What's Missing From Obama's Infrastructure Plan
At his Sunday news conference--the President-Elect will have had more of these get-togethers with the media before he's sworn in than the President-Reject has had in eight years--Barack Obama gave a few more details about his new New Deal program for massive federal spending for infrastructure. What caught my ear: his pledge that the program would go beyond "roads and bridges" to other programs with "long-term payoffs for taxpayers". That list included the now-familiar broadband Internet buildout, getting medical records into electronic form, school construction, and "making our economy more energy efficient."
Gee, that's the whole "progressive" shopping list for federal infrastructure--except for one nagging little thing. For those whose memories are short, here's a clue, from Saturday's Times-Picayune:
A long-delayed Army Corps of Engineers plan for protection against a Category 5 hurricane -- a storm as large as or larger than Hurricane Katrina -- will be delayed until at least June, and maybe longer, the project's manager says.
Further, the final document won't be a plan at all, but rather a menu of about two dozen alternatives for Congress to further study and debate, a recipe for additional delay.
Yes, the same Corps of Engineers that made (and ultimately took long-delayed responsibility for) crucial engineering and design mistakes that led to the 2005 flooding of New Orleans is now slow-walking plans to rectify its handiwork. And nowhere in President-Elect Obama's laundry list of infrastructure expenditures is a commitment to ramp up work on flood protection and coastal wetlands restoration for the area that supplies--sorry, Governor Palin--as much as 40% of this country's domestic oil production.
Friends of mine assure me that that little item is a stealth priority--"he doesn't want to rile up all the anti-New Orleans sentiment before he takes office"--that, like John Kerry, who never mentioned the Supreme Court during his campaign, New Orleans is an issue that this guy cares so deeply about he dare not mention it yet.
New Orleanians, always met with "why should we give you money so your corrupt politicians can hijack it?", have done their share, throwing Dollar Bill Jefferson out of office in a stunning election upset. Now what's Washington's excuse?
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How many years has the Bush government had to address the needs of New Orleans? Why haven't the news media and pundits put more pressure on Bush to counteract his cabinet's negligent and perhaps criminal response to Katrina? When President-Elect Obama recently announced his plans for a massive nationwide public works programs to help create jobs and get the country back of its feet, he didn't specify New Orleans--nor should he have. Why are we trying to hold Mr. Obama accountable for New Orleans? Where are the leaders from New Orleans? What are they doing to make sure their city and state are a part of the the overall recovery plans? How vocal is Lousiana's Republican Gov. Jinhdal? Look at the most recent presidential election. Believe it or not Lousiana overwhelmingly supported John McCain who along with George W. Bush sat back and ate birthday cake on the day of the Katrina disaster in 2005.
Louisiana might have but New Orleans did NOT support McCain. I think we voted about 82% for Obama. Jindal is a joke and a tool and was a backlash against Blanco. But none of this should matter. What should matter is doing the right thing for Americans. We pay taxes and also provide a large percent of the oil and gas this country runs on. We are citizens of one of the richest counties in the world and yet we live like we are in the third world. This should enrage other Americans if not embarrass them. The oil companies ruined our protective coastal wetlands and the water came rushing in. The government spent nothing on the federal levees and they failed us. We are being treated like Nigerians, take from us and leave nothing for our people. Every time you fill your tank remember you do it in part while stepping on the broken back of a New Orleanian. Instead you could help us fight for our coast and levees. Push for a Katrina commission and hold people accountable.
If Booby J had any sense (but he's a Republican) he would simply tax the oil & gas La produces to pay for the reconstruction. La. pays a lower rate than Texas already. Let me tell you- if he stuck 10% tax on oil & gas, the feds woudl come a- running with attention and help.
I worry that Obama is being treated like Santa Claus: everyone has a "what about me, what do I get for Christmas?" attitude. We forget that we should be saying "What can I do to help?" There is no place in this country that doesn't have immediate and pressing concerns, and some of these are best handled by state and local agencies. I don't live in Louisiana, so I can't say that this necessarily falls into that category, however...
if standing in a bread line, metaphorically speaking, then the better thing to do is quit complaining, wait your turn with graciousness, compassion, gratitude and a commitment to doing your personal share to make the world a better place
EXACTLY!
Great Point!
Wait, Obama's not Santa Claus?
: (
But no, seriously, you're nothing short of correct. He's covered this territory before–so much of what is required to fix this country comes from 300 million of us, not just one of us. This has been the very basis of his political ascension: our collective ascension.
Well said! No one was asked to do so much even during the normal time but suddently Obama is responsible for everything bad that had happened a long time ago. With this economy's troubles he can do so much to pull us out of that hole, let alone do everything else.
While I am here, it is nice to scroll down and see that Harry, reads the opinions of those that read his thoughts.
Thanks Harry!
Had to drop down before Ifinished the article to say!
President-reject!
A term which has so much gravitas and deep truthiness!
Harry (and anyone else interested in saving coastal Louisiana) -
Check out the page on resurrecting the WPA and CCC in Louisiana in http://lac
Len Bahr
Mr. Shearer - I didn't read a single word about the role of governor Jindal in your post. What do you think his role should be?!
What role could the governor of Louisiana possibly have?
The Corp of Engineers is a Federal agency. It gets it funding from Congress.
Governor Jindal has no say and little influence on the Corps' budget and priority.
No but he could press Washington for monetary help and, liek I said, raise the tax on gas & oil to pay for rebuilding.
See Harry Shearer's Profile
I think his role, like that of the entire Louisiana Congressional delegation, should be to push hard--as they have been doing since 2005--for the federal government to fix what it broke, and to cede the state a larger share of the royalties from oil production off the Louisiana coast.
Yes. Also a token toll for entering / exiting / use of the Mouth of the Mississippi River, either temporary or permanent. The money should be spent on public infrastructure and public services for the residents of New Orleans.
I thought the entire purpose for Obama meeting with the Governors was to get them involved, and have them submit their own proposals for state and local projects that need attention. You would hope that Govenor Jindal would already be on top of this. Of course there are some Republican Govenors who are completely opposed to Obama's plans. Too bad.
maybe the people in new orleans need to look at the politicians that have been stealing money from them for years and tell them we want our money back to pay for the things you never did. people have known for a long time that the government has been corrupt there and did what, "nothing". i feel for the people but we have given a lot of tax paying money to them. now the rest of us her hurting. these jobs that obama is talking about will help all of us not just some of yes.
I will be sure to tell my family members when they are drowning that it was time for us to stop asking help from our own country.
The people of New Orleans have paid about a dollar for every penny you have paid.
See Harry Shearer's Profile
The flooding that occurred was caused by the action of a federal agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, according to three independent forensic engineering reports. The local corruption had zero to do with the disaster. Your federal tax dollars paid for the destruction.
Isn't that an Army Corps of Engineers thing?
Maybe that's where he'll put the Vets to work... they're also going to need jobs when they come home.
Yesterday I tried to make a point over at Kos about something else I don't see in the public works plan, yet: The Arts
To paraphrase some of the post [w/ changes in brackets]:
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The arts expand our understanding of the world, enhance our ability to solve problems, raise our quality of life.
[Yet it is important to not at this time, that] they also generate revenue, long, steady streams of it.
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My point is that maybe a full-blown WPA is not the idea on everyone's mind right now, but overlooking the arts in this investment in our future would be a major blunder.
And in my post I suggested a percent-for-art clause be added to all the public works he's projecting, which would positively impact the futures of many places throughout the States, especially places like New Orleans, where the arts are such a part of the history of the culture there.
And the arts are a method for educating folks who live elsewhere about the needs in areas they are unfamiliar with -- like say, levees, for instance.
address to the post for anyone interested: http://www
I don't see the arts as vital to a national employment/recovery program. When people interview in the real world for a job, they are asked about their on the ground skill set. The majority of Americans do not do art to make a living, and thus this is a very small fraction of overall employment, and not what will get America working again en mass. The arts never ever helped me get a job, but having engineering, software, and management skills did, and still do. My ability in art has never kept my heat on.
"My ability in art has never kept my heat on'
1) Maybe that's because you're not an artist?
2) That's a defeatist/status quo argument that rests on the idea that since the arts have always BEEN marginalized in this country, they should STAY marginalized.
3) "on the ground skill set" --a phrase that sounds so adult and serious but half the time these days means "looks good on a resume" and isn't much more than the ability to look busy and talk the talk. Mastering an art is every bit as "on the ground" as anything else.
4) The so-called arts have completely revitalized entire cities--Providence, RI for one. That small kernel of people doing something fresh and creative brings people in from the fringes to spend money and sight-see. I'm sure you watch TV. Every aspect of those hundreds of shows and billions of TV hours available all hours of the day and night are created by not just the techies, but by writers, actors, scenarists, casting directors, producers, ad nauseum. In other words, an army of people who work in soft concepts--artists of varying levels of ability and talent. That car you drive was concepetualized and modeled in part by a young person from an art school background, industrial design. Another useless artist. And so it goes. Art is everywhere--without it you have the Soviet Union. Contempt for art is a basic warning sign....
You need to brush up on your history. You should know that the FDR works program financed artists and writers -- and that a phenomenal amount of our treasury of 2oth century artworks of many genres had their origins there. If you think it's cold without the heat, you can't imagine how "cold" it would be without art, literature, and music. As C.S. Lewis observed, "There is no music in hell." Your comment is a perfect "Phillistine" notion.
Jeesh!!! Even cavemen valued art! What a boring world you want us to live in.
Fixing the levees isn't going to beef up the economy like these other things will. It's just another government cost taxpayers. Point being, I'm sure he'll do it. But there's a reason he's not talking about it in the context of how he's going to solve this economic crisis.
Really?
If the alternative is not fixing the levees, how would another flood affect the economy?
Without the levees and the wetlands, there are no ports. Your cost of everything you buy goes up. Your price on everything you sell goes down.
Without the levees, there is no domestic oil and gas infrastructure. Your cost of everything that depends on oil and gas goes up.
There's a difference between spending money to avoid risk, versus spending money that will make money right away. My point is that they are two different things. He can, and probably will do both. But when he's talking specifically about fixing the economy, the levees do not fit into that conversation. Doesn't mean he won't do it. It just means that it is another topic of discussion.
After reading the first chapter of a book called "The Control of Nature" by John McPhee I am not so sure anymore that New Orleans can be "saved" in the long run. By forcing the flow of the Mississippi in an unnatural way, we have created a whole host of problems and it will be doomsday sooner of later for much of the area (or at least the people and industry in the area) once the river turns west like it wants to. It is a fascinating book.
Whenever I visited New Orleans pre-storm I was often told by people there that New Orleans had at most 50 years between the river and the Gulf at the rate that land was being lost.Of course like peak oil , the squandering of water and other desecration of other natural resources we refuse to plan ahead or consider anything other than short term gain. Saving New Orleans as a land mass, much less a cultural gem and home to human beings would require exactly that - . but the ability for such planning just does not seem to be in American DNA.
Is there any chance that moving the entire city and/or recreating it, lock stock and barrel, or at least the historic quarters that attract the lifeblood of the city, to a new location, above sea-level and ontop of a properly engineered foundation, wouldn't in the long run be safer and more economical? Whether there will be rising sea levels of not, the area around NOLA is sinking..i
You may have a point. On the other hand, I believe there are creative solutions with vision. Just think about what they have done with Dubai for example. Seems like if that can be accomplished, surely there are brilliant engineers who can address the problems in New Orleans and with the wetlands, not just to fix the problem, but to "creatively" make it an asthetic natural asset to beautify the area, which would be good for tourism as well...boo
They need vision and an investment group.
We spend zillions of dollars on the "space" program. Zillions of dollars on the Reagan "Star Wars defense shield" thingy..on "foreign" land. Meanwhile in our own country on our own soil, we not only do not think FUTURE with 21st Century technology and creativity
How many years ago were Americans so bold as to build HOOVER DAMN?
That's the problem with extreme "Conservatism" ....Conser
Conservatives do think "No We Can't" - they think "no we won't let you prove us wrong. "
I can think of no conservative action that benefited the entire nation since Reagan took office. All actions taken since 1981 have been taken to protect the rich from any demands by the rest of the country that some of our national wealth be devoted to the betterment of the nation.
the cost of one month of the Iraq war would pay for New Orleans' reconstruction. Priorities.
I have no doubt Obama has put thought to this but his ideas thus far as I see the are so far and away from what we have had an the crisis he is being left with while Bush goes out talking about how much he has "enjoyed" his time in the white house. He will have so many things in his plans that he will have not spoke of all of them yet so give him time. Also I think his getting into and finding out what he has nothad access to yet about what has not been done by Fema or done worng by Fema. If we can get though all of the list of muck left behind by Bush in 10 years I will be shocked. It has taken him 8 years to almost destroy this country at many levels and I have faith in the intelligence of Obama and his making the correct choices for those to fill the positions that will do the work.
The Times-Picayune article is disturbing, and I can well see why you're doubting NO will benefit from the hoped for infrastructure boom that's being promised.
I guess whenever I've heard talk about public works projects, I've envisioned them taking place all across the country doing what's needed most. A bridge here, a school there. I can't imagine the Obama administration setting up a public works system that didn't include repairing the devastation in NO.
Maybe it's like my pet project. I want to see affordable healthcare for all, and was pretty angry when it looked like that agenda would have to wait.
Now it looks like it's still a priority after all, as we can't really heal the economy without addresssing healthcare. I don't see how we can work on infrastructure across the country without rebuilding NO and strengthening it's levees, so don't give up hope or the fight.
I really can't believe Obama has forgotten NO. If he has, we need to remind him loudly and repeatedly.
You know what's missing ? Pretty simple ?
HOW THE H%$L DO WE PAY FOR IT !!!
WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE. You thibk the deficit was high when Bush was in office. You aint seen nothin yet !
First; get out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Stop trying to be the cop of the world like we're
so much better then everybody else.
Second, start publishing (and then dramatically reducing) the defense budget as part of the overall federal budget--which is not done now. Lots of money available for corporations to develop weapons, etc, not so much for education, healthcare, or domestic infrastructure such as the levies built by the Army Corps which they knew were inadequate in the first place.
12 billion $ a month will go a long way towards Obama's plan.
It is scary to think that we have to spend our way out of this mess. So I did some research on Hoover and his policies and it is scarier still to think what could happen if McCain had gotten into office.
Whew. Folks we pulled off a miracle when we banded together to elect Obama.
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