Public Worx suggestion

[fmullegun]

Build a border wall

1. Has support of the country majority, could get many conservatives on Obama's side.

2. With major public works we will see the public damanding bridges to nowhere, at least this will provide better function than that

3. Unemployment is speculated to hit double digit numbers. The myth of a labor shortage in the USA is OVER!

4. Security has become an issue with the current barriers. The recent shootings have shown that more is needed.

[glynch]

The wall is not needed. With less jobs the immigrants are not coming. Birthrates are slowing in Mexico. So sorry immigrant bashing did not help the GOP in the last election.

No need for Obama to attempt to appeal to haters.

[Rashmon]

Build a border wall
...

Great idea.

Keeping those yahoos from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico out of Texas has been a goal of mine for a long time.

[rimrocker]

Great idea.

Keeping those yahoos from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico out of Texas has been a goal of mine for a long time.

You know, during the Great Depression, California started building a wall to secure its borders from migrating Okies.

[juicystream]

Great idea.

Keeping those yahoos from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico out of Texas has been a goal of mine for a long time.

Maybe we build it just around Dallas and keep them out. :p

On a serious note, it is better than just sending out checks to people again. I wonder what projects we will see.

[Major]

Bridges and improved schools and investment in green tech all are things that help increase economic potential over the long-term. I'm not sure a wall does that.

[DaDakota]

Bridges and improved schools and investment in green tech all are things that help increase economic potential over the long-term. I'm not sure a wall does that.

No doubt a wall is a worthless piece of work......easily tunneled under.

We need to educate this country and move into alternative fuels more than worry about closing our borders.

Let em all in...who cares.

DD

[Invisible Fan]

Bridges and improved schools and investment in green tech all are things that help increase economic potential over the long-term. I'm not sure a wall does that.

If we build a Great enough Wall, in the long long long term, tourists would flock to it and pay money to walk on it.

[Rashmon]

Bridges and improved schools and investment in green tech all are things that help increase economic potential over the long-term. I'm not sure a wall does that.

Agreed.

Infrastructure, education, and environmental green technology.

I wouldn't mind seeing investment in the health care field thrown into the mix in some fashion.

How? I have no clue. But with the expected expansion in coverage for millions, we need to be ready.

[Rocket River]

1. Internet Infrastructure - Internet companies are trying to make us pay for high use users . . .meanwhile in Japan they getting like 30MBS downloads. . . yea that is too *****ing kewl
2. Roads and Bridges - Simple enough . . who would go against this?
3. PLUMBING - our water is becoming undrinkable - should not have to pay for water in planetkilling plastic bottles! :mad: The water lobby will fight this.
4. TRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE!! - Time to go bullet train. Airlines will fight this but it aint like they have been the penacles of solvency and reliability

Rocket River

[Air Langhi]

Agreed.

Infrastructure, education, and environmental green technology.

I wouldn't mind seeing investment in the health care field thrown into the mix in some fashion.

How? I have no clue. But with the expected expansion in coverage for millions, we need to be ready.

If everyone has a college degree than the value of the degree goes down. Then they will start requiring advanced degrees. Why waste money on green technologies when nuclear can provide all the energy we need. Despite everyones complaining infrastructure, it isn't that bad.

There is no real easy solution just buzz words people like think that will magically solve their problems.

[Invisible Fan]

If everyone has a college degree than the value of the degree goes down. Then they will start requiring advanced degrees. Why waste money on green technologies when nuclear can provide all the energy we need. Despite everyones complaining infrastructure, it isn't that bad.

There is no real easy solution just buzz words people like think that will magically solve their problems.

Because nuclear plants, as they are designed now, cost billions that the taxpayer subsidizes and there are legitimate security issues regarding the storage of waste or reusable material. It takes a long time to build and by the time costs are sunk, we are constrained to yesterday's technology. If the progress of wind, biofuels, solar and other alternatives were stagnant , there could be a stronger case for nuclear.

Plus, it's a backdoor for any nuclear power wannabe to dabble in the technology without breaking the NPT.

[FranchiseBlade]

If everyone has a college degree than the value of the degree goes down. Then they will start requiring advanced degrees. Why waste money on green technologies when nuclear can provide all the energy we need. Despite everyones complaining infrastructure, it isn't that bad.

There is no real easy solution just buzz words people like think that will magically solve their problems.It shouldn't be about the degree having or losing value in a job market. That might happen. But more importantly than that is that more people would be better educated.

That's a no lose situation.

[fmullegun]

4. TRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE!! - Time to go bullet train. Airlines will fight this but it aint like they have been the penacles of solvency and reliability

Rocket River
Bullet train to where? Just one from IAH to downtown would cost more than a wall for Texas. Japan is perfect for a bullet train because it is small and the trains A. do not need much track B. A track takes less space than a highway.

[fmullegun]

The wall is not needed. With less jobs the immigrants are not coming. Birthrates are slowing in Mexico. So sorry immigrant bashing did not help the GOP in the last election.

No need for Obama to attempt to appeal to haters.


No matter how bad it gets in the USA it is worse in Mexico. They are still coming in the millions.

[leroy420]

1. Internet Infrastructure - Internet companies are trying to make us pay for high use users . . .meanwhile in Japan they getting like 30MBS downloads. . . yea that is too *****ing kewl

Rocket River

WE NEED MORE TUBES!

Signed,

Ted Stevens

[fmullegun]

WE NEED MORE TUBES!

Signed,

Ted Stevens
http://themachineisus.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/the-internet-a-series-of-tubes.jpg

[KaiSeR SoZe]

I wanna see investments in green infrastructure and technology!

[JuanValdez]

1. Any link on a border fence having majority support among Americans?

2. While it would pay wages to workers, I don't know that it creates much economic value. So, the dollars would be good to get into the economy, it'd be better to do that while creating wealth and maximizing the investment. I would think other public works projects could have a higher NPV than building a wall.

3. A more educated work force would benefit the US vis-a-vis other countries, even if it makes the rat race between US citizens harder. The benefit in the international economy is worthwhile.

4. Nuclear power still needs research itself on how to effectively store and dispose of waste. I think that'd fall into green tech.

5. Our infrastructure is bad, imo. Even if it isn't right now, however, our rate of investment in infrastructure is too low to sustain the quality we currently have. Infrastructure will continue to get worse over time if we don't invest more in maintaining and improving it. Most investment seems to be in expanding it instead.

6. Plumbing? Most public water systems still have sufficiently clean water. The tap being unhealthy is not the reason people are buying water in bottles.

[insane man]

fixing houston potholes.

[H-town_playa2k2]

fixing houston potholes.

that would take years, Ive hit like 4 already today. Who in the hell make's these things. Can someone plz tell me why they are building a highway for Crosby.
"Were not talking about the actual game were talking bout Crosby man".


And has anyone heard of this crap?

http://i35.tinypic.com/2l8j0uf.jpg


It may look like a bridge that can go nowhere, but the walkway set to be built across Buffalo Bayou next year could become a Houston landmark, city officials insist.

Mayor Bill White on Wednesday unveiled plans for the "Tolerance Bridge," a $7 million project built with public and private funds that will connect pedestrian and bike trails along Allen Parkway with those on Memorial Drive near Montrose Boulevard.

The bridge design features a visual sleight of hand: a twisted archway at its center that from afar, project officials told City Council members, will make it appear impossible to cross. However, when pedestrians or bikers are closer, they will see the bridge is easily passable. From one vantage point, the "twisted arc" will frame the Houston skyline.

"What we found with Discovery Green is that when we invest in these high-quality public places, that it improves the property values and the living environment and quality of life all around there," White said. "So, I think great art is part of a real city."

The $4.4 million in public funds that will be directed toward the bridge and trails will come from the Memorial Heights Tax Reinvestment Zone, a board that supervises growth and infrastructure improvements with a portion of city tax collections in that area.

An additional $2.5 million will come from private fundraising and will pay for the archway, which was selected through an international artistic competition that received 54 proposals.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/heights/news/6145342.html

[OddsOn]

Build a border wall

1. Has support of the country majority, could get many conservatives on Obama's side.

2. With major public works we will see the public damanding bridges to nowhere, at least this will provide better function than that

3. Unemployment is speculated to hit double digit numbers. The myth of a labor shortage in the USA is OVER!

4. Security has become an issue with the current barriers. The recent shootings have shown that more is needed.

The only problem is that public works DON'T WORK! They didn't work when FDR tried them back in the 1930's and they certainly won't work now. They just postpoine the workers from being self reliant and resilient and finding real work, instead of government handouts....but I think thats what the dems want is people to "need" them.

[rockergordon]

We don't need a wall, we need a curtain. One made out of iron. And we need to build really impressive fake cities along the border so Mexicans get jealous.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01s64Oc2o11oA/610x.jpg

[KingCheetah]

Building massive walls to separate countries has always worked so well in the past.

[weslinder]

How about: whatever the voters want. Instead of the Federal Government spending the money, let them guarantee loans for any bond issue passed by a local or state government over the next year. Maybe even defer payments for a year or two. I trust Houstonians more to know what government they want (and are willing to pay for eventually) than Congress or the Commerce Department (or Interior, whatever).

[SamFisher]

How about: whatever the voters want. Instead of the Federal Government spending the money, let them guarantee loans for any bond issue passed by a local or state government over the next year. Maybe even defer payments for a year or two. I trust Houstonians more to know what government they want (and are willing to pay for eventually) than Congress or the Commerce Department (or Interior, whatever).

I don't. As a general matter, government by referendum tends to create a massive clusterf-k because voters aren't really accountable to themselves - see California.

[weslinder]

I don't. As a general matter, government by referendum tends to create a massive clusterf-k because voters aren't really accountable to themselves - see California.
As far as initiative and referendum goes, and the Mike Gravel government by committee utopia, I tend to agree. That's not what I'm talking about. Local governments in Texas uses bond elections to spend all kinds of capital money, and the tax increases are tied to the funding. Just let any government offer projects through bond elections to the voters, and let the Feds co-sign on the loans for CA and NYC and any other government with a ****ty credit rating.