Building Or Repairing US Infrastucture

This blogger agrees with Socialist President Obama on one key issue.   We do need to build or repair US infrastructure.   Some of our airports look like they are in the third world.   No doubt, there are highways and bridges that need repair or remodeling.  Aging water and sewer systems need to be rebuilt.  Many public schools need remodeling or repair.   Of course, this is the case because of government mismanagement for years; but it is what it is.  High speed trains may make sense in some locations; but those projects should be cost justified.  We need to add to our power grid to make sure that no city goes dark.  Where this blogger differs with Socialist President Obama is how to pay for building, or repairing our infrastructure. 

President Obama wants to raise taxes on the "rich" to pay for these infrastructure projects and all his Socialist Schemes.   That would be counterproductive and will only kill jobs.   Raising taxes is not the answer.   In fact, we should cut taxes and regulations to stimulate economic growth and job creation in our country.    There are much better places to find the money to fund infrastructure projects.   First, let's start with imposing a hiring freeze and thereby cutting 500,000 civilian federal government employees, out of the current 2.65 million, by normal attrition, in the next five years.   This will cause the elimination of redundancy as wasteful programs, agencies,  commissions and departments will thereby have to be consolidated.  Second, let's bring compensation and benefits for government employees in line with the private sector.   This will reduce employment cost over the next five years by 20 - 40% since government employees receive much more than is common in the private sector.   This should be happening at all levels of government and then this savings could go into infrastructure development creating millions of jobs. 

And, yes, this blogger would raise tax revenues going to the federal government by implementing a 50 year energy plan to make the United States energy independent within 10 years.   This means the development of all energy sources including more oil drilling in the US, nuclear, clean coal, natural gas and oil shale along with renewables; solar, wind and bio-fuels.   The federal government would generate trillions of dollars in new taxes, in the next ten years, if all our energy sources were developed.  All of this can be done with reasonable environmental standards.  

Energy development should be fast tracked, not only to create millions of jobs; but to make energy cheap.    Since energy is necessary to all pursuits, cheaper energy will bring down the cost of doing business in the US allowing for more job creation.  If combined with corporate tax reform, we might even see some manufacturing jobs brought back to the US.  We also need to make sure that gas taxes are actually going to build, or repair highways instead of other social programs. 

Next, it is time to sell US land assets both to raise cash and to stimulate development.   The 10,000 employee Federal Bureau of Land Management manages hundreds of millions of acres of open land in 26 mostly Western states.   These lands are not national parks or forests; but rather lands that can be used for ranching, farming, mining, energy resources and other forms of development.   As a side benefit to selling off these lands, the Bureau of Land Management staff could be cut proportionately to save even more money.  Selling a good part of these land assets would generate billions, if not trillions of dollars for the federal government.   Some of this money should be used to pay down the National Debt and to fund future Medicare and Social Security liabilities.  At the same time, if these lands were privately owned,  they would be subject to local property taxes that could be used for state infrastructure projects, or other state services. 

We do need to get entitlements under control to free up monies for infrastructure projects and to deal with the National Debt.   Medicare should be means tested, which is already happening.   Those like this blogger that can afford to pay higher premiums should do so when the time comes.   The retirement age to receive full Social Security benefits, for those under 55, should be raised to 68 years old because people are living so much longer.   Medicaid should be block granted to the states at amounts that are affordable.   We must secure our border to stop the drugs, Terrorists and illegal aliens that are coming into our country and costing both state and federal governments billions of dollars each year to provide various services and support.   We simply cannot continue to be Mexico's welfare system.  

Yes, we do need to build or repair US infrastructure; but not in accordance with Obama's Socialist deficit spending, or tax increase plans.   Socialists like President Obama just don't get it perhaps because they have never worked in the private sector.   Every year businesses must prioritize to stay in business.  It is time for the federal government to prioritize.   Socialists at all levels of government are simply incapable of managing our money, or our assets, which is the reason we must sweep them out of office in 2012 and 2014.   The only thing Socialist understand is higher taxes and deficit spending.   Of course,  Socialists will not cut government employees, even if by attrition, because they need those dues paying union members to support their election campaigns.  Socialists are caught in this vicious cycle of corruption. 

We have to take back our country in 2012 and 2014 to rebuild our nation the right way.   To do it, we must elect common sense, rock solid, conservatives that support free market capitalism, limited government, lower taxes and less regulation, a balanced budget, term limits, real education, energy, health care and entitlement reform, a strong national defense, including fighting Terrorism and securing our border, the right to bear arms, the sanctity of life and family values that are the foundation of our nation.   This is the platform supported by the majority of the American people and the only way to restore economic growth and job creation. 

We have seen three years of Obama and all his Socialist Schemes that have failed to create jobs and have only created poverty and misery.   As a result, Obama and all his Socialist pals in Congress have to go in 2012 and 2014.   We have to clean out the barn to get rid of the smell and corruption in Washington.  We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   We can rebuild our country and create millions of jobs; but it will not happen as long as Socialists remain in office.