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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Federalist: Everything Is 'Infrastructure' To A Party That Seeks To Dominate Your Life
Link to tweet
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Boomer Bear
@barefootboomer
I want a conservative to explain to me how things like high speed internet, better roads and highways, and rebuilding broken bridges is big government "dominating your life."
The Federalist
@FDRLST
Everything Is Infrastructure To A Party That Seeks To Dominate Your Life
https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/08/everything-is-infrastructure-to-a-party-that-seeks-sheer-domination-of-your-livelihood/
FBaggins
(26,727 posts)When debating whether "everything is infrastructure"... it probably makes sense to debate the sub-categories that the two sides don't already agree on.
Caliman73
(11,730 posts)Gilibrand's tweet was politically dumb, but Republicans never argue in good faith. Things that everyone can access to help them work, go to school, and access the necessities of life, is infrastructure.
Like you said, roads, bridges, communications are certainly infrastructure. Communications includes telecommunications and internet. The electrical grid is also infrastructure as are transportation systems, ports, rail lines, and airports. All of those services are vital to us being able to do business as usual and into the future and all are in disrepair.
I think that child care, and other things that Gilibrand tweeted about are "social infrastructure" in that they are services that allow people to participate in work, school, etc... and I think that she messed up by even putting out a tweet lumping everything together but not because they aren't vital types of societal infrastructure, but because it allows right wingers an opening for their bad faith arguments.
It does not matter at all what the two sides agree on or not, Republicans will not support the bill for very simple reasons. It allows for the Democratic President to claim a victory. It shows that government can be effectively used for the good of all people, and that the use of people's tax dollars directly infused back into the economy by public works can be stimulating to the economy in its own right. All of these are things that Republicans cannot let happen. The Federalist does not care about "government dominating life" they actually care about wealthy people and corporations not being able to buy everything and dictate to the American people.
The big problem in this argument is that people see themselves as separate from government, and while there is obvious separation in decision making and authority, our founding documents are based upon government of the people, by the people, and for the people. We elect people to represent us and should be active in that selection, and in holding those representatives accountable. I understand the burnout and the belief that what we do doesn't matter. The reality though, is that if every eligible voter were informed and active, we would have a more responsive government. Conservatives rely on the fact that most people are too busy, too stressed, or to apathetic to get involved. They focus on riling up a smaller but more motivated group of people to do "just enough" to win and stay in power. They don't care about infrastructure because if doesn't get done, then it is one more "failure of big government" and they are the answer to "big government".
Turbineguy
(37,317 posts)the pot holes.
Eyeball_Kid
(7,430 posts)They were exposed as tools of fascists and have no credibility. Who, besides untethered sophomoric neophytes would believe anything coming out of right wing think tanks after Trump inadvertently exposed them for the frauds they are?
TheRealNorth
(9,475 posts)Coming from an organization dedicated to promoting corporations and Christian extremists to dominate our lives.
ProfessorGAC
(64,993 posts)...if it comes from The Federalist.
An entire organization of educated, but ignorant people.