USA's infrastructure falling apart

Facial_King

Facial_King

While we spend billions and **** thousands in Iraq - and not make Americans one bit safer - the infrastructure of the United States is rapidly crumbling. Here's a really good, in-depth article on just how severe the problem is. Snippets:

"The United States needs to spend $225 billion annually — more than twice what it does now — for the next 50 years. That’s more than $11 trillion worth of fix-ups on surface transportation systems alone."

and

"There’s a war in Iraq, a country in which the United States has sunk about $520 billion to help Iraq make significant progress on repair, renovation and renewal of the means by which Iraq cleans and distributes water, provides electricity, transports goods and people and protects against the insults of nature.

Meanwhile, rust continues accumulate at home."

...and Bush just cuts taxes (esp. for the suffering millionaires).

Link to article:
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Thoughts?
 
Interesting. Don't think it'll be on the same scale, but sounds more like the end of an Empire.

The Romans had an expansive, trading empire that stretched over vast distances. As the Empire expanded, and invaded new territories, the strength of the Empire weakened, as resource had to be moved greater distances and taxes had to pay for repairs in further afield areas, until the Empire become too weak, and crumbled as it became to dilute and overstretched to repair it's self and defend from what should have been a lot lesser armies and groups. Seams very similar to what is happening in the US now.

When 9/11 occurred and Bin Laden was saying how he was going to bring down the Western World, and show the infidels the errors of their ways etc, in a way, he has achieved his objective. US economy is weak, infrastructure repairs are lacking, price of oil and the security of its transport are major issues and global opinion is now against the US.

US won't implode like what the Romans did, but I think that the US will have to have a major political shift to recover. Maybe the election will be the start of its turn around, but I think it has a long way to go.
 
interesting historical analysis, shagme.
 
I know it! That **** has pissed me off from day one of this Iraq ****. FUCK IRAQ!!! ****! Pull our troops out now and leave those worthless pieces of **** to their own devices. Who really gives a flying fuck about them anyway? I sure as hell don't, especially when you consider how much of OUR fucking money we've ****** to help a country that doesn't give a fuck about us! Fuck it all, I'm gonna stop now, this **** just makes me physically ill...
 
take a pill legs. Oh wait, we don't have any healthcare. I forgot.
 
calpoon said:
take a pill legs. Oh wait, we don't have any healthcare. I forgot.
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If we ever do get a national healthcare system set up like say, oh I dunno, canada, I'm sure it would be complete **** anyway!

Speaking of infrastructure here in america. Has anyone else noticed the potholes after this past winter being FAR worse than ever before? Or is it just here in indiana? I'm curious if its a national problem or simply a state issue.
 
I don't know about that. Here in AZ they are constantly doing roadwork, so it just slows traffic down to a crawl and creates an even bigger problem than the one it's trying to fix. and by the time they are finally finished, it's been so long that traffic is now over capacity to the new road and it's time to start all over again.

I know that up in those cold parts it's hell on the roadways. the salts they use to melt the ice corrode the concrete and then water seeps in and freezes and expands and cracks it. every year they have to fix the things.

I say just let em go. and then we can all just ride mountain bikes. And with all the money we save... we can have free health care!
 
In the UK the authorities spend £33 million a year repairing potholes and £60 million a year to motorists who hit potholes. Go figure.
 
calpoon said:
I don't know about that. Here in AZ they are constantly doing roadwork, so it just slows traffic down to a crawl and creates an even bigger problem than the one it's trying to fix. and by the time they are finally finished, it's been so long that traffic is now over capacity to the new road and it's time to start all over again.

I know that up in those cold parts it's hell on the roadways. the salts they use to melt the ice corrode the concrete and then water seeps in and freezes and expands and cracks it. every year they have to fix the things.

I say just let em go. and then we can all just ride mountain bikes. And with all the money we save... we can have free health care!
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Yea plowing doesn't help! That just rips up the cracks and makes them worse. I mean this year there have been pot holes that take up the entire width of a lane, if not damn near the entire road!

marquis2 said:
In the UK the authorities spend £33 million a year repairing potholes and £60 million a year to motorists who hit potholes. Go figure.
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Here in the US you can charge the state for whatever repairs you incur due to potholes, I'm not sure the exact figures though, I'm sure its similar to yours probably twice paid out as opposed to what they actually spend to fix!
 
People are so stupid that they vote down any tax increases, then wonder why there's no money to fix the roads.
 
sputnikgirl said:
People are so stupid that they vote down any tax increases, then wonder why there's no money to fix the roads.
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Well, call me a revolutionary. Enough. No more taxes. When these incompetent fuckwads (most of which are lawyers) that are supposed to run this country can prove they can do useful and wise things with all the money they already haul in, I'd be more happy with them.

But they do so much wasteful, ridiculous stuff with our money, fuck them, and fuck any tax increase they want to IMPOSE on us. I'm not willing to give more money to a mall-***** housewife, and I'm sure as hell not willing to give any more to politicians with personalized agendas. They are corrupt. They need to go. We need a massive change in D.C., and it will not come with giving these asshats any more money to spend.

You think they'll fix roads with a tax increase? :rofl: Not likely. Not when there's so many other pet projects they can fund with it. The answer isn't us giving them more of our money to fix roads. The answer lies in getting them to quit wasting the money we give them (Foreign aid to China? What?), and to start voting out some of these clowns that have been there, regardless of your party affiliation, for 10-12-25-50 years. Fresh minds, fresh ideas.

The thing we need to quit voting down are term limits for senators and congressmen. People like Ted Kennedy and Henry Hyde (There, I picked one from each party) haven't done jack **** in a long time. I think they should go home.

We need reform here-BIG reform- but our infrastructure isn't falling apart.

And now... time for some lemonade. :****:

H
 
hedonis said:
Well, call me a revolutionary. Enough. No more taxes. When these incompetent fuckwads (most of which are lawyers) that are supposed to run this country can prove they can do useful and wise things with all the money they already haul in, I'd be more happy with them.

But they do so much wasteful, ridiculous stuff with our money, fuck them, and fuck any tax increase they want to IMPOSE on us. I'm not willing to give more money to a mall-***** housewife, and I'm sure as hell not willing to give any more to politicians with personalized agendas. They are corrupt. They need to go. We need a massive change in D.C., and it will not come with giving these asshats any more money to spend.

You think they'll fix roads with a tax increase? :rofl: Not likely. Not when there's so many other pet projects they can fund with it. The answer isn't us giving them more of our money to fix roads. The answer lies in getting them to quit wasting the money we give them (Foreign aid to China? What?), and to start voting out some of these clowns that have been there, regardless of your party affiliation, for 10-12-25-50 years. Fresh minds, fresh ideas.

The thing we need to quit voting down are term limits for senators and congressmen. People like Ted Kennedy and Henry Hyde (There, I picked one from each party) haven't done jack **** in a long time. I think they should go home.

We need reform here-BIG reform- but our infrastructure isn't falling apart.

And now... time for some lemonade. :****:

H
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Just a couple quick points.First I think the infrastrucre is in very bad shape.Bridge collapses in MN,100 year old water mains in NY breaking etc.The engineers who studied it gave the infrastructure a grade of "D".
As to taxes I think some people could stand theirs raised and not notice it a bit.Don't renew the Bush tax cuts is a start.And it is very easy to have taxes dedicated to certain things.The gas tax (the one some want to give a summer holiday on) is only for highway and related repairs and upgrades.
On and BTW you don't have to worry about Henry Hyde he left congress in 2007 and then died not long after.And Teddy's sick and been in the hospital.
 
sputnikgirl said:
People are so stupid that they vote down any tax increases, then wonder why there's no money to fix the roads.
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Sputnikgirl,

There are freeways and toll roads. Do you see any crumble of the toll roads?

It involves so much politics of the State House and the big Union and Construction companies which contributes millions and millions to the local elections.

The problem is not just to fix the roads. They do fix the roads but one year later, they fix it again and again. We are taken for a ride !

If they learn from the German engineer, a highway with well constructed materials should last for 30 years and not less than 1 year.

The problem is corruption and infiltration of the mob into the Capitol and State House and use poor quality materials to fix the roads.

The last winter saw the worst destruction of highways and roads due to deep freeze. But if we really want to fix the roads, use high quality German engineer to pave the way for the next 30 years ! :fight:
 
Problem is, the federal government leaves those kinds of repair issues in the hands of the various city and county governments. These groups often have trouble funding year-to-year expenses, let alone multi-million dollar upgrade or repair costs. Plus tax revenue in these areas depends on local industry and population growth. If factories are leaving--and people are leaving--it doesn't generate a whole hell of a lot of revenue.
 
One would think that with a plethora of insourced "value" labor sources available these days, this would be taken care of. NOT !

Our government is selling off taxpayer paid infrastructure i.e. bridges, roadways etc to foreign entities in order to keep up with maintenance issues whilst the American sits at home (if he still has one) being laid off in preference for those who work cheaper.

√ So . . yes, we have the outrageous cost of an unknown war with no particular direction or destiny.

√ We have an increase in the printing of a near worthless currency (just print more 'till the asshole is out of office :thefinger)

√ The overall malfeasance displayed within the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) same goes for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) - The WTO etc ad nauseam.

√ We have a convenient and timely demand for fossil fuels and commodities worldwide.

√ recession / inflation

There is clearly no direction in this nation. We're living through the greatest heist that the world has ever known with no remedy in the future.
Both political parties need to be lined up. I'm fucking sick of their bullshit !!!
 
When I made my comment, I meant at the local level. I currently live in a rural area..the problem here is that voters consistently vote down any and all tax increases to cover the cost of crumbling infrastructure. People complain all the time about the awful condition of the streets and the crumbling buildings, yet nobody wants to pony up the $$ to fix it. Just clarifying...
 
Devils advo -

If one or two water mains bust, that means that the entire system is broke ?
The only time when government is on the ball is when there is a political position to secure. Otherwise, this is typically how govt. works . . in the eleventh hour.
Some Cities / Counties / States do better than others because good sound fiscal policies i.e.- proper allocation of the tax revenues. (rare, if non existent)

When has a govt. ever met it's budget ?

What about all of the earmarks ?



The govt does their own bidding
 
Friday on my mi said:
Just a couple quick points.First I think the infrastrucre is in very bad shape.Bridge collapses in MN,100 year old water mains in NY breaking etc.The engineers who studied it gave the infrastructure a grade of "D".
As to taxes I think some people could stand theirs raised and not notice it a bit.Don't renew the Bush tax cuts is a start.And it is very easy to have taxes dedicated to certain things.The gas tax (the one some want to give a summer holiday on) is only for highway and related repairs and upgrades.
On and BTW you don't have to worry about Henry Hyde he left congress in 2007 and then died not long after.And Teddy's sick and been in the hospital.
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As usual on this subject, I agree with Friday. He's tried posting at least 2 threads like this before and they just never caught on. Nobody paid attention. Our infrastructure is absolutely terrible in many places, especially the older parts of the country. This problem can be solved (at least partially) with "get out of Iraq" and "tax the rich". I really think a lot of it is that simple.
 
Maybe Bush can hand a multi-trillion dollar no-bid contract to Halliburton to "Reconstruct America" as one of the last things he does before he leaves office:dunno:

I think the article kind of tap-danced around the obvious question? How do we organize such MASSIVE PROJECTS and actually get the job done right the first time? Can we even do anything well anymore? Look at that little throw-away line--the MN Bridge company has a $20million "fix it early" extra payola---is that incentive even needed? Shouldn't the construction workers be working hard on their jobs, no matter what?

I think most people in our country are lazy, stupid people who hear the word "tax" and go running away and ******...but, on the other hand, I'm not sure the American worker has the ethic and backbone "to get the job done right, the first time" anymore...(see "Big Dig" Boston for info on lazy, corrupt America...)

Basically...we're fucked on so many fronts..it's too hard to even laugh at ourselves anymore.

This article is frightening. It makes me want to take a 20yr rip van winkle *** and **** up and hope that somebody can do something.....
 
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