Infrastructure: What are we building for our future?

August 6, 2009 · Filed Under Uncategorized 

In the spirit of openness and new challenges ahead, we are making some of our old syndicated reports available to the general public. We can use all the foresight we can get these days.

One of my favorites from the days of the Competitive Futures STEEP Report was our look at the future of infrastructure. Great empires were always defined by the great works they built, demonstrating to all their engineering genius while providing the support for economic and cultural activity that would be impossible without it. For most of the halcyon days of America’s 20th century industrial economy, you could see the nation’s investment in bridges, roads, rail, and airports weld together its disparate regions, connecting the coasts, bringing its economy to a world-class standard, launching thousands of new businesses. Our competitive advantage came largely because this was the only nation that didn’t have to rebuild following the second World War.

Today, it is difficult to see what we are building, while the rest of the world surges ahead. One looks at this development with excitement for South America and Asia, and more than a little doubt about North America.

Let us keep thinking, building a brighter future for all.

Competitive Futures STEEP Report: Infrastructure

View more documents from Eric Garland.

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  • i am continually stunned now, even in my fourth month in china, just how much infrastructure has already been created here .. villages, cities .. i can show you 20 cities with bus systems better than any american city, trains you would not believe, subways, internet, on and on ...

    frankly, america, it is too fucking late, excuse the french ..
  • It IS too late for America in many cases. I was just in Vermont, my home state. For years, I have tried to work with every level of economic development to help secure the future of a place that has been home to seven generations of my family. The general attitude has been that everything will remain strategically the same forever we just need to increase social programs (left) or cut taxes (right).

    I just went back for a long weekend, and the reality struck me - IT NO LONGER MATTERS. The place is essentially lost. My home of Rutland is literally being reclaimed by nature. Grasses are breaking through abandoned parking lots, trees and curling their slow, leafy embrace around old stores. Resort hotels lie in ruin, waiting for demolition. No amount of bandaid spending, even in the trillions will bring back the young people, revitalize agriculture, remake a functional society. As much as I cared, the decisions were made, and the results are unmistakable.

    Some places will be lost. It's the health of the people that matters ultimately.
  • Name
    What are your thoughts now that we have the stimulus money aimed at some from of public works (maybe?) ? It seems that if states are broke, and the fed. gov't is broke as well, that in the future public works and infrastructure will be more and more privatized.
  • The infrastructure of the future will be constrained due to the fact that everybody, everybody is broke. Only the federal government has the right to print money, and thus will be the only group able to undertake infrastructure projects. The "Stimulus" is technically earmarked for such projects.

    The major issue, to my mind, is that the Obama has a 1965 mindset for future infrastructure. We've been buying car companies and promising cash for roads and bridges. That was our plan in 1930 - 1970. Hey, I'm glad we have new signage on I-395 around the Capitol that shows the way to where the Nationals play baseball, but I'm not sure this is the superhighway to the future we needed. It's like Obama is trying to buttress the infrastructure of 1979 instead of anticipating the needs of the coming decades.

    I'd love to see distributed power systems, regular (!) speed rail throughout the suburbs, advanced ports, and a new scheme to connect America's future manufacturing capabilities. I'd also prefer investments in transportation for senior citizens - buses, trams, trolleys, and light rail. Such investments would prepare us for the onslaught of aging Boomers who will want to spend their money at restaurant, theatres or the doctor instead of on auto repair.

    Moreover, the Chinese are investing 9% of their GDP in such next generation projects. Forget the F-22. If you want to meet the Chinese "threat" get planning those bus routes and airports!
  • Name
    The argument for a 2nd stimulus in this case may not be a bad idea. One could argue that you could get greater investment in infrastructure that is vitally needed at a time when jobs are needed and labor is cheap.
  • Sure...but what was the first stimulus about then? If they missed it the first time, why would they get it right now? It's like they didn't even understand their own Keynesianism.
  • Name
    LOL!
  • Name
    yeah it is sad. so much time and money being wasted to simply stay where we are.
  • gregor.us
    We have the swagger of being cool and hip, but we're decidedly not cool or hip. We are quite dated now. Indeed.
  • This is when I wonder how people still get off on the USA #1!!!, "American Exceptionalism" nonsense. We are neglecting the actual needs of a nation in favor of comforting, misguided triumphalism.

    We should save the swagger for when we're doing exemplary things again. We haven't been to the moon in a long time.
  • In most of the places I visit in the world the people look at us like the big dumb kid on the block, to big to antagonize so you tolerate him but you don't respect him.
    Talk is cheap, the rah rah we're number one BS is getting stale, we need to start making stuff, and educating our children. Countries still using dirt roads are turning out scientists and engineers and we're arguing over teaching intelligent design or evolution, that's a sure way to marginalize ourselves.
  • The amount of energy dedicated to fundamentalist or purely ideological arguments could only be wasted in a country that basically perceives itself to be infallible. After all, if you had REAL challenges - infrastructure, aging populations, healthcare, education - how could you waste more than five minutes on arguing about the validity of Charles Darwin?

    In so many dialogues on the future with leaders, I have noticed that wherever the discussion is stale, you have people who simply don't believe anything bad can happen to us. There is no negative scenario considered. Bankruptcy, failure, it's not even up for discussion. Then people act surprised when the banks melt down. You simply cannot discuss the future rationally with someone who believes they are blessed by divine providence.

    The Greeks had many, many stories about people who got too full of their own press releases.
  • Name
    Absolutely.

    Kunstler just nailed it ; " Obama has been sucked in and suckered. "Change you can believe in" has morphed into "a status quo you will bend heaven and earth to hold onto." "
  • I have been thinking about Kunstler's assertion. It makes sense when you think about it. Obama's entire life has been spent proving how talented and "normal" he is despite his unusual name and ethnic background. His success stems largely from his ability to fit in almost any institution and succeed - Harvard Law School, local politics, the Senate, and finally a presidential campaign.

    Now that he has the job, he finally has license to disappoint some people, comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. Instead, he's running through his old playbook, convincing people that he's not a radical, a "good man," nobody to worry about.

    We NEED a radical. We need somebody to convince the entrenched interests that we are locked into a death spiral. Our elites are proving without a doubt that they are willing to trade a few more years at the top for the entire future of our nation. We all will pay for their unwillingness to look ahead and trade even a fraction of their influence for a chance at something better.

    True leaders see this, recognize it, and take bold action. For a while, I thought Obama might be that leader. I regret that I no longer think that.
  • me either
  • Mark Johnson
    I don't believe he has been sucked in. I believe it is vastly harder to make the kind of deals needed. Don't underestimate the financial commitment of entrenched interest to make sure the goose's golden eggs keep coming. When radical change is needed, our form of government is the wrong structure. I believe Obama's dealmaking skills are exemplary, but there are a huge number of interests willing to plant political "IED's" in his path. Don't blame him for stepping carefully.
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