The Stimulus package should be rejiggered into a private/public partnership

[WCGreen]

that will address America's crumbling infrastructure and secure out place in the 21st century as a viable economic power.

It's a national defense issue, it's a jobs issue, it's economic competitive issue, it's a growth issue, it's a private sector issues because everything thing addressed in the infrastructure will help getting products to market, materials to production, tools to the workers and better still, preparing the United States to be competitive in an increasingly competitive world...

Since we all benefit one way or another from the efficient movement of goods and services, we should all invest.

We determine the projects, set them out for bid, oversee till completion and then let the private sector go.

Call it what it is; an investment in the Future of the United States of America.

It's now or never. If we left the building of the Interstate Highway System to the private sector, whole areas of the country that are now open to people and profits would have never been put into the over all market of the United States of America.

[ewagner]

1. At the risk of being highly criticized...

I don't think we need as much of an infrastructure program as we need a new, aggressive INDUSTRIAL POLICY that will make America competitive in the same way Europe does. In other words, Government should invest in factories, research and development and insist that wages and employment be kept high because of the savings to companies by investing public funds.

I don't think we've had a true national industrial policy since the late 40's or early 50s.

[WCGreen]

2. The the Electrical Grid is falling apart and is in desperate need of repair and update...

There are hundreds of Dams that are way passed their safe life span, hundreds of bridges that are a threat to those who drive over them, there are canals and waterways that are in need dredging and reopening, most of the Airports are operating at capacity, water systems are leaking, sewer systems are discharging raw sewage into rivers and other waterways.

This is without bringing up the lack of high speed internet access for the whole country.

These are dangerous situations that need to be addressed.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. This is a very good idea, and I'd like to see it happen.

And just let the Republicans oppose it!

Maybe then their apologists would see just how determined they are to bring down Obama, never mind the cost to the country.


BTW: HB...;-)

[meow2u3]

4. Public-private partnerships are code for more corporate takeover of government

PPP is just another dog whistle for more allowing more neoliberal scammers and corporate welfare monarchs to get even richer off taxpayer dollars, as if the banks and multinational conglomerates weren't swindling enough from the treasury. This is a very bad idea if you ask me.

AFAIC, the private sector cannot be trusted with public funds. Left to their own devices, too many government contractors can, and often do, misappropriate the money alloted to them by overbilling the government, performing shoddy work, paying their workers far less than what they're worth, and pocketing excess profits. PPP's are just another word for stealing from the taxpayers.

[TheKentuckian]

5. Exactly right. Public/private "partnerships" are pretty much just fascism at worst

plundering of the commons at best.

We need direct action for the of the people, rather than a scheme to put more of our resources in the hands of the pirates.