Trump administration set to unveil $1 trillion infrastructure proposal in 2018

[Cyber Liberty]

My brother in law is a road construction engineer.

He tells me that under the Obama administration infrastructure program, cities, counties and states took the Federal money to pay for projects that were already planned and financed by local funding. The local funding that was earmarked for infrastructure was then spent on teacher's pensions, which are in deep trouble.

IOW, the Obama infrastructure program paid for underfunded government pensions.

I sincerely hope that the Trump program will have far greater oversight.

That is certainly the way I saw it at the time.  For what was spent, we should have had a couple hundred Hoover Dams built by now.

[Cyber Liberty]

So let's increase spending under Trump because he knows how to spend it better than anybody else.  /s

equally predictable

I'm pretty sure that if Trump had his druthers, the money would be better spent than it was when Obastard was in charge (the Executive has a lot of say on how this money gets distributed).  The question is, do we really know Trump's druthers, and will he get them if they're good?

Also pretty sure the money wouldn't get pissed away by shoring up State Worker Pensions this time.

[endicom]

Brings to mind a nearly 20 YO quote from Trump:

https://www.snopes.com/1998-trump-people-quote/

https://www.truthorfiction.com/donald-trump-said-republicans-are-the-dumbest-group-of-voters/

[RoosGirl]

I'm pretty sure that if Trump had his druthers, the money would be better spent than it was when Obastard was in charge (the Executive has a lot of say on how this money gets distributed).  The question is, do we really know Trump's druthers, and will he get them if they're good?

Pretty sure the money wouldn't get pissed away on shoring up State Worker Pensions this time.

That's probably right about the money not going to pensions.  That doesn't mean the money talked about in this article necessarily needs to be spent at all.  But the absurdity of the comment that I was responding to is why I made my comment as absurd as it was.

[Cyber Liberty]

That's probably right about the money not going to pensions.  That doesn't mean the money talked about in this article necessarily needs to be spent at all.  But the absurdity of the comment that I was responding to is why I made my comment as absurd as it was.

Yes, I thought that's what it was, which is why I did some editing of my comment after I considered all the "/s" flying about.   

[kidd]

But, if there’s one thing Donald Trump knows better than anything else, it’s construction.

Trump's construction experience is indeed significant, but it was related to real estate development.
I believe his experience will have some relevance to public works, once a specific set of dollars have been assigned to a specific project.
But unless Trump is going to micro-manage a trillion dollars worth of work, that experience will be largely irrelevant.

I'm a little concerned how many Federal dollars earmarked for infrastructure will actually be used for previously unfunded infrastructure projects.
My concern comes from how infrastructure funding was abused under the Obama administration, not from anything that Trump has done. Trump is more transparent than Obama, but there is nothing in Trump's experience that assures me that the same abuses will not occur this time. The swamp has NOT been drained and, for the most part, the same State and Federal agencies are in tact from the Obama administration.

Instead of block grants to the states, any infrastructure bill has to specify exactly what it will be spent for (for example, $100 million for I-95 bridge repairs, $20 million for Atlanta airport electricity distribution, etc). The problem with getting specific with projects will be with how the individual congressmen view what they think is a fair share of the pie for their state.

[kidd]

https://www.snopes.com/1998-trump-people-quote/

https://www.truthorfiction.com/donald-trump-said-republicans-are-the-dumbest-group-of-voters/

Thanks for the links.

I thought it was odd that Trump would comment on Fox News viewers in 1998, when Fox News was really new and had pretty poor availability.
In 1998, Fox News was about as well known as the One America News Network is now.

[Cyber Liberty]

Trump's construction experience is indeed significant, but it was related to real estate development.
I believe his experience will have some relevance to public works, once a specific set of dollars have been assigned to a specific project.
But unless Trump is going to micro-manage a trillion dollars worth of work, that experience will be largely irrelevant.

I'm a little concerned how many Federal dollars earmarked for infrastructure will actually be used for previously unfunded infrastructure projects.
My concern comes from how infrastructure funding was abused under the Obama administration, not from anything that Trump has done. Trump is more transparent than Obama, but there is nothing in Trump's experience that assures me that the same abuses will not occur this time. The swamp has NOT been drained and, for the most part, the same State and Federal agencies are in tact from the Obama administration.

Instead of block grants to the states, any infrastructure bill has to specify exactly what it will be spent for (for example, $100 million for I-95 bridge repairs, $20 million for Atlanta airport electricity distribution, etc). The problem with getting specific with projects will be with how the individual congressmen view what they think is a fair share of the pie for their state.

I agree 100% with what you said there.  Obastard's "stimulus plan" was Louisiana's pre-Katrina flood control system fiasco writ large.  That Trillion bucks was pissed away, and it was by design (which is why Obastard literally laughed at the term "shovel ready."  Shovel?).  As you say, the difficult part will be getting specific things from a Congress who will see it as the biggest pork opportunity to come down the pike in years, and fight for their piece of the pie.  Doesn't matter one Dingo's kidney which Party is running the show.

[Night Hides Not]

https://www.snopes.com/1998-trump-people-quote/

https://www.truthorfiction.com/donald-trump-said-republicans-are-the-dumbest-group-of-voters/

Looks like I was had. Thanks for posting the correction. Hell, Trump's been all over the place on issues, it sounded believable.  My bad.

[Cyber Liberty]

Thanks for the links.

I thought it was odd that Trump would comment on Fox News viewers in 1998, when Fox News was really new and had pretty poor availability.
In 1998, Fox News was about as well known as the One America News Network is now.

I think that's why Fox  News was selected as the target by the meme creator...hardly anybody heard it to dispute it.  That and it sullies both Trump and Fox, making it a Two-fer.

[endicom]

Thanks for the links.

I thought it was odd that Trump would comment on Fox News viewers in 1998, when Fox News was really new and had pretty poor availability.
In 1998, Fox News was about as well known as the One America News Network is now.

It wasn't hard to check out, either.

[aligncare]

Trump's construction experience is indeed significant, but it was related to real estate development.
I believe his experience will have some relevance to public works, once a specific set of dollars have been assigned to a specific project.
But unless Trump is going to micro-manage a trillion dollars worth of work, that experience will be largely irrelevant.

I'm a little concerned how many Federal dollars earmarked for infrastructure will actually be used for previously unfunded infrastructure projects.
My concern comes from how infrastructure funding was abused under the Obama administration, not from anything that Trump has done. Trump is more transparent than Obama, but there is nothing in Trump's experience that assures me that the same abuses will not occur this time. The swamp has NOT been drained and, for the most part, the same State and Federal agencies are in tact from the Obama administration.

Instead of block grants to the states, any infrastructure bill has to specify exactly what it will be spent for (for example, $100 million for I-95 bridge repairs, $20 million for Atlanta airport electricity distribution, etc). The problem with getting specific with projects will be with how the individual congressmen view what they think is a fair share of the pie for their state.

Trump has already looked into one federal construction disaster:

Colorado VA hospital $1 billion over budget

Mar 18, 2015 - DENVER — The new Veterans Affairs hospital under construction in Aurora, Colo., is now expected to cost $1 billion more than budgeted. In a briefing to Colorado's congressional delegation, VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson said the new estimated cost for the medical facility will ...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/18/colorado-va-hospital-over-budget/24964551/

###

VA warned repeatedly about cost overruns of $1.7 billion Aurora hospital

Newly-released investigation into VA overruns details leadership failures as aesthetics were put above price

Sep 21, 2016 - Construction continues on the new VA Hospital on the Fitzsimons campus June 15, 2016. ... construction chief at the time, knew the project was “moving toward significantly exceeding the budget” but ...

https://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/21/aurora-va-officials-warned-repeatedly/

###

I have confidence President Trump will take great interest in future infrastructure costs and overruns.

[RoosGirl]

I think that's why Fox  News was selected as the target by the meme creator...hardly anybody heard it to dispute it.  That and it sullies both Trump and Fox, making it a Two-fer.

I'm pretty sure that's a still of Trump from an Oprah Winfrey interview.  He had on that same horrid purple suit, pink shirt and maroon tie.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs17_AkTI

[Cyber Liberty]

I have confidence President Trump will take great interest in future infrastructure costs and overruns.

I don't know if I would say "confidence," because that would imply trust and I don't trust any of them.  That said, I do believe Trump will do a far better job of seeing to it infrastructure projects actually get built, on time and on budget, than any Democrat.  Especially Obastard.

Meanwhile, the Democrats will scream even louder than usual about Trump's "corrupt cronies."  It's what they do.

[RoosGirl]

I don't know if I would say "confidence," because that would imply trust and I don't trust any of them.  That said, I do believe Trump will do a far better job of seeing to it infrastructure projects actually get built, on time and on budget, than any Democrat.  Especially Obastard.

Meanwhile, the Democrats will scream even louder than usual about Trump's "corrupt cronies."  It's what they do.

Yeah, they hate the competition.

[Cyber Liberty]

I'm pretty sure that's a still of Trump from an Oprah Winfrey interview.  He had on that same horrid purple suit, pink shirt and maroon tie.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs17_AkTI

That's 100% for sure where the picture came from.  I know my stage microphones from that era, and he's wearing the same one from the interview as in that picture in the meme.

[Cyber Liberty]

Yeah, they hate the competition.

Perzackly.

[truth_seeker]

Looks like I was had. Thanks for posting the correction. Hell, Trump's been all over the place on issues, it sounded believable.  My bad.

But have you repented and vowed to sin no more?

[corbe]

                                             Coming to a community near you.

 

[RoosGirl]

                                             Coming to a community near you.

 

Can I get a prime rib dinner there?

[aligncare]

I don't know if I would say "confidence," because that would imply trust and I don't trust any of them.  That said, I do believe Trump will do a far better job of seeing to it infrastructure projects actually get built, on time and on budget, than any Democrat.  Especially Obastard.

Meanwhile, the Democrats will scream even louder than usual about Trump's "corrupt cronies."  It's what they do.

“I don’t trust any of them.” ...meaning politicians, right?

Curious, do you see Trump as a politician? And if so, do you place him in the same category as other career politicians?

I don’t view Trump as a politician at all.

[Night Hides Not]

But have you repented and vowed to sin no more?

 

I'll give POTUS first crack to repent.

[GtHawk]

So where is all this money going to come from?

[Sanguine]

I don't want to see any increases in spending, much less in the trillions, until we make some significant progress in getting our obscene overspending under control.

[Cyber Liberty]

“I don’t trust any of them.” ...meaning politicians, right?

Curious, do you see Trump as a politician? And if so, do you place him in the same category as other career politicians?

I don’t view Trump as a politician at all.

Fair questions.  Do I see Trump as a politician?  Yes, he is now, by the same choice as everybody else who has ever run for a public office.  Do I place him in the same category as other politicians?  I don't know.  I would say "No" if he were to announce he's not running for reelection.  It's the reelections that turn politicians into ossified slime mold.

I'm sorry, but I'm a very cynical person when it comes to politicians.  I've been personally lied to too often.  But really, this topic is a little different that this Q&A between you and I.  Do I think Trump could make a more effective use of an infrastructure bill than other Presidents have?  You betcha.