Structurally deficient bridges

[kallend 1,679]

According to ASCE, 11% of us bridges are structurally deficient, yet Congress steadfastly refuses to release funds to fix them.

Find structurally deficient bridges near you:

t4america.org/resources/bridges

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Andy9o8 0]

Well, in terms of public policy, the comparison isn't very difficult. The US spends its considerable largesse on a bloated military, projection of global power to kill people around the word, and a wasteful, fraudulent "war on drugs" - but precious little on universal health coverage not linked to one's employment status, or improvement of the infrastructure, the latter two driven in large part by a cultural anathema to taxation and public spending. The other civilized countries of the Western world essentially do the reverse; and in each instance, the difference shows.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22649625

Who, what, why: How safe are US road bridges?

As a percentage of GDP, US spending on roads has increased to 0.7% in recent years but it is still lower than the European average and less than half that of Japan (1.7%), according to figures from the International Transport Forum.

The UK has a rigorous inspection system and getting funding for bridge repairs is not so difficult, says Gordon Masterton, deputy chairman of the UK's Construction Industry Council, and former president of the Institution of Civil Engineers. "I'm not aware of any outcry about penny pinching. The area affected when cash is tight tends to be road surfacing so there are more potholes on the roads.

So at the end of the day, the US has a fiscal culture that effectively promotes or fails to prevent death, while the other Western industrialized countries have a fiscal culture of promoting and seeking to prolong life. Practices won't change until policies do.

[lawrocket 3]

[Reply]but precious little on universal health coverage not linked to one's employment status,

[ryoder 1,410]

Swell; The deficient bridges in my area all have "inspection frequency" of 12 or 24 months, but none have been inspected since 2009.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Andy9o8 0]

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So bridges fall down because we don't spent enough on health care.

Yes, that's precisely what I meant.

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Here's a different idea: take money government spends on health care and the military and spend it on infrastructure.

Here's a different idea: take money government spends on a bloated military and a fraudulent war on drugs, and fails to take in by giving a discounted tax rate on capital gains that 90% of the population couldn't afford in the first place, and spend it on (a) infrastructure, (b) decent universal health coverage, even for the un- and under-employed, and (c) attorney's fees.

[lawrocket 3]

Nancy Pelosi blames the Sequester for lack of money to inspect and repair roads and bridges. Yep - the WA bridge collapse? Sequester.

Mind you, this has been an issue since the bridges were built. But it's only 62 days.

Road and bridge maintenance has a slightly below ensuring rights for terrorists. It's been that way since the roads and bridges were built.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[lawrocket 3]

Here's an idea:

Take the money from fuel taxes/excises and put those toward roads and bridges. Increase the budget for infrastructure by 50%. I don't care where they get the money but do it by cutting elsewhere.

Perhaps a national sales tax of 2% on all products bought and direct it to roads. Oh, yes. It's the "directed to roads" part that never works out. It's always directed someplace else. They'll put maintenance as something to do later...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[rhaig 0]

kallend

According to ASCE, 11% of us bridges are structurally deficient, yet Congress steadfastly refuses to release funds to fix them.

Find structurally deficient bridges near you:

t4america.org/resources/bridges

those could have been actual shovel ready jobs.

--
Rob

[kallend 1,679]

rhaig

***According to ASCE, 11% of us bridges are structurally deficient, yet Congress steadfastly refuses to release funds to fix them.

Find structurally deficient bridges near you:

t4america.org/resources/bridges

those could have been actual shovel ready jobs.

Many are Just waiting for Congress to release funding.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rhaig 0]

kallend

those could have been actual shovel ready jobs.

Many are Just waiting for Congress to release funding.

so there was no reason to look at infrastructure upgrades 4 years ago when the not-so-shovel-ready shovel-ready jobs were going to fix our economy?

and why are you -ing me... put your tongue back in your mouth unless you're going to use it in new and interesting ways. Most of congress are just self-serving assholes hoping to eek out enough traded favors to get the right no-show job when they decide to retire. on one side of the line, they want to say "see what we're doing!! and on the other side they want to say "see what they want to do??". Neither group gives a shit about the country.

--
Rob

[rhaig 0]

lawrocket

Perhaps a national sales tax of 2% on all products bought and direct it to roads.

can't have that... national sales tax is apparently racist...

--
Rob

[billvon 2,471]

>I don't care where they get the money but do it by cutting elsewhere.

"Fund my program and cut someone else's."
"Cut my taxes and raise someone else's."

The twin principles of modern politics in the USA.

[lawrocket 3]

Odd that there is a federal program I'm actually in favor of...

My wife is hotter than your wife.