conservative governor, Tim Pawlenty, campaigned against taxes and vetoed an appropriation bill that would have provided increased funds for highway and bridge repairs. Interstate 35's Bridge 9340, rated structurally deficit by the U.S. Department of Transportation, had repairs on it postponed for a year.
One trillion dollars squandered in the debacle in Iraq. A clamp on vital investments here at home. Those are the stated priorities of modern-day conservatives -- a far remove from those of President Dwight Eisenhower, who built the interstate highway system while putting a lid on military spending and balancing the budget. Ike knew that infrastructure was important; military adventurism was dangerous and fiscal balance was common sense. Modern-day conservatives have abandoned every part of his lessons.
Of course, conservatives will deny that they are responsible for the crumbling of America. In the Republican debate in Iowa, every leading Republican presidential contender called for staying in Iraq and opposed increasing taxes on the wealthy even as they admitted the need to invest in our infrastructure. They are peddling fantasies to a people in desperate need of the truth.
As Minneapolis showed, disdain for public investment can be deadly. It also snuffs out hope. Our schools are old and crowded. There simply isn't the space to provide rising enrollments with the smaller classes that are so necessary for the early years. We should be making schools modern sanctuaries for children, demonstrating how important we take their education to be. Instead, we send them into drafty and dank buildings, with broken windows, outmoded heating systems and crowded classrooms. That is the first lesson they learn.
No one should be fooled. Those who choose to spend $11 billion a month in Iraq while shorting vital investments here at home aren't securing America; they are weakening it.
And as citizens from New Orleans to Manhattan to Minneapolis have discovered, we are all more vulnerable as a result.
Jesse Jackson
© 2007 The Chicago Sun Times
32 Comments so far
Show AllPundit
Thank you for the clarification. I thought I was reading some straight forward satire, and I had to search for 5 minutes to see if I'd missed something. Just as I was debating between cutting my wrists or just drinking more, you solved the problem.
Now I KNOW it was just plain old unadulterated satire.
Thank you Pundit, I am quite clear on the fiscal priorities of our "compassionate conservatives," and the Grover Norquist school of government drowning... appreciate your clarification.
The bridge collapse is a sign, symbolic to all that is represented in the usa, collapsed friendships worldwide,collapsed trust among one another,and a government in dis-repair, where do we begin? It's a heavy load, just look for the signs.
Pundit: The irony of your statements was obvious to me. There are a lot of compassionate people who still aren't big on interpretive skills, and you're always going to make them mad because they can't keep up with the conversation and need everything spelled out for them.
This article was correct in stating that the crumbling infrastructure is the result of the right wing in power. Let's not forget that this includes eight years of Clinton/Gore. When "our team" is undercutting us just as much as the other guys, it's time to form a new team that actually has our interests at heart.
Search YouTube for the Kucinich speech to the steelworkers earlier this year. Even before the bridge collapse he was talking about rebuilding our infrastructure to create jobs and renew America. Why can't this guy get any support?
continued... Add up all the people killed on falling bridges in the past ten years, divide it by the total number of deaths over the past ten years. 8 killed by bridge collapse, 25,000,000 total deaths. Odds are 3,125,000 to 1.
Same exercise for death by terrorist attack in USA: about 4000 terrorist deaths. Odds of dying from terrorism 6250 to 1.Odds of dying from cancer 1 in 15 or so.
How will my family or I die? More likely from cancer, heart attack, not bridges or terrorism.
SiouxRose:
It is my version of cynical satirizing. The "we did not anticipate" meme was used by Repugs in explaining the failure to prevent looting plus the other bungling in Iraq. Time and Entropy are fundamental Scientific principles which grind down earths' materials. I suspect the motivations of most politicians. I suspect that they will not adress those problems which require time, money, and effort but do not give them immediate public recognition.
"Que sera" is my impression of the fatalistic mindset and the disregard of the future effects of ignoring infrastructure decay, global warming, energy policy, etc...
Besides which I am a 71 year old oldfarht who might be a tad misanthropic.
The biggest thing I have against the Republican's other than everything that is for American's in the line of infrastructure is 'Pork' to them! I am sick to death of the privatization of everything including war. These people have a one track mind. Bloating Corporate America to where it can no longer function for all the waste being spent on it. This President no doubt takes the prize for the amount of waste he has wrought on Iraq! It makes literally no sense to waste good money on building a Embassy we will likely never use. I have little doubts before it's all over the Iraqi's will kick our sorry asses out of the country and take all the facilities Bush is wasting money on over.
PUNDIT: I can't tell if you're just trying to appear glib or if you really entertain such a vivid disdain for the human race? Your comments lack any sense of compassion or humanity for other's pain. Is this deliberate, or a tactic/ruse to get a response from people in this forum? The definition of progressive relates to those that act upon and work towards a world built upon principles of social justice. The premise suggests that we give a damn about our fellow man. How about you? It could be your loved ones on the NEXT bridge. Has that got any meaning to you?
Congressman Oberstar, Democrat(MN), Chairman of the Transportation committee, gets the credit for being asleep at the wheel. I wrote Oberstar about the construction of a 2 lane into 4 lane highway in northern MN. He had gotten federal funds but my question was why it was Needed. He hasn't replied yet, my email was sent 6/08/07. Perhaps Bush is right about some pork in the budgets. Another sad fact is my great grandfather was a street car conductor in the twin city area, now look how far we have come in the wrong direction, as those lines were taken out decades ago.
pundit: The bottom line is that those who hold "leadership" positions and control budgets set the priorities. There's no excuse for being asleep at the wheel. If it occurs on their watch, that's a liability that they must be willing to accept.
But then responsibility and leadership have parted ways at least half a century ago in the US.
Repugs had nothing to do with crumbling bridges-blame it on Time and Entropy. Who could have anticipated that bridges would collapse or steam pipes explode? Who could have anticipated that Iraqis would turn against US occupiers? Who could anticipate terrorist attacks?
Que Sera, Sera whatever must be will be, the future's not ours to see, que sera, sera.
One more crumble could bridge the gap? Oh sorry, I got into this late. Why does it matter again? Thought it was all about loving thy brother and sister, neighbor, or baker. Jack jumped over the trillion dollar candlestick maker and the Wicked Witch of th West flew east and one flew west. Or, am I confused: wasn't this one the home of brave and land of the free...something like that. Oh and yeah, we were all happy and cozy in our little white cracker suburban homes, which couldn't be heated until some strange South American "dictator" started supplying us w/ affordable heating oil. And then there was some kind of war...yeah, another War, different but much the same...
"Just more of what mainstream Democrats are good at: Whining that the Fedgov does not spend enough money."
They're spending it. ALL of it! What a dorky comment.
Oh okay. Nothing about impeachment, holding Bush accountable for war crimes, not even cheery stuff about a looming 2008 defeat for the GOP.
Just more of what mainstream Democrats are good at: Whining that the Fedgov does not spend enough money.
Taxing corporations is very important. Practically it is easier to grab a piece of the action there.
We must dramatically reduce taxes on ordinary labor in America. I suggest we should have a flat corporate tax with the only offset other taxes paid to the U.S., State and local governments.
In this way outsourced labor will be taxed in America at a rate proportional to the retail price.
When did Jesse Run for President? A couple of decades ago? America has gotten worse since. More selfish, lazier and dare I say as far as common sense in government is concerned-stupider! He makes excellent points about the bankrupt philosophy (if it can be called that) of modern day right wing conservative reactionaries. Instead of looking to Ike's warning of the rise of the Military Industrial Complex, Republicans extol the "virtues" of Reagan's "Morning in America", a totally unrealistic grab at the halcyon days of a post WW2 world where there was only one nuclear power and America was it! Americans have a disturbingly unrealistic view of the world, myopic in its scope and scornful and preaching in its tone. The cultivated self righteousness of American politics is gasped at in the world in its best light and mocked at by world bystanders and bitterly opposed to suicidal death by the enemies WE have declared to be ours. It is legend that Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching (Book of Changes) as he was leaving his province and greater society behind totally disgusted with the ways of the world. A Gateperson recognized him and convinced him to write down his "philosophy". American politicians and American teachers and American citizens would do well to read these thoughts. It will temper America's arrogance and help to reintroduce America into the World Community. The alternative current course has disaster written all over it with no light, just an endless tunnel. We all know it but as Americans we refuse to admit that WE are the ones who need to change!
This is a good article as far as it goes, may I.
The ridiculous tax rollbacks starting in the first bush presidency in 1980, need to be totally removed. American corporations and American rich need to be taxed at far far higher rates. I would think 80% plus on the high end and FICA tax on every $ earned. The estate tax needs to be increased 5 or 6 fold. The war budget needs to be cut 10 to 20 fold. The Bush/Cheney cabal should be ordered to pay everything they stole from our government to pay for the war and all citizens of any country which suffered a death or imprisonment because of the war should be able to sue them the commanding generals personally. If they do not like it let them all move to Dubai.
The lower and middle class should receive tax rebates on both FICA and Income taxes paid.
Now this would be a democracy.
I don't get it. We are spending a billion dollars a week on a war for OIL, but the Republicans keep shouting don't let the Democrats in because our taxes will go up.
In answer to your question about gasoline tax, I read that we are so deeply in debt that Bush is using it so we can get by. Don't look for your gas to go down anytime soon.
The Repugnants are deliberately doing this so they can argue for letting Haliburton, et al. to go into the business of building TOLL Roads and Bridges to replace the Publicly financed systems they are deliberately allowing to degenerate into Health and Safety hazards.
In Repugnant thought, selling off the public systems is a wonderful way to extract the last few pennies from the serfs.
Tell it like it is, Jesse. I'm glad that the finger is finally being pointed in the right direction, at borrow-and-spend Republicans who will pour any amount of money down the giant sucking hole of war (and new ballparks) and veto legislation to fix pipes and bridges (and cut holes in regulatory legislation that elephants can waltz through; the miners trapped in Utah are yet another symptom of What Happens When Republicans Are In Charge).
We need to get the hell out of Iraq and stop squandering money and lives there, for starters. Then let's repeal, not the Bush tax cuts, but the REAGAN tax cuts that mean that rich people's secretaries often pay a higher tax rate than the richies themselves, and corporations usually find a way to pay nothing, or get gov't $$$ for free. CLOSE THE LOOPHOLES. Recapture the revenue stream. Rebuild America.
This really isn't rocket science.
The man with the coprophagous smirk is against a five cent gas tax increase to repair the results of government nonfeasance so let's gang up on our lawmakers to increast the unearned income tax by five percent to rapair America's infastructure.
It's a sobering thing to wonder what this country might have done with its time and money during these years without the distraction of using America's power to throw the lives of the entire citizenry of another nation into utter chaos.
DAB--
I wouldn't wait for anyone from Tibet, Nepal, Taiwan, or Mongolia to say "Amen" to your thesis that China is not interfering in the affairs of other nations.
As far as Jesse Jackson's thesis that future bridge collapses would be the fault of the GOP I also disasent from that. Infrastructure collapse has been a steadily increasing situation that continued unabated during the Carter and Clinton adminstrations as well as the Republicans.
Further, Democratic as well as Republican congresses have failed to significantly address this problem-over the past 35-40 years.
The real solution is mass transit and the fixing of the railroad systems in the US. this would help get millions of cars and 18 wheeler rigs off the roads and going over those bridges.
Remember that from the day it opened the Minneapolis span over the Mississippi was carrying more traffic than it was designed to accomodate and has been increasingly doing so for 40 years.
Wishful waste makes woeful want.
America has wasted its goodwill worldwide. At a time when the US is in steady decline, it has foolishly opted to waste money fighting an illegal and immoral war with a view to occupying Iraq to steal its oil. These wasted funds should have been used to repair its dilapidated infrastructure.
Does the US believe China will forever bankroll its hegemonic ventures?
NO, NO. China is smart as, unlike the US, rather than interfering in other countries affairs ang giving gratitious advice, it is quietly and without fanfare building a solid foundation and also the admiration and respect of other countries, especially developing ones.
Both the US and China are like ships passing in the night: one, the US, heading south whilst the other, China, sails merrily north.
THE PIMP speaks out again.
This is what you might see in business where a holding company uses a business as a "cash cow". It is a source of revenue built up over the years that they put very little investment back in to.
We have invested over the years in this country to keep things moving. One of the reasons investment is attracted to a region is the investment in infrastructure. It is a way of leveraging public money for private profit.
If that is the case, then we are reducing the possibility for future investments in this country. The backlog of things that need to be fixed will be overwhelmed by the debt position that we are in.
Well now, everything dies, baby, thats a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City.......
"A lot more than one bridge could crumble under the GOP"
I hope so...
hey
Politicians will always divert money from maintenance to new projects. When a new stadium is built, there is a ribbon cutting ceremony complete with photo-op. The politician will be on TV and the front page of the news paper showing what (S)he is doing for the community.
There is no shortage of money. What happens to all those gasoline taxes?
SINCE the security implications alone,of our infrastructure problem are enormous,not to mention the economic consequences of continuing to let our roads and bridges fall apart.since our politicians don't have the will to raise taxes because of the ideological cut to our public gib,there will be a push to get the money from foreign investors through the big brokerage houses.for a quick influx of easy money our leaders will sell off assets on pennies to the dollar-assets which belong to us.lacking the will to pay taxes,we will be paying fees.lacking the political commonsense to maintain a social contract,we will be subject to private agreements we are basically not privy to.for thirty years we have been told that big government is bad,what it gives with one hand,it yanks back with the other.however huge business organizations which are licensed and subsidized by that government,will quide us to utopia through the machinations of some matchless,omniscient,invisible friend who points the way forward with his outstetched invisable hand.it sounds absurd,but thats the beauty part-THATS WHY WE BELIEVE IT,HUH? the psychologists call it magical thinking,bush's pappy might have called it voodoo on stilts.mister,we could use a man like 'ol boss tweed again.
So how do we pay for the needed repairs when China devalues the dollar??