redblack
yes, rich, we need to spend. by your admission, the private sector isn’t doing it – all over some unfounded fears that democrats are going to stifle the economy with taxes and regulations. and those who can afford to need to pay more to let the fed prime the pump.
high-speed rail is a good example. despite the fact that amtrak is a slow mode of travel and crumbling as a business model, private money could never – and would never – make a modern rail system happen. the government has to be the main investor in such a project – especially an interstate one – which will require some kind of taxpayer money. the fed will then hire contractors, who will hire subcontractors, and on down the line to workers, who will then have jobs, and therefore have money to buy goods and services. which will create demand for more goods and services, which will cause job and business growth.
on another tack, who will make the rail cars and engines? china? how about boeing? they already make technologically-advanced cylinders that travel at high speeds. the government can help them afford to retool some of their operations to make that happen. bingo! instant employment from government spending.
how is it paid back? more employees are now paying income taxes, which is a start. how about a VAT for all components of the train and rail line?
“what happens when the job is complete?” you ask.
when that rail line moves through a new town, it will create the need for restaurants, hotels, suppliers for the rail line, etc. which means service and construction jobs.
i dunno. just spitballing here. what, am i suddenly the labor secretary?
regarding your caps-locked health care comment: it is the federal government’s job to regulate interstate commerce, which the health care industry has become. i know you can’t buy insurance across state lines, but blue cross, aetna, wellpoint, etc. are massive national companies that are worth hundreds of billions. hell, some of them are worth more than most states’ revenues. how is any one state expected to regulate blue cross? until they are broken up, the federal government needs to protect us from bad practices through regulation.
and, btw, porkulus has funded over 15,000 infrastructure jobs already, and only about a third has been spent.