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The Candidates on Infrastructure
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Statement of the issue:
As a general rule, Republican candidates tend to favor putting infrastructure into the hands of private companies, because they believe that private ownership will lead to competition, lower costs, and greater efficiency. John McCain's record reflects this belief in some places, but not in others. He has made quite a few public statements about the importance of developing the Internet; but has been quieter on issues like water, power, or transportation infrastructure.
John McCain has said that earmarks and pork-barrel spending are a haphazard and ineffective way to finance infrastructure projects, because they don't allow us to set real priorities about what investments must come first.
Source: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20080705_5580.php
Analysis – causes, assumptions
John McCain believes that government funding is often wasteful. He also doesn't like earmarking -- the practice of funding specific projects by attaching the money to Congressional bills -- because it allocates government money at the whim of individual members of Congress. However, his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, has been derided for her early support for "the Bridge to Nowhere," a $400 million bridge to an island that has only 50 residents. This has been cited everywhere as an ideal example of how earmarking doesn't always make sure our most important infrastructure needs are met first.
Evaluation -- values, criteria
It's very hard to generalize about the values and criteria John McCain uses to evaluate public policy proposals. He's been in the Senate for a very long time, and his voting record has gone several directions on this. Sometimes, he's famously departed from the conventional wisdom of his party, and taken strong stands on behalf of using government to sustain and improve infrastructure. Other times, he's kept closely to the Republican party line, which generally holds that planning and funding infrastructure isn't a business that government should be in.
Proposals – preferred outcomes, assumptions, values
"John McCain would continue to encourage private investment to facilitate the build-out of infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet connectivity all over America. However, where private industry does not answer the call because of market failures or other obstacles, John McCain believes that people acting through their local governments should be able to invest in their own future by building out infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet services."
Source: www.johnmccain.com
McCain believes that the “digital divide” requires tax credits for teacher training and equipment. He opposes a sales tax on the Internet and believes that more government documents should be available online. He also feels that transportation spending should focus on repairs. Actions: McCain voted AGAINST telecom deregulation (1996), FOR an internet sales tax moratorium (1998), AGAINST disallowing FCC approval of large media conglomerates (2003), and AGAINST restoring $550 million in funding for Amtrak (2006).
Source: www.issue2008.com
Barack Obama
Statement of the issue
In general, Democratic candidates believe that the government should take a leading role in driving new infrastructure development, because it can take a longer view and set different priorities than market forces might. Furthermore, they believe that government investments in infrastructure have positive effects on the overall economy, because building them creates jobs in the short run and makes more business activity possible over the long term.
From the campaign website:
Analysis – causes, assumptions
Barack Obama believes that rebuilding our infrastructure is one important thing we can do to help our economic situation. He agrees with John McCain that rebuilding America's infrastructure is critical to keeping the country competitive in the world.
Evaluation -- values, criteria
Obama, like most Democrats, believes that government has a central role to play in rebuilding new infrastructure. Private ownership of important infrastructure tends to increase economic inequality, which Obama is against. On the other hand, government investment in new technologies can help create new industries that will help America's economy by providing good jobs, producing goods for export, reducing the costs of doing business, and increasing the amount of taxes government can collect from healthy businesses.
Proposals – preferred outcomes, assumptions, values
Obama has proposed using the money saved from an early ending to the Iraq war to create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank, which would allocate $60 billion over 10 years. He has also proposed "an Apollo program" (perhaps like that developed by the Apollo Alliance) that would make American independent from Middle East oil in ten years, and has talked about the need to rebuild the American economy on carbon-free energy sources. He also believes that we should invest more in transportation and clean coal technology.
Source: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20080705_5580.php
In 2006, Obama voted AGAINST restoring $550 million in funding for Amtrak.
Source: www.issue2008.com
Both the presidential candidates acknowledge that America is falling behind in maintaining and developing its infrastructure; and that this needs to change. However, they have deep philosophical differences about how that should happen. To hear more from each campaign, in their own words:
- Google's keyword search Hear the Candidate speak: Enter "infrastructure." Select Obama or Biden.
- On The Issues.org Choose "Issues" from the top tab.
John McCain
Statement of the issue:
As a general rule, Republican candidates tend to favor putting infrastructure into the hands of private companies, because they believe that private ownership will lead to competition, lower costs, and greater efficiency. John McCain's record reflects this belief in some places, but not in others. He has made quite a few public statements about the importance of developing the Internet; but has been quieter on issues like water, power, or transportation infrastructure.
John McCain has said that earmarks and pork-barrel spending are a haphazard and ineffective way to finance infrastructure projects, because they don't allow us to set real priorities about what investments must come first.
Source: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20080705_5580.php
Analysis – causes, assumptions
John McCain believes that government funding is often wasteful. He also doesn't like earmarking -- the practice of funding specific projects by attaching the money to Congressional bills -- because it allocates government money at the whim of individual members of Congress. However, his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, has been derided for her early support for "the Bridge to Nowhere," a $400 million bridge to an island that has only 50 residents. This has been cited everywhere as an ideal example of how earmarking doesn't always make sure our most important infrastructure needs are met first.
Evaluation -- values, criteria
It's very hard to generalize about the values and criteria John McCain uses to evaluate public policy proposals. He's been in the Senate for a very long time, and his voting record has gone several directions on this. Sometimes, he's famously departed from the conventional wisdom of his party, and taken strong stands on behalf of using government to sustain and improve infrastructure. Other times, he's kept closely to the Republican party line, which generally holds that planning and funding infrastructure isn't a business that government should be in.
Proposals – preferred outcomes, assumptions, values
"John McCain would continue to encourage private investment to facilitate the build-out of infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet connectivity all over America. However, where private industry does not answer the call because of market failures or other obstacles, John McCain believes that people acting through their local governments should be able to invest in their own future by building out infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet services."
Source: www.johnmccain.com
McCain believes that the “digital divide” requires tax credits for teacher training and equipment. He opposes a sales tax on the Internet and believes that more government documents should be available online. He also feels that transportation spending should focus on repairs. Actions: McCain voted AGAINST telecom deregulation (1996), FOR an internet sales tax moratorium (1998), AGAINST disallowing FCC approval of large media conglomerates (2003), and AGAINST restoring $550 million in funding for Amtrak (2006).
Source: www.issue2008.com
Barack Obama
Statement of the issue
In general, Democratic candidates believe that the government should take a leading role in driving new infrastructure development, because it can take a longer view and set different priorities than market forces might. Furthermore, they believe that government investments in infrastructure have positive effects on the overall economy, because building them creates jobs in the short run and makes more business activity possible over the long term.
From the campaign website:
"Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that America's long-term competitiveness depends on the stability of our critical infrastructure. They will make strengthening our transportation systems, including our roads and bridges, a top priority. They will address the infrastructure challenge by creating a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to expand and enhance, not supplant, existing federal transportation investments. This independent entity will be directed to invest in our nation’s most challenging transportation infrastructure needs. The Bank will receive an infusion of federal money, $60 billion over 10 years, to provide financing to transportation infrastructure projects across the nation."
Source: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/FactSheetTransportation.pdf
Analysis – causes, assumptions
Barack Obama believes that rebuilding our infrastructure is one important thing we can do to help our economic situation. He agrees with John McCain that rebuilding America's infrastructure is critical to keeping the country competitive in the world.
Evaluation -- values, criteria
Obama, like most Democrats, believes that government has a central role to play in rebuilding new infrastructure. Private ownership of important infrastructure tends to increase economic inequality, which Obama is against. On the other hand, government investment in new technologies can help create new industries that will help America's economy by providing good jobs, producing goods for export, reducing the costs of doing business, and increasing the amount of taxes government can collect from healthy businesses.
Proposals – preferred outcomes, assumptions, values
Obama has proposed using the money saved from an early ending to the Iraq war to create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank, which would allocate $60 billion over 10 years. He has also proposed "an Apollo program" (perhaps like that developed by the Apollo Alliance) that would make American independent from Middle East oil in ten years, and has talked about the need to rebuild the American economy on carbon-free energy sources. He also believes that we should invest more in transportation and clean coal technology.
Source: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20080705_5580.php
In 2006, Obama voted AGAINST restoring $550 million in funding for Amtrak.
Source: www.issue2008.com
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