Honestly, a lot of this stuff feels way overdue. Yes, the package is absolutely massive, but I feel a lot of that is because we've been under-investing in infrastructure since before the end of...
Honestly, a lot of this stuff feels way overdue. Yes, the package is absolutely massive, but I feel a lot of that is because we've been under-investing in infrastructure since before the end of the Cold War. We're basically scrambling to play catch up.
First of all, yeay. This project was already overdue in the Clinton Era. Much (most?) US infrastructure dates back to Eisenhower. However, as big as it sounds ... no, it's not enough ......
First of all, yeay. This project was already overdue in the Clinton Era. Much (most?) US infrastructure dates back to Eisenhower.
However, as big as it sounds ... no, it's not enough ... especially if this turns out to be the high-end starting point of some kind of compromise deal with the Republicans.
Just the other day, Biden explicitly remarked on how China is spending almost $5t (and counting) on infrastructure in other countries just to win/buy friends.
ETA: Rethinking myself. Honestly, with numbers this large, it's really hard for me to tell how much is enough. Well-managed, properly targeted, $2t might be plenty. Fed Govt doesn't have the best track record for financial efficiency, but so far, Biden's been doing a great job overall; I'm content to see how this plays out under him.
We don't immediately think of it but home heating and cooling are a major source of climate-changing emissions. Said retrofits can be, for example, thermal insulation and replacing furnaces and...
home retrofits
We don't immediately think of it but home heating and cooling are a major source of climate-changing emissions.
Said retrofits can be, for example, thermal insulation and replacing furnaces and boilers by heat pumps and electric radiators, the laters making sense only as long as the electricity is low-carbon. Such retrofits are typically beyond the budget of most homeowners, let alone tenants. The job of the government here is not only to distribute targeted low-interest loans, it is also legislating so as to force landlords to work on those retrofits. How proactive will the Congress be ? That is the question.
Honestly, a lot of this stuff feels way overdue. Yes, the package is absolutely massive, but I feel a lot of that is because we've been under-investing in infrastructure since before the end of the Cold War. We're basically scrambling to play catch up.
This looks very promising and a big step in the right direction. Hopefully many parts of it pass in some form.
First of all, yeay. This project was already overdue in the Clinton Era. Much (most?) US infrastructure dates back to Eisenhower.
However, as big as it sounds ... no, it's not enough ... especially if this turns out to be the high-end starting point of some kind of compromise deal with the Republicans.
Just the other day, Biden explicitly remarked on how China is spending almost $5t (and counting) on infrastructure in other countries just to win/buy friends.
ETA: Rethinking myself. Honestly, with numbers this large, it's really hard for me to tell how much is enough. Well-managed, properly targeted, $2t might be plenty. Fed Govt doesn't have the best track record for financial efficiency, but so far, Biden's been doing a great job overall; I'm content to see how this plays out under him.
We don't immediately think of it but home heating and cooling are a major source of climate-changing emissions.
Said retrofits can be, for example, thermal insulation and replacing furnaces and boilers by heat pumps and electric radiators, the laters making sense only as long as the electricity is low-carbon. Such retrofits are typically beyond the budget of most homeowners, let alone tenants. The job of the government here is not only to distribute targeted low-interest loans, it is also legislating so as to force landlords to work on those retrofits. How proactive will the Congress be ? That is the question.