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How would you pay to fix our infrastructure problem?

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independentusa

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Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
 
Obama promised all these shovel ready jobs and only shoveled manure for 8 years
 
gulfman said:
Obama promised all these shovel ready jobs and only shoveled manure for 8 years
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You do remember that in his first term he passed the ACA which is very popular with a majority of Americans. He tried in his second term to start paying for infrastructure projects but Moscow Mitch held them up and when he finally got one approved, trump stopped the Federal Funds for the project when he came into office. SO the one show stinks here is Moscow Mitch an your favorite master Trump.
 
I would require that a mile of comparable road be permanently removed for every new mile of road built. I would put an additional 5% federal income tax on payrolls of anybody working in urban areas with more than 100K people.
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
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- The US has a spending problem. Increasing revenue helps, but spending has to be controlled. Even if your idea on how to pay for it was budget neutral, it does not take away that the Feds are borrowing about 40% of what it spends today. The debt would continue to grow.

I can agree it would not hurt to roll back the tax changes done under the Trump administration.
 
mike2810 said:
- The US has a spending problem. Increasing revenue helps, but spending has to be controlled. Even if your idea on how to pay for it was budget neutral, it does not take away that the Feds are borrowing about 40% of what it spends today. The debt would continue to grow.

I can agree it would not hurt to roll back the tax changes done under the Trump administration.
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Whatever happened to the balanced budget Amendment people used to talk about?

I am heartily opposed to deficit spending. I am heartily opposed to constant "borrowing" from the Fed, which increases inflation. I am also heartily opposed to increased taxation to cover giveaways our government should not be dealing in.

That's one thing I like about Rand Paul, his stand on a balanced budget.

If you want to improve infrastructure, which I agree is an important function of government, then makes sure it's within a budget and the money is used only for that purpose.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Whatever happened to the balanced budget Amendment people used to talk about?

I am heartily opposed to deficit spending. I am heartily opposed to constant "borrowing" from the Fed, which increases inflation. I am also heartily opposed to increased taxation to cover giveaways our government should not be dealing in.

That's one thing I like about Rand Paul, his stand on a balanced budget.

If you want to improve infrastructure, which I agree is an important function of government, then makes sure it's within a budget and the money is used only for that purpose.
Click to expand...

What I find interesting with the OP plan is hitting the "rich" and corporations. Seems AOC wants the rich to pay for her plans. Seems many politicians running for President want the rich and corporation money. Bottom line, the rich and corporations cannot pay for infrastructure, health care, food for all, schools, etc.

The US has a spending problem that has been growing for years. What the Feds and States need to do is balance their budgets. Not all programs are going to get all they want and not all programs can continue.

Besides some tax reform maybe we need to raise the gas tax. I know the gas tax would hit everyone, but it could be one source of revenue. I agree that if a tax is raised to fund infrastructure than it need to go for that. Congress is too easily distracted and use targeted funds for other things.
 
How about stop spending money on stupid **** and actually spend it on infrastructure? And tightly define infrastructure as well...roads and bridges...not trolley cars, bike paths, and walking bridges.

I already pay wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much taxes, thousands and thousands...months of work every year goes to nothing but paying the government to waste my ****ing money. Lower my taxes and leave me the hell alone.
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
Click to expand...

What, exactly, is "the project"? It seems that a large part of the "infrastructure" problem which most are concerned about are roads and bridges (some of them within the interstate highway system) needing repair and/or upgrades. That would seem best addressed by raising the state/federal excise tax on motor fuel and not diverting so much of that revenue to "mass transit" projects to serve local commuters/shoppers.

It seems that whenever these "infrastructure" mega-bills (increasing federal spending by over $1T?) get cobbled together it simply becomes a pork fest with every representative ensuring that some "fair share" gets directed to a "project" in their district to assure their vote in support of that massive new federal spending.

It is also rather odd that new federal spending is said to require increased federal tax revenue to pay for it, while old federal spending does not (and never did). Why not start the (new?) "budget" sanity process by actually raising federal revenue to pay for that "old" federal spending (now about $22T behind at last glance)? After that is done then perhaps there would be more popular and thus congressional support for your new project.
 
independentusa said:
You do remember that in his first term he passed the ACA which is very popular with a majority of Americans.
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Obama passes the ACA BARELY by the skin of his teeth, by zero votes to spare, weakened by compromise, with huge public opposition, the tea party going to town halls so Congress couldn't even have town halls, and resulting in a landslide win for Republicans taking over both houses of Congress the next election. Just as Pelosi said, it took it being enacted for people to see past Republican lies and come to appreciate it.
 
mike2810 said:
What I find interesting with the OP plan is hitting the "rich" and corporations. Seems AOC wants the rich to pay for her plans. Seems many politicians running for President want the rich and corporation money. Bottom line, the rich and corporations cannot pay for infrastructure, health care, food for all, schools, etc.

The US has a spending problem that has been growing for years.
Click to expand...

Spending on WHAT?

What we have is a massive inequality problem that has been growing for 40 years. We need to reverse that - for the rich to get less and everyone else to get more. That's not only a 'zero sum game', but results in more growth as well. High inequality hurts growth, hurts opportunity, increases social costs.

Where we need to cut spending is on 'corrupt spending' and waste, but that doesn't mean what Republicans think. It means things like the corrupt military industry especially. It means attacking our massively excessive debt with its huge interest payments, DESIGNED to bankrupt our government as the "starve the beast" policy begun with Reagan.

The Progressive Caucus writes a budget every year that attacks these issues. I'd say it's highly likely you have never read it. It balances the budget faster than the actual, the Republican, OR the Democratic budgets. The problem isn't how to fix this, it's people not trying to.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Whatever happened to the balanced budget Amendment people used to talk about?

I am heartily opposed to deficit spending. I am heartily opposed to constant "borrowing" from the Fed, which increases inflation. I am also heartily opposed to increased taxation to cover giveaways our government should not be dealing in.

That's one thing I like about Rand Paul, his stand on a balanced budget.

If you want to improve infrastructure, which I agree is an important function of government, then makes sure it's within a budget and the money is used only for that purpose.
Click to expand...

Federal spending is popular while federal taxation is not - congress critters like to be popular.
 
Craig234 said:
Spending on WHAT?

What we have is a massive inequality problem that has been growing for 40 years. We need to reverse that - for the rich to get less and everyone else to get more. That's not only a 'zero sum game', but results in more growth as well. High inequality hurts growth, hurts opportunity, increases social costs.

Where we need to cut spending is on 'corrupt spending' and waste, but that doesn't mean what Republicans think. It means things like the corrupt military industry especially. It means attacking our massively excessive debt with its huge interest payments, DESIGNED to bankrupt our government as the "starve the beast" policy begun with Reagan.

The Progressive Caucus writes a budget every year that attacks these issues. I'd say it's highly likely you have never read it. It balances the budget faster than the actual, the Republican, OR the Democratic budgets. The problem isn't how to fix this, it's people not trying to.
Click to expand...

Income redistribution is always the "progressive" answer. In a post allegedly about having less government spending that (bolded above) idea sure does seem to call for more government spending.
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
Click to expand...

Well, CA is not waiting around for Trump

New Funding for California Infrastructure Projects | Rebuild SoCal
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
Click to expand...

The first thing I would do is take an angle grinder to this place... Access Denied ...and remove half of their 3 million employees...maybe even grind away a couple entire departments.

Next, I would support Trump public/private plan for funding infrastructure problems.

Oh? You are asking, "What public/private plan?" Yeah...I'm not surprised. As usual, the media doesn't talk about stuff that Trump proposes. Well, you can find out more about it here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/INFRASTRUCTURE-211.pdf

Problem solved.
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
Click to expand...

You guys have the same answer for everything: tax the rich. How about we tax the people who use the infrastructure. User fees are the only real just form of taxation anyway. You want to fix our infrastructure? Raise the money through a gas tax and use the money for these specific improvements only. Does that mean people like you will have to contribute to the improvements? Yes, sorry, it does.
 
Fletch said:
You guys have the same answer for everything: tax the rich. How about we tax the people who use the infrastructure. User fees are the only real just form of taxation anyway. You want to fix our infrastructure? Raise the money through a gas tax and use the money for these specific improvements only. Does that mean people like you will have to contribute to the improvements? Yes, sorry, it does.
Click to expand...

Tax the poor. Conservative answer to everything.
 
Mycroft said:
The first thing I would do is take an angle grinder to this place... Access Denied ...and remove half of their 3 million employees...maybe even grind away a couple entire departments.

Next, I would support Trump public/private plan for funding infrastructure problems.

Oh? You are asking, "What public/private plan?" Yeah...I'm not surprised. As usual, the media doesn't talk about stuff that Trump proposes. Well, you can find out more about it here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/INFRASTRUCTURE-211.pdf

Problem solved.
Click to expand...

As usual, all a Trumpette is capable of is blaming. Like your deity.

That's leadership?
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
Click to expand...

It has to start by reducing significantly the WAR budget. The Military Offense budget is horrendous and has resulted in 20 million deaths since WWII. The Empire wants to run the World or more correctly, the Corporate Oligarchs push that position to maintain spending on MIC pork barrel crap. Rich men start wars, and the poor people's children fight wars. Same old story and it is always wrong. Drug wars, terror wars, hot wars, cold wars, rumored wars, covert wars, resource wars, etc. all pushed by the MSM to create a climate of fear. Not a real frear, but the perception of fear. Perception management a/k/a brainwashing. You can't build local LOCAL infrastructure and pursue agendas of war. The USA is starting the wars, not preventing the wars. That's the problem. the Huggggeeeee MIC is not a trickle down behemoth, but a monster that sucks up the Nations patrimony.
/
 
independentusa said:
You do remember that in his first term he passed the ACA which is very popular with a majority of Americans. He tried in his second term to start paying for infrastructure projects but Moscow Mitch held them up and when he finally got one approved, trump stopped the Federal Funds for the project when he came into office. SO the one show stinks here is Moscow Mitch an your favorite master Trump.
Click to expand...
Thats quite a bit of revisionist history youre using

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Wikipedia

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
independentusa said:
Everybody knows we have a really bad problem with our infrastructure and it is getting worse. We need more than a trillion dollars just to fix the most serious deficits. So what do you suggest doing to pay for this problem?
Here is my solution. First get rid of the Trump tax cuts and force a minimum tax on corporations that make a profit. This will force the wealthy who in the end get the most out of an improved infrastructure as it helps the business of doing in this country and what is god for business is good for the wealthy and the corporations. Then I would place a two percent tax to enable us to sell infrastructure bonds backed by the US to raise more funds for the project. I have read this would enable us alone to raise 500 billion dollars. This part of the plan would cause everyone to help pay for the project, including those who might not contribute through the Federal Income tax. These two changes would raise over 1 trillion dollars to be put into starting to fix our infrastructure that needs it so badly.
Click to expand...

I agree with your point--we need to address our crumbling infrastructure. From where will the funds come?

There are many options, including what some call a financial transaction tax applied to the gamblers in the stock market.

But to keep things in perspective, best accounting practices and audits show the Pentagon to be "missing" $22Trillion, by luck the same figure as the National Debt.

The amount of money utterly wasted on the Global War Of Terror would fund all sorts of programs for infrastructure improvement and Medicare for all.
 
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