The greatest economic minds in the world (the folks who were dismissed as loonies by the uber-right during the Reign of Greed) are of one mind when it comes to countries, particularly the United States, digging out of the recession/borderline depression that looms today - major infrastructure spending.
The idea is to get money flowing, get people working by investing in infrastructure. It's all about investing in things that will pay dividends to taxpayers in the future. It's about roads and bridges, public utilities and schools - the sorts of things have have been largely neglected in the wake of the fiscal lunacy impanted by Ronald Reagan.
Canada, too, is supposed to be getting into the infrastructure game but our Furious Leader's plan is to spend a pittance in relative terms compared to the U.S. In part that's because Canada's position is stronger than America's but that's only part. A good deal of the difference is Harper's ideology that always understates the problem we're actually facing.
Be that as it may, it's important that infrastructure projects have the broadest public exposure. The idea, in part, is to restore public confidence and that can only be helped by ensuring that as many people as possible see what's going on, see the projects underway, become persuaded that the economic engine isn't grinding to a halt.
Infrastructure projects have to be selected on their overall merits, obviously, but one of those considerations ought to be public awareness.
The idea is to get money flowing, get people working by investing in infrastructure. It's all about investing in things that will pay dividends to taxpayers in the future. It's about roads and bridges, public utilities and schools - the sorts of things have have been largely neglected in the wake of the fiscal lunacy impanted by Ronald Reagan.
Canada, too, is supposed to be getting into the infrastructure game but our Furious Leader's plan is to spend a pittance in relative terms compared to the U.S. In part that's because Canada's position is stronger than America's but that's only part. A good deal of the difference is Harper's ideology that always understates the problem we're actually facing.
Be that as it may, it's important that infrastructure projects have the broadest public exposure. The idea, in part, is to restore public confidence and that can only be helped by ensuring that as many people as possible see what's going on, see the projects underway, become persuaded that the economic engine isn't grinding to a halt.
Infrastructure projects have to be selected on their overall merits, obviously, but one of those considerations ought to be public awareness.
1 comment:
Beautiful post... as usual.
I think our Liberal strategy HAS to include numerous large infrastructure projects, including bridges (Van to Van Island, for one), railways (Light rail and passenger service across Canada, including North from Edmonton, and to the BC Interior and Northern Ontario/Quebec), schools, and new University buildings...
Canada can employ 10s of 1000s of construction workers, engineers, architects, etc., then have a University infrastructure which allows us to "export" intelligence and education - the future economy. Foreign students are lined up at embassies the world over to come study here. We can take their money, and even keep the ones we like best for our own knowledge industries...
We need to champion this cause within our party.
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