Infrastructure Reform Pt. 1

Hey Everyone,

I thought I would take the time to do some in depth analysis of the Infrastructure bill I authored - and why the subject is important in our society. I will break this analysis down into two parts: the first of which will provide context for why Infrastructure Reform is important and what are some blocks towards achieving reform; the second part will offer policy on solutions to reform how we invest in and maintain Infrastructure. 

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Infrastructure is by no means a "sexy' subject when it comes to policy: it's quite often boring and many don't consider it a top priority compared to other initiatives such as Healthcare, Taxes, or Immigration. Therefore maintaining a strong infrastructure in our country often falls through the cracks; it is disregarded until it must absolutely be addressed by a bipartisan effort in Congress, at which time it is often too late to make any grand permanent change. 

Maintaining a strong infrastructure is critical to the well being of any nation: if our roads, bridges, ports, sewage systems, water and electric systems, or newer technological infrastructure such as IT are underfunded and neglected, we sacrifice both the safety of our citizens and the well being of our economy. 


While it is often agreed upon by both sides that we must revitalize and improve our infrastructure (as evidenced by both candidates in the 2016 election advocating for Infrastructure reforms as well as multiple bipartisan initiatives in the past), policymakers never get around to passing comprehensive legislation. 

There are several reasons for this neglect, and the biggest reason is that repairing our infrastructure is expensive. Even if congress could pass legislation which granted several hundred billion dollars to repair our infrastructure, it still wouldn't be enough. In order to fix our infrastructure and return it to its most efficient state, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that over $2 trillion would be needed over the next 10 years; this is no easy task, especially when the US Government owes $20 trillion and runs a budget deficit of  over $443 billion. 



The second reason is because policymakers must prioritize their efforts on what they believe are the most critical issues. Despite the fact that 67% of Americans say President Trump and Congress should prioritize their efforts on Infrastructure Reform, they have instead been focusing on Healthcare and Tax Reform - both of which are significantly less important according to voters. Why is it then that policymakers can't address the needs of their constituents? The truth is the GOP, who control the legislative and the executive branches, believe repealing Obamacare (a cornerstone of their policy for the last decade), reducing taxes, and limiting government intervention are more important than fixing infrastructure; the same applies to the Democrats who would rather focus on phasing out Obamacare to Universal Healthcare or strengthening Social Security and other entitlements. The drive to pass comprehensive infrastructure is not very high - the Trump administration, as one of its main goals, may push in the future for Infrastructure Reform, but the chances that this reform is meaningful and passable are slim.

In part 2, I will talk about the in-depth policy specifics of what actual Infrastructure Reform could look like. 

Thanks everyone.