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NATION'S ENGINEERS: WE NEED A
$2.2 TRILLION STIMULUS

America's roads, public transit and aviation have gotten worse in the past four years. Water and sewage systems are dreadful. The basic physical backbone of American society is barely above failing, a report by top engineers says.

It'll cost $2.2 trillion to fix America's ailing infrastructure, according to highlights of a report being released early, just as the House of Representatives readies its first vote on President Barack Obama's call for a massive economic stimulus spending package.
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"Do you realize we're driving on a lot of roads that were built during the Eisenhower Administration," Herrmann said.

House GOP: Stimulus Plan Has Too Much Spending

President Barack Obama's expansive and expensive plan to jump-start the economy is all but certain to clear its first hurdle when the Democratic-controlled House votes on a $825 billion version that melds new spending and tax cuts. Republican support, however, is in doubt when voting takes place Wednesday.
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House Minority Leader John Boehner wouldn't say Wednesday morning how he thought the vote would turn out. He did emphasize anew that GOP members are worried about billions in domestic spending that "has nothing to do with creating jobs or preserving jobs."

Let's see, our infrastructure is falling apart due to decades of inaction. We are in a major recession. The chief way every responsible economist says to help get our economy out of it, make up the GDP shortfalls, and boot employment is by massive government spending, preferably on infrastructure, preferably to the tune of $1 trillion or more. Our elected betters decide they don't need to listen to no stinking book learned types and craft a plan that's less than that, load it up with many ineffective tax cuts, still noting that it could do a lot of good (but not enough). The GOP looks at this 'not good enough' bill and says "Whoa, too much spending on infrastructure, too much spending in general. Can't we load this up with more tax cuts?"

In case you were wondering: We are never going to get out of the recession, the government will never pass a competent stimulus bill. Bonus points though for Johnny Boehner for his innate ability to look at an issue and loudly proclaim through his words "I have no idea what's going on, I don't even understand the basic fundamentals of what we are talking about and voting on." John, massive public investments in infrastructure, public transit, dams, sewage, etc.. has created jobs every time it's been tried and will always create jobs. In fact the amount of jobs it creates and GDP it makes up is directly proportional to how much is spent. This guy sez so. Pay attention in Econ 101.