We have already had one economic stimulus based upon, in part, fixing our national infrastructure. I expect we will see another proposed on this coming Thursday.
In my mind, and perhaps only in my mind, the repair of infrastructure is not of the same economic bang at the development of new infrastructure. Fixing the bridges on I-495 and the Lowell Connector are good and useful projects, but they do not provide new opportunity for growth. They only sustain what is there.
On the other hand, a new Wireless network blanketing Lowell might provide a change in habits and result in an increase in business, either by helping companies interested in being here, especially small ones, or by encouraging Lowellians to use the internet to conduct more business.
As for the supposed idea of "high speed" trains, it seems that thoughtful governors are not receptive. First of all, the "high speed" trains aren't. To create a new, or different, economic situation in the Northeast, for example, we would need passenger trains that would be able to sustain 200 to 250 mph for long stretches. That would provide real competition to the current airline shuttles, especially if TSA did not put its hobnail boots down on the stations, thus making railroad travel no more convenient that air travel.
On the other hand, why we would want anything in the way of "high speed" railroad long haul freight is beyond me. I think that the 33 knot Fast Sealift Ships of several decades ago show that for bulk movement, slow but steady is the answer.
Maybe that fuel pipeline coming out of Canada would be of value. What about upgrading our electrical power grid and increasing the redundancy therein? This might encourage firms to move here, based upon an increased confidence in sustainable power.
What other kinds of national or regional infrastructure would be beneficial to kickstarting our economy?
Thanks
Regards — Cliff
4 comments:
How about the Pickens Plan. (http://www.pickensplan.com/, and skip the signup spam intro by saying you've already signed up--they need to get a clue about how to engage people first rather than turn them off).
I absolutely agree that evaluating infrastructure projects based on what will create wealth, rather than just keep bodies busy, is the key. Casinos? Losers. They create nothing. Wind farms? Winners. There's plenty of good ideas out there--let's nurture the good ones.
I think the Smart Grid is one of the bandied-about projects which could be a great catalyst for growth and conservation.
Key to any economic growth is the diminished if not completely absent involvement of government in its planning and implementation. The presence of government is always a cost multiplier. Private enterprise is what built this great country and it is the only thing that will save it. Will private enterprise make mistakes and suffer failures? Absolutely....that is called progress and living life. Government has sure not performed any better in that regard...and in fact...much worse. Will private enterprise enrich some people beyond our wildest dreams? You bet...and it should....that is part of reaching out for the American dream. Will some of that enrichment result in abuse? Right again!!! But thus far, government has done NOTHING to prevent or even punish that human aspect of life. In fact, government has made it worse in many respects. One can point out the abuses of private enterprise that led to unionization, but that unionization would not have been successful had it not been for the involvement of government, often in the form of outright violent force. Today however, unions have reached their own level of abusiveness aided and abetted by that same government. Ask Boeing about it.
In re the long haul high speed railways, I would offer that in terms of preserving infrastructure, perhaps having a 130 car fast freight hauling the equivalent of 150+ long haul individual trucks is a better bargain...all around. Less wear and tear on the highways and much, much, much less expenditure of fuel. I don't know what the daily burn rate for fuel is to run the nation's trucking industry, but I'll bet that it is stunningly gargantuan.
Everyone seems enamored with the jazzy new science energy solutions, but I would offer that we have long terms solutions already available..already proven in their efficiency and effectiveness. Nobody much mentions hydropower today..but if you live in the Pacific Northwest, you already know the value of hydropower. And yet, in the east, there is an ongoing effort to dismantle dams that could and should provide that power. Hello!!!???? One of the monsters in the closet that trotted out when new dams are proposed or existing dams are put on the block is that they affect various species of fish. No they don't. Ask anyone who fishes for steelhead salmon on any Columbia River tributary.
In NH, an additional power transmission capability is being HOTLY debated..so much so that I predict some violence in the future. Northern Pass is a means of bringing Canadian power down into NH to a distribution center. Why do people NOT want it. Well....it destroys too many trees with the right-away..and it "scars the land"...and it is just a way for private utility companies to enrich themselves. Granite staters who oppose this have granite heads.
Obama will tell America, just as he has in the past two years, that THE GOVERNMENT needs to fund a gigantic "transportation infrastructure" project that will keep people employed for generations to come. Snake oil. It will ensure that those coming generations will pay unnecessary tax increases to sustain a government bureaucracy that is inefficiency on a massive scale.
America didn't grow because government grew it. It grew because government set the stage and then pretty much got out of the way except to pitch in from time to time and ENABLE the efforts of Americans who employed their pioneering spirit to make a better life for themselves. It is that uniquely American spirit of individual effort rewarded by a better life that made us great..and will make us great again...NOT the promise that the government will take care of us.
Our economic stimulus MUST come from within each of us.
I certainly disagree with the premise that government should stay out of the economic development game.
For one thing, industry left to its own devices does what is in its own best interests, often for short-term rewards, and such action is suboptimum for the economy as a whole.
And when industry cannot justify investment solely based on its own payback, an independent investment can result in a greater benefit for all.
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