Transportation & Infrastructure (March 2010)

Without a champion in President Dwight Eisenhower, America might never have built the Interstate highway system. And even though today some parts of the system sometimes look more like a mall parking lot on Christmas Eve, where would we be without the 46,876 miles of super highway?

Congress is often attacked for “earmarking” taxpayers’ dollars.  Some of that criticism has been deserved, notably when lawmakers have earmarked projects behind closed doors or airdropped late projects in during conference committees.

Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) launched a filibuster last week that temporarily stopped the extension of federal unemployment benefits and blocked spending on federal transportation projects. The blogosphere praised and vilified Bunning, while Democrats and Republicans alike denounced his obstreperous behavior.

The economy remains the No. 1 issue in the minds of most Americans and they are searching for something that will revitalize it. But at the same time they are worried about too much government spending and a growing federal deficit.

The success of the Recovery Act and the promise of the HIRE Act mean good news for infrastructure and jobs.

America has the greatest freight rail network in the world. Our system is the most efficient of its kind, and relies on virtually no subsidies from the federal government. Over a century ago, America’s railroads ushered in the great advancements in industry, which sparked America’s emergence as an economic power on the world stage. America’s railroads revolutionized transportation, gave promise to freedom of movement, and made business more efficient.