It's Finally Infrastructure Week

1. 77

   Valeantposted 4 years ago

   I haven't looked at the bill yet, but it's definitely a very popular proposal since we've all been hearing that the US infrastructure needs some attention.
   
   https://www.npr.org/2021/04/01/98347078 … cture-plan
   
   And while sifting through Youtube, the right leaning Krystal and Saagar from The Hill had an interesting take on it and what might be driving some resistance to it:
   
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_rqZbz6C-4
   
   

   replyreport
   1. 83

      Sharlee01posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I have not had enough time to digest the bill. So far looks to be full of pork. It would appear the Biden Administration is dumping this bill out quickly while lots of other crises are in play. Smoke and mirror once again.
      
      I am very much concerned in about a year many will wake up and note we have been had.
      
      I will have a look at the bill and see what it actually offers.

      replyreport
      1. 77

         wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         Right now it appears that there is far more pork and Democrat wish list than there is infrastructure work.

         replyreport
         1. 83

            Sharlee01posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            It's a gigantic bill. I am skimming it. Pork spending is mainly on social programs.    Surprise... . We do need to work on our infrastructure. but this bill is a social program shopping list. It's an oversized grab bag of other priorities than infrastructure. Which includes housing projects, manufacturing, elder care, and even the PRO Act, which would make it harder for workers to choose to stay out of unions. And it attempts to attach to infrastructure improvement climatological and environmental goals that have nothing to do with infrastructure. The bill also expands access to medical care for the elderly and disabled, asking $400 billion for it. The real cherry on the top ---  A nonsensical plan to retrofit a tokenistic two million homes to increase energy efficiency on the fatuous grounds that they are low-income and minority communities that are most vulnerable to climate change.
            
            In my view, Biden doesn’t win the future with another tax hike, government boondoggle, or union bailout, or a bill like this that is full of nonsensical spending. And just when we are coming out of a pandemic that has had us printing money at record speed.
            
            And I have just started looking at this bill. OMG

            replyreport
            1. 77

               wildernessposted 4 years agoin reply to this

               That's my understanding - the priority of the bill is not infrastructure, but a vast Democrat wish list of spending for social programs.  As usual, the name given has little to do with the bill and a great deal to do with getting it past the political process.

               replyreport
2. 77

   Valeantposted 4 years ago

   Here are some of the specifics.  Of these, the last area seems to be where things seem to get a little porky....
   
   Transportation Infrastructure ($621 billion)
   - spend $174 billion, or about 28% of the transportation portion, on electric vehicles. That includes a network of 500,000 electric vehicle stations, using electric vehicles in bus fleets, and replacing the federal government's fleet of diesel transit vehicles with electric vehicles. It would also offer tax incentives and rebates for electric cars.
   - $115 billion would pay for fixing roads and bridges, chosen by those in most need of repair. That includes 20,000 miles of highways and roads, the 10 most "economically significant" bridges in the U.S. as well as 10,000 smaller bridges.
   - Another $85 billion is set aside for modernizing transit systems and $80 billion for a growing backlog of Amtrak repairs as well as improvements and route expansion. Airports, ports and waterways would also receive improvements.
   
   Retrofitting America ($650 Billion)
   - $213 billion to build, preserve and retrofit more than 2 million affordable homes and commercial buildings. This includes the construction or rehabilitation of 500,000 homes for low- and middle-income owners. An additional $111 billion would go toward clean drinking water, including replacement of all lead pipes and service lines.
   - $100 billion for constructing or modernizing public schools
   - $100 billion would be used to build high-speed broadband networks throughout the country. The goal would be for broadband to become universal for all Americans and to drive down the costs for internet.
   - $40 billion to improve public housing, $18 million for Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, $12 billion for community college infrastructure and $16 million to plug oil and gas wells and reclaim abandoned mines.
   
   Research, Development, Manufacturing (~$300 billion)
   - $50 billion would go toward semiconductor manufacturing and research.
   - $180 billion on new research and development with an emphasis on clean energy, fewer emissions and climate change research. That total includes $100 billion for worker training and an increase of worker protection systems.
   
   Caregivers For the Elderly and Citizens with Disabilities ($400 billion)
   - $400 billion to improve access to quality, affordable home or community-based care for the elderly and people with disabilities. It would expand a Medicaid program to make more services available and eliminate a backlog that prevents thousands from getting care.
   - It would also boost pay for care workers, who are disproportionately women of color and typically earn about $12 an hour.
   
   https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/ … 820227001/

   replyreport