Mandate 5% Annual Investment in Physical Public Infrastructure
Rationale: America’s physical public infrastructure – roads, bridges, public transportation, water supply, and utilities – is aging and requires consistent investment to repair, maintain and improve. Mandating a 5% annual investment would ensure funds available for long-term sustainability and safety, creating jobs, and strengthening America’s backbone.
Potential Benefit: Safer, more efficient infrastructure, leading to economic benefits, job creation, and increased national security through improved transportation and public services.
I think this funding can and should be applied directly by re-appropriating our tax dollars to infrastructure by reissuing a decree that Excess profits taxes be applied again to curb the excesses of war profiteering as was done in World Wars One and Two. Not only is it highly unethical to gain wealth through war profiteering, but it has also increased the debt of the nation, with negative impacts on our own infrastructure. This is addressed in my proposal the Establishment of a United States Department of Peace
Great proposal! Re-apportioning our taxes and representatives are key components to re-establishing a Representative Constitutional Republic, and ensuring that our taxes and profits are going towards what they need to.
I would agree with a mandate for States to make a % investment into infrastructure annually, but also agree that this is the result of a deficit economy, created to perpetuate Neo-Imperialistic agendas abroad, encourage war-profiteering, and priority of foreign investments over local ones.
Yet I do see an issue if a % mandate were to be applied outside of a deficit economy. Poor States, States with other general economic priorities; wouldn’t have the funds and would fail to meet standards, or would have no consequences (or damaging consequences).
I think a mandate is the wrong direction. Incentive to make investments in infrastructure would be received better, and more likely to take place/succeed outside of a deficit economy.
What if States failed to meet the mandate requirement and what if the legislature of said State believed in higher priorities?