On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:54:24 -0500, BAR wrote:


This highway work should have been occurring for the last 40 years due
to it being funded by federal gasoline and diesel taxes.

Yup, there's been lots of infrastructure neglected. Hopefully, this
stimulus package will kill two birds, get the economy moving again, and
fix our crumbling bridges, and roads.

"thunder" wrote in message
t...
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:54:24 -0500, BAR wrote:


This highway work should have been occurring for the last 40 years due
to it being funded by federal gasoline and diesel taxes.


Yup, there's been lots of infrastructure neglected. Hopefully, this
stimulus package will kill two birds, get the economy moving again, and
fix our crumbling bridges, and roads.

Hopefully it will be structured and managed differently than the WPA
projects that Roosevelt initiated.
I was reading recently that problems with them included waste, inefficiency,
cost overruns and late schedules.
Because it was a federally backed program designed to hire unemployed
workers, the jobsite foremen had no authority to discipline or fire
slackers.

That's bad news because when some can sit on their asses and still get paid,
it affects the rest.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:

"thunder" wrote in message
t...
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:54:24 -0500, BAR wrote:


This highway work should have been occurring for the last 40 years due
to it being funded by federal gasoline and diesel taxes.


Yup, there's been lots of infrastructure neglected. Hopefully, this
stimulus package will kill two birds, get the economy moving again, and
fix our crumbling bridges, and roads.

Hopefully it will be structured and managed differently than the WPA
projects that Roosevelt initiated.
I was reading recently that problems with them included waste,
inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules.
Because it was a federally backed program designed to hire unemployed
workers, the jobsite foremen had no authority to discipline or fire
slackers.

That's bad news because when some can sit on their asses and still get
paid, it affects the rest.

Eisboch


You think waste, inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules are
exclusive to federally backed programs? You think private corporations
don't have the same problems?

Who fired the slackers on wall street that were mainly responsible for
the fiscal crisis we are in now?

hk wrote:
Eisboch wrote:

"thunder" wrote in message
t...
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:54:24 -0500, BAR wrote:


This highway work should have been occurring for the last 40 years due
to it being funded by federal gasoline and diesel taxes.


Yup, there's been lots of infrastructure neglected. Hopefully, this
stimulus package will kill two birds, get the economy moving again, and
fix our crumbling bridges, and roads.

Hopefully it will be structured and managed differently than the WPA
projects that Roosevelt initiated.
I was reading recently that problems with them included waste,
inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules.
Because it was a federally backed program designed to hire unemployed
workers, the jobsite foremen had no authority to discipline or fire
slackers.

That's bad news because when some can sit on their asses and still get
paid, it affects the rest.

Eisboch


You think waste, inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules are
exclusive to federally backed programs? You think private corporations
don't have the same problems?

Private corporations don't have a problem shutting down a program that
is wasting money. Hell, they've shutdown product lines that aren't
making enough profit.

Who fired the slackers on wall street that were mainly responsible for
the fiscal crisis we are in now?

Where are they now? Sucking $350 a week from unemployment for what 18
months.

"hk" wrote in message
...

Eisboch wrote:


Hopefully it will be structured and managed differently than the WPA
projects that Roosevelt initiated.
I was reading recently that problems with them included waste,
inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules.
Because it was a federally backed program designed to hire unemployed
workers, the jobsite foremen had no authority to discipline or fire
slackers.

That's bad news because when some can sit on their asses and still get
paid, it affects the rest.



You think waste, inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules are
exclusive to federally backed programs? You think private corporations
don't have the same problems?

Who fired the slackers on wall street that were mainly responsible for the
fiscal crisis we are in now?


That's not was I was referring to, but since you brought it up:

Assume two major projects or programs. One is funded by the federal
government.
The other is privately funded by the corporation doing the work.

Which one is more likely to become inefficient, incur cost over-runs and be
late?

Eisboch

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:14:28 -0500, Eisboch wrote:

"thunder" wrote in message
t...
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:54:24 -0500, BAR wrote:


This highway work should have been occurring for the last 40 years due
to it being funded by federal gasoline and diesel taxes.


Yup, there's been lots of infrastructure neglected. Hopefully, this
stimulus package will kill two birds, get the economy moving again, and
fix our crumbling bridges, and roads.

Hopefully it will be structured and managed differently than the WPA
projects that Roosevelt initiated.
I was reading recently that problems with them included waste,
inefficiency, cost overruns and late schedules.
Because it was a federally backed program designed to hire unemployed
workers, the jobsite foremen had no authority to discipline or fire
slackers.

It's my understanding that the WPA was a jobs program, not really an
infrastructure package. If I'm not mistaken, the workers were considered
Federal employees. Some of the projects were down right silly, but they
did keep people fed.

This time around, I believe most of the moneys will be to private sector
employers. When FDR started the WPA, he was on new ground. Obama has
the advantage of 70 years of hindsight. Hopefully, it will work out.

On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:39:12 -0600, thunder
wrote:

This time around, I believe most of the moneys will be to private sector
employers. When FDR started the WPA, he was on new ground. Obama has
the advantage of 70 years of hindsight. Hopefully, it will work out.

Beware - remember The Big Dig. :)

--

"I am free of all prejudices. I hate every one equally."

W.C. Fields

Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:39:12 -0600, thunder
wrote:

This time around, I believe most of the moneys will be to private sector
employers. When FDR started the WPA, he was on new ground. Obama has
the advantage of 70 years of hindsight. Hopefully, it will work out.

Beware - remember The Big Dig. :)

--

Indeed, work at the Big Dig was performed by private-sector contractors,
under the supervision of Bechtel Corporation and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Other large corporate managers and contractors included Jay Cashman,
Modern Continental, Obayashi Corporation, Perini Corporation, Peter
Kiewit Sons' Incorporated, J.F. White, and the Slattery division of
Skanska USA.

And of course, let's not forget the incredible cost overruns and
screwups of the private corporate contractors in Iraq.

hk wrote:
Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:39:12 -0600, thunder
wrote:

This time around, I believe most of the moneys will be to private
sector employers. When FDR started the WPA, he was on new ground.
Obama has the advantage of 70 years of hindsight. Hopefully, it will
work out.

Beware - remember The Big Dig. :)

--

Indeed, work at the Big Dig was performed by private-sector contractors,
under the supervision of Bechtel Corporation and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Other large corporate managers and contractors included Jay Cashman,
Modern Continental, Obayashi Corporation, Perini Corporation, Peter
Kiewit Sons' Incorporated, J.F. White, and the Slattery division of
Skanska USA.

And of course, let's not forget the incredible cost overruns and
screwups of the private corporate contractors in Iraq.

My wife was offered a job in Iraq by her company. She was going to get
over $300,000 a year to go set up earth stations. All of her living
expenses were going to be paid too. You had to air lift or fast boat
most building supplies into Iraq too. And, what wasn't stolen did leave
you much to work with.

Bitch all you want about the costs but, you have to understand why it
cost so much.

BAR wrote:
hk wrote:
Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:39:12 -0600, thunder
wrote:

This time around, I believe most of the moneys will be to private
sector employers. When FDR started the WPA, he was on new ground.
Obama has the advantage of 70 years of hindsight. Hopefully, it
will work out.

Beware - remember The Big Dig. :)

--

Indeed, work at the Big Dig was performed by private-sector
contractors, under the supervision of Bechtel Corporation and Parsons
Brinckerhoff.

Other large corporate managers and contractors included Jay Cashman,
Modern Continental, Obayashi Corporation, Perini Corporation, Peter
Kiewit Sons' Incorporated, J.F. White, and the Slattery division of
Skanska USA.

And of course, let's not forget the incredible cost overruns and
screwups of the private corporate contractors in Iraq.

My wife was offered a job in Iraq by her company. She was going to get
over $300,000 a year to go set up earth stations. All of her living
expenses were going to be paid too. You had to air lift or fast boat
most building supplies into Iraq too. And, what wasn't stolen did leave
you much to work with.

Bitch all you want about the costs but, you have to understand why it
cost so much.

Sure. Greed. War profiteering. The usual.