Want to know what 20 years of Republican mis-rule have brought about? A one point six Trillion dollar shortfall in infrastructure needs. And that is for five years. The 35W bridge collapse did not happen in a vacuum. This again is set policy, a savaging of the public commons for private gain. This is Reganism in all it's ugly splendor. The warning signs were there from 1990.
Reagan cut all aspects of government spending. And due to the cuts our roads, bridges, dams etc are all in a bad state. The irony is that A.S.C.E. report card actually gave bridges a "C" which is the highest grade for any of the items measured. The recent Manhattan Steam Explosion illustrates the issue succinctly. This time Osama did not have to fly any planes into buildings to cause chaos and confusion. No ,the 80 year old physical plant of NYC was there to do all the damage. That is what 5.6 billion in tax cuts will do for a cities health. That and a 5 billion shortfall in revenue. Interesting numbers no?
While skyrocketing real estate values drive the middle class out of Manhattan, the nuts and bolts of city life are rotting under the noses of the rich. This particular meme is repeating all over the country. We are living off the investments of the 50's, 60's and 70's. But like an overdrawn credit card we are at the end of the line.
Like so much else that is wrong with the country, it really does go back to the "government is the enemy" meme of Ronald Regan. Government is not a bunch of evil pod-people that somehow foisted itself on us. The Government is us, it's we the people. We need to put down the NeoCon koolaid and return to reality. Government is how we all help each other. Time to get busy.
----------------
Now playing: Dolores O'Riordan - Accept Things
via FoxyTunes
No comments:
Post a Comment