Syndicate
Special Thanks To...
The following organizations were early supporters of Mensactivism.org, and we thank them for their support. If you'd like to trade links with us, see our Mensactivism.org supporters page.
Obama to Call for Major Infrastructure Spending
Submitted by anthony on Mon, 2010-09-06 14:10
Article here. I see this as an MRA issue because the construction industry has been hit hard by the recession which has contributed to a high rate of male unemployment. The original stimulus package was hijacked by feminists because they felt putting money into male dominated professions was sexist even though those industries are suffering the most. Excerpt:
'WASHINGTON -- Vowing to find new ways to stimulate the sputtering economy, President Barack Obama will call for long-term investments in the nation's roads, railways and runways that would cost at least $50 billion.
The infrastructure investments are one part of a package of targeted proposals the White House is expected to announce in hopes of jump-starting the economy ahead of the November election. Obama will outline the infrastructure proposal Monday at a Labor Day event in Milwaukee.
While the proposal calls for investments over six years, the White House said spending would be front-loaded with an initial $50 billion to help create jobs in the near future.
The goals of the infrastructure plan include: rebuilding 150,000 miles of roads; constructing and maintaining 4,000 miles of railways, enough to go coast-to-coast; and rehabilitating or reconstructing 150 miles of airport runways, while also installing a new air navigation system designed to reduce travel times and delays.'
- Log in to post comments
Comments
His priorities haven't changed
He's just realized he needs the "NASCAR Dad" vote in November and is going for that. He is making a promise and good luck seeing delivery. Despite the fact the US's infrastructure is in critical disrepair in some states and general disrepair in most others, he still doesn't see it as a priority-- when has he ever talked about it up until now, when the affected constituency also happens to be in a voter demographic getting ready to yank his party right out of power? I can't recall even one time and even if he did, did he ever discuss funding efforts to resolve it or try to do so?
I don't believe a word of it. It's all empty election-time grandstanding.
But, unfortunately
in today's society, infrastructure does not produce jobs. We are so automated and mechanized.
He can spend the money and who will benefit? The employer of a few men that owns lots of tractors and heavy equipment. It doesnt take that many people to pave a road, or build a bridge. Sure, its good for the local area where these improvements are done, but does it create jobs? If it does, it is extremely few.
This strategy would work well in China - where building a road takes thousands of people.
In the US this is almost throwing away money. We are far too mechanized for this to produce lots of jobs. Times have changed.
oregon dad
Well...
Oregon Dad, there are a few more people involved in the paving of a road or building a bridge. There are the surveyors (such as myself) who will have to go out and survey the existing area/road to turn in to our technicians, who will in turn process that data into a product that is then delivered to the engineers; the engineers do all of the engineering stuff they do, then come up with an idea of how the finished product should work. This also means that people may have to come out and bore the area to find out the composition of the dirt, locate and tie in utilities, do hydrographic studies, and so on. Then, when construction begins, the surveyors have to go back out with information from the engineers and technicians to tell the construction people where to build.
My industry WAS hit hard. I was laid off for seven months. And I was pleased when I heard about the stimulus package; while I wasn't for the spending of money, it would at least get me a job. Of course, it went all pear shaped. I'll be waiting to get the notice to proceed on all the bridges and roads in my area. I'm sure I'll get it sometime after pigs fly.
Undoubtedly he hopes you will take it on faith it will come...
... after the Nov. election some time. Otherwise why mention it now unless the money is ready for disbursement tomorrow?
You may well see some gov't-funded work some time. Question is, is it gov't funded that is not part of the routine funding of roads and infrastructure that must be done in order to keep traffic moving? That is maintenance work. Then there is new and improvement construction (as I am sure I don't need to tell you). If you are expecting a WPA-type program that would create those opportunities any time soon, as you have said, pigs'll fly before you get that. Billions for VAWA programs? Yes. Billions for dams, bridges, roads? No. This president's priorities will change when his wife's priorities change and I doubt she will change those any time soon.