Building Back

Great article Arnold. And I've traveled and totally agree. A french TGV train or commuter trains like the ones in Japan would be like grease on the wheels of the economy, combined with the jobs it would provide. See? Obama and you are not so far apart.... and you are Republican and he is a Democrat. That's leadership. That's what we need more of. And I'm a liberal "pro business (ethical)" Democrat and proud of it.
Cheers

Does no one stop to wonder why the initiatives and programs that benefit ALL of the people are the first to get axed and the last to get funded? In any fiscal crunch, education, police/fire, hospitals, libraries, road maintenance/construction and every other program that government SHOULD be providing all get their budgets slashed. Why is it that my local fire station is feverishly trying to figure out how to get a grant for a new fire engine, when funding for emergency services should be at the top of the spending list, behind every social program there is? If the people were to go line by line through any local/state/federal budget, they would be appalled by the amount of money spent on programs that benefit a scant few people, that waste or give away money on functions that no government should be involved in. The purpose of government is to govern, not to provide some vast safety net against every problem anyone could ever encounter in life. Our roads fall apart and our economy tanks because "the people" have voted themselves entitlements over the basic infrastructure that would allow them to lift themselves up. Now suddenly "public works" projects are in vogue, when they should have been the first thing on the list all along. Unbelievable.

We have an infrastructure crisis because of CARRING SOCIALISM -- the subsidized and near totalitarian use of cars. The subsidized car has enormous infrastructure requirments -- some 4000 square of pavement per car.

We have Soviet-style pricing of roads. The Soviets underpriced food and got lineups in food stores. We underprice roads and get lineups at stop lights.

The motor fuel taxes and license fees do not come close to paying for the roads.

At the local level, roads in subdivisions, office parks, etc. are usually provided by the developer. Road maintenance is often funded by property taxes.

All that pavement means that rainwater runs off very fast, which means huge drainage problems. Drainage systems are usually built with tax-free municipal bonds (an indirect federal subsidy). If that surge of stormwater causes downstream flooding in a major waterway, the US Corps of Engineers steps in.

Roads are unthinkable without traffic cops. In a suburban jurisdiction, carring accounts for roughly 1/3 of the police work. Yet, the departments are paid for by property taxes and maybe some share of the state's income tax or sales tax.

We need to raise motor fuel taxes at the federal and state levels to cover ALL the costs of roads. Otherwise, the infrastructure crisis is perpetual. CARRING SHOULD PAY ITS OWN WAY!

In addition, there should be a federal motor fuel tax that is countercyclical -- high when oil prices are low and low when oil prices are high. This will give carbuyers a consistent market signal and carmakers a market that is predictable.

God Bless America!

America has an infrastructure crisis, because we are too much given over to CARRING SOCIALISM -- the subsidized use of cars. Cars have huge infrastructure requirements -- about 4000 square feet of pavement for each car.

We have soviet-style pricing of roads. The Soviets underpriced food and got lineups in food stores. We underprice roads and get lineups at stop lights.

At the national level and in every state the motor fuel tax is considerably below the cost of providing, maintaining and policing roads. At the local level, roads in and around subdivisions and developments are usually provided by the developers. And, property taxes are often used to build and maintain roads.

Roads cause huge drainage problems, because they cause rainwater to run off quickly. Car-oriented suburban devlopment causes gigantic drainage problems. However, drains are usually provided by tax-free municipal bonds (an indirect federal subsidy). Flooding in a river due to a surge of stormwater off all that pavement is often dealt with by the US Corps of Engineers.

Roads are unthinkable with traffic cops. Yet, very few traffic cops are paid for from motor fuel taxes or license fees. In suburban jurisdictions, traffic and car problems account for about 1/3 of police budgets.

We should take advantage of the temporary decrease in oil prices to enact a 2 part increase in motor fuel taxes. The first part should grow steadily until it covers ALL the costs of roads.

The second part should be countercyclical in that it is high when the oil price is low and low when the oil price is high. This countercyclical feature would help give more consistent market signal to car buyers and car makers.

Both the Soviet food experience and our infrastructure crisis show that Soviet-style pricing begets major problems. We should MAKE CARRING PAY ITS OWN WAY!

God Bless America!

There are concerns in this blog about Arnold's suggestions smacking of socialism, big government, etc. I understand the reactionary concern, and I myself would be categorically against any permanent moves toward government ownership of big enterprise. However, now, just as the years following the 30's, we have an opportunity; we have a lot of folks who need work, who will do so cheaper than in an expansion period, and we do need massive infrastructure improvements. For those who don't need the work, the improved safety, speed, and just general esthetics of the good ole' US of A's presentation will lift our spirits, and help make us prouder of who we really are. Another reason we should do it is... we can. We have the strength, the intelligence, the ability, we only need the will. Maybe this lousy economy will give us that again. Since we're gonna leave our progeny with huge bills, at least it would be nice to give them a nice place to live in. When the economy bounces back (which it will, in the years to come) private enterprise will be the recipient of all the new infrastructure. Good ideas, Arnold. (Oh, and by the way, I'm a committed Republican capitalist, who just sees the common sense in all this.)

All I can add to this conversation is: The USA deserves the governmen it votes in. If have a free country and a government based on the will of the electorate, then I say move to the countries which are abounding in the bucks and have improved their infrastructures already. Find out if they feel as free and unbound as we do ourselves in this country. Are they free to criticize their government. Do they fear stepping outside their door not because of traffic or gridlock or even poor infrastructure but because someone with a tank will come and shot them if they do? Or because their neighbor has the freedom of their religion to kill another and themselves and they and all their relatives have eternal positions in heaven, nirvana or any other place that exists after we die? This country was founded on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution of the United States of America and, if that is no guarantee of a chicken in every pot but rather more of the guarantee that you can at least try to honestly find or get a chicken in the pot on your stove in the kitchen, then one should go to the part of the world that appeals to you economically. In this country, leaving is not a problem, it's getting back in that is.

thank god the ones with the potential for good are not the same ones incessantly feeling the need to rip on anything "liberal" simply because the word has been demonized. investing in our country's future is the ONLY logical step to be undertaken. i wont even bother telling any of you ignoramuses out there to "wake up", rather why dont you just expatriate if youre so unhappy with our situation? leave it to those who are motivated and hopeful for tomorrow. this country was not discovered, founded, or improved by people who gave up easily. the state of the intelligence of the general population is frightening and i believe a re-vamped education system is the only true long-term solution. however in the short term it is true that almost all roads, bridges, ports, govt. buildings, housing projects, etc. are in such bad shape it is to be expected that fatal accidents, national catastrophes, and widespread ignorance are to result. STOP GOING TO WAR AND KEEP THE MONEY HOME! no one will be able to go fight once they are needed by their families to hunt/farm their food and keep the vandals and homeless at bay in our own country

CA problems r deep & structural,no one person can solve them...

I hope his next article in Newsweek is written indeed by him personally...

Arnold wants to screw-up to rest of the country the way he's screw-up CA (with the democrats help).

Only Michigan is in worse shape (so where does Obama look for leadership?)

Government will ALWAYS screw up anything they control.

I am a former owner of a steel placing business and all of this talk is great about building America's infrastructure my only concern is are all of these jobs that this creates going to go to Americans that spend there money here or are they going to go to the illegals that pay the least amount of taxes as possible and send there money back to Mexico ? Thank you , Les Heywood

It is sad that an Arnold's article does not get the quality comments it deserves...

Arnold is the most recognised person globally,apart from religious leaders,like the Pope...

He is a hero for the average person,a poor immigrant who serves & strengthens USA,,much more American than many " Americans "

We must change the Constitution so that he can become President.

He can stand at the political center,bridge the Right & the Left & bring glory to America.

As for bitter comments about his governorship,CA is an undisputed mess & probably "ungovernable " by anyone...

People who believe, that spending money on cars, toys, food, and travel is the only way to stimulate the economy, you people need to wake up, from your fantasy life! Weather you are a Dem or a Repub, understand this, without infrastructure in place, like water, sewer, surface water management, roads bridges, that supply the route to your malls and houses you will be living like they did in the 1800's is that the way you really want to live? Going potty in the outhouse? Burning wood for heat, cooking with wood fires? Growing your own food? Canning your own vegetables? Dipping water out of the well? Traveling by horse and buggy? Infrastructure is the way it has to be, not by choice, but by the demand of modern civilization. On top of growth for new infrastructure, we in this inconvenient world need to keep what we have working for the cry babies out there who take going to the mall and getting a bite to eat, and using the public restrooms for granted as if they just appeared one day for your personal convenience.

People who believe, that spending money on cars, toys, food, and travel is the only way to stimulate the economy, you people need to wake up, from your fantasy life! Weather you are a Dem or a Repub, understand this, without infrastructure in place, like water, sewer, surface water management, roads bridges, that supply the route to your malls and houses you will be living like they did in the 1800's is that the way you really want to live? Going potty in the outhouse? Burning wood for heat, cooking with wood fires? Growing your own food? Canning your own vegetables? Dipping water out of the well? Traveling by horse and buggy? Infrastructure is the way it has to be, not by choice, but by the demand of modern civilization. On top of growth for new infrastructure, we in this inconvenient world need to keep what we have working for the cry babies out there who take going to the mall and getting a bite to eat, and using the public restrooms for granted as if they just appeared one day for your personal convenience.

people who believe, that spending money on cars, toys, food, and travel is the only way to stimulate the economy, you people need to wake up, from your fanatsy life! weather you are a dem or a repub, understand this, without infrastructure in place, like water,, sewer ,surface water mangement, roads bridges, that supply the route to your malls and houses you will be living like they did in the 1800's is that the way you really want to live? Going potty in the out house?, burning wood for heat, cooking with wood fire's? growing your own food? canning your own vegitalbles?, dipping water out of the well? traveling by horse and buggy? Infrastrucutre is the way it has to be, not by choice, but by the demand of modern civilization. On top of growth for new infrastructure, we in this inconvient world need to keep what we have working for the cry babies outthere who take going to the mall and geeting a bite to eat, and using the public restrooms for granted as if they just appeared one day for your personal convieience.

Arnold is the WORST Governor in California history. He's a tool of Wall St whose job is to run up a debt. (Wall St gets rich from the interest payments on the debt.). At the same time he won't sign any budget unless there are DEEP cuts in K-12 education. The media won't say anything truthful about his Reign of Error because his wife is a Kennedy cousin who used to work in the media. I hope Obama and Congress give nothing to Arnold and send any stimulus money directly to the Mayors. Arnold would just give it all to his corporate campaign contributors.

Arnold=The Dubya of the West.

hey arnold, good thinking there, a sane direction...............

LOL @ MartinCopernicus, classic!

@ Narxist... please provide some empirical evidence... perhaps employment statistics of those increasingly rare engineers that already have their skills booked at 100% capacity. With the unemployment rates of what many are calling the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, I find it hard to believe that we are just fresh out of engineers.

And as for those cushy air-conditioned jobs keeping laborers from working on these projects... I suppose you have a point, A/C and $8.50 an hour does sound like a sweet deal!! Forget making twice that much + benefits in the public sector, they don't have A/C! I would much rather work in a mall dealing with crappy customers than actually make some real income. Or maybe I would rather stand on my feet in a restaurant all day serving customers and hoping they leave a good tip because the hourly pay sure as hell sucks... or how about $8.50/hour to load/unload trucks in a warehouse all day. Sweet! Though they don't have A/C either- because it's a warehouse, you see.

Kudos for that piss-poor argument.