A night after CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, without any consideration for cutting other spending, presumed taxes must be hiked to pay for infrastructure repair, CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson ludicrously described federal and state governments as “cash-starved” as she relayed the expert view of just one person, a Democratic Congressman, whom she said blames the lack of courage to “collect” more taxes. A nice euphemism for raising taxes. On Thursday night, Couric had asked: “Are taxpayers ready to spend the billions, maybe trillions, it would take to fix all the pipelines, tunnels and bridges?” (My NB item)
On Friday night, Attkisson noted that out “of the $2.7 trillion federal budget, it's estimated only around $50 billion a year goes for infrastructure” while “experts say what's needed is $210 billion a year for five years.” After citing a couple of examples of misguided pork barrel spending for road projects when repair work goes wanting, Attkisson pointed out how “Congress only funds about 25 percent of the nation's infrastructure.” She then absurdly asserted that states and local governments which “pick up the rest of the tab” are “cash-starved too.” For her only expert assessment, Attkisson turned to Democratic Congressman Jim Oberstar, Chairman of the very committee which funnels the pork spending, described as “Congress's leading authority on infrastructure” who “says both Congress and the White House have traditionally had trouble making the tough decision to collect and spend more tax dollars on infrastructure.”
Neither Attkisson, nor the on-screen chyron for Oberstar, identified him as a Democrat.
Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Oberstar represents northeastern Minnesota.
The MRC's Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed-captioning against the video for the August 3 CBS Evening News story:
KATIE COURIC: Well, in Washington late today the House approved an emergency bill authorizing $250 million to rebuild the 35W bridge. The Senate is expected to follow suit, but it's really just a drop in a very huge bucket when it comes to fixing all of America's bridges and highways and pipelines. As Sharyl Attkisson reports, for years Congress has had other things on its agenda.SHARYL ATTKISSON: Funding the nation's infrastructure is all a matter of priorities. Out of the $2.7 trillion federal budget, it's estimated only around $50 billion a year goes for infrastructure, just a tiny slice of the pie. Experts say what's needed is $210 billion a year for five years just for upkeep. And the need is felt in all 50 states. Coast to coast there have been sewage leaks, killer chunks of falling concrete, broken pipes in the Midwest, contaminated water in Washington D.C., and New Jersey loses an astonishing 20 million gallons of drinking water a day from leaky pipes.
But when it comes to spending federal dollars, sometimes priorities seem out of whack. In Alaska a third of the bridges are awaiting repair, but Alaska's members of Congress wanted to put $450 million toward pet projects for two new bridges that would only serve a combined population of about 100. In Colorado the highways are corroded and rusting, but the state's members of Congress still saw fit to put a half million dollars toward a future wildlife overpass. That's right, a bridge for wild animals to cross the highway.
But Congress only funds about 25 percent of the nation's infrastructure. States and local governments pick up the rest of the tab, and they're cash-starved too. Congressman Jim Oberstar from Minnesota heads the House Transportation Committee and is Congress's leading authority on infrastructure.
Rep. JAMES OBERSTAR, (D-MN): We need to do far better, and we all know that.
ATTKISSON: He says both Congress and the White House have traditionally had trouble making the tough decision to collect and spend more tax dollars on infrastructure.
OBERSTAR: We have to make those investments, and they don't come like manna from the sky, you have to pay for it. And you either pay now or you pay a whole lot later.
ATTKISSON: The Minnesota bridge collapse may be the catalyst that pushes Congress into making better plans and a bigger investment in the critical facilities that keep the nation running. Sharyl Attkisson, CBS News, Capitol Hill.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I have maybe a novel idea:
August 3, 2007 - 20:48 ET by USA4freedomI have maybe a novel idea: Cut the dam entitlements!
Oh I’m sorry its for the children..
Hey I’m sending my kids to collage..do you mind handing me a
few thousand.. after all: its for the children!
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Hey I’m sending my kids
August 4, 2007 - 06:35 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsHey I’m sending my kids to collage..do you mind handing me a
few thousand.. after all: its for the children!
You're just a cash starved taxpayer, no handouts for you!
D
I don't support our liberals or their mission.
A better novel idea....
August 4, 2007 - 07:19 ET by motherbeltI have maybe a novel idea: Cut the dam entitlements! -USA4Freedom
Better still, how about using the gas tax money for that which is was intended? It is supposed to supply money for .....you guessed it...repairing and maintaining roads and bridges!!!!!
They raise taxes on gasoline to pay for roads & bridges etc, and then dump the money into the general fund where it gets spent for everything but. Then they holler that we need to raise taxes because there isn't enough money for roads and bridges!
This is nonsense on stilts!!!!
Hey, we need a "lockbox" for the gas tax funds to be used for highway and bridge repair!!!!
Another novel idea...
August 3, 2007 - 20:54 ET by rbchaffeStop the waste as documented so thoroughly at the Citizens Against Government Waste site: http://www.cagw.org/ !
Spend money on what the country actually needs? What a novel concept these days.
Yeah, "Cash Starved"
August 3, 2007 - 20:55 ET by BlondeOh, my.
My, my, my, my, my.
My "local government" is sooooo cash starved (yes, I live in the lovely liberal bastion of hanging chads....Broward County, Florida) that after the last five years of hyper-inflation in housing prices...that the revenue from increased property taxes has increased by a mere $1.5 billion over and above regular revenues.
Think about this for a moment....a $1.5B windfall....$300 million per year. Which of course, like the little pigs to the trough that the local government always is....has been spent. Now they are decrying the "cut-back" in funds when the housing market has settled down....(Gee....no 40% increase each year in actual dollars to throw around to one's pals....how SAD!).
So, of course, we're hearing that it will "adversely impact education by $100 million per year."
Oh....the poor children.
Theatre of the absurd!
Blonde, you gotta move to
August 3, 2007 - 21:21 ET by Sonny LykosBlonde, you gotta move to Naples where I'm at. Our property taxes are going down.
Thanks for the invite,
August 3, 2007 - 21:28 ET by BlondeThanks for the invite, Sonny.
It's not the taxes that have me down (I've owned my house for a long time....and have a modicum of protection under "Save Our Homes").
It's the hurricane and other insurance that's killing me.
Having said that....it's not outside of the realm of possibility for me to move over there. Well, not really move, but at least spend a bit of time there....my job. I'm a native here, though....I don't know how I could possibly live anywhere else.
I understand that last
August 3, 2007 - 21:45 ET by Sonny LykosI understand that last sentence. I'm from Chicago, moved to a small town in MI for 13 years and then here in '91, with my wife and 4 kids. I think to most men it's a "house", while to women it's a "home" (they make it so) and that includes the entire locale. And I'm glad it's that way. I'd rather live in a "home" any day. Guess that's why we've been married for 44 years.
My kid's freinds say: "What! You still got your original parents? Wow!"
Sonny, That's the nicest
August 3, 2007 - 21:48 ET by BlondeSonny,
That's the nicest thing I've heard here...in a very long while.
Great for you! Your kids have their original parents. That's really sweet.
BTW....I guess we MUST have the NB picnic in Florida next winter....since so many of us are here....and the rest of us will be freezing and waiting for a break in the weather. :)
I'll be there.
August 3, 2007 - 22:08 ET by Sonny LykosI'll be there.
Blonde, I lived in Florida
August 4, 2007 - 07:22 ET by motherbeltBlonde, I lived in Florida for ten years....wasn't the Lottery supposed to save the schools???
Yeah, right. For every lottery dollar, they cut a state-supplied dollar, for a net gain of zero. See my reply to USA4Freedom above, regarding money dumped into general fund and not used for its original intention.
Right you are, mb,The
August 4, 2007 - 07:30 ET by BlondeRight you are, mb, I've been trying to shove that little fact to the back of my brain for a while.
The Lotto. Another tax mechanism. Fortunately, there's no need to play it.
As for your general fund comment...spot-on. Sure you're not an accountant? The latest whine about "wasted" dollars being spent on Iraq that coulda (woulda, shoulda) been spent on infrastructure infuriates me.
What do these ninnies think we pay taxes on fuel for? As well as tolls, etc. Where do these fever swamp denizens think the extra funding will go every time the genius pols & media talking heads suggest raising the gas tax to lower consumption? A bunch of economic dolts!
Well, I must thank you for your comment, I'm awake now. :)
Lotto
August 4, 2007 - 09:51 ET by pbanks7In Michigan, you can play the lottery every five minutes in the bars. Get drunk and lose the rent money because all the proceeds go to educate the children.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Just an example
August 4, 2007 - 10:25 ET by motherbeltWhen I was growing up (way back in the Stone Age LOL) families budgeted using the "envelope" system. Paycheck got cashed, X dollars went into one envelope for rent, another for groceries, etc. and that's what the money in those envelopes was spent on. There was also one for vacation...if that one didn't get enough in it, there was no vacation. People didn't spend the rent and food money on vacation, then complain that they needed more money because they couldn't pay rent and buy food!!
Maybe our government tax-masters should try the "envelope" system and use funds for what they were meant for.
mb, I believe someone tried
August 4, 2007 - 10:37 ET by Blondemb, I believe someone tried that approach publicly already (with hillarious parodies on SNL).
If you recall...Alpha Male Gore & the "Luoooock Booooox".
I wish I had the video of the SNL "debate".
Granted, it would be nice if the feds would quit co-mingling various "funds" (have they ever heard of fund accounting?), but it's how they manage to continue to overspend on everything. Did you see the reference earlier to the latest War Funding Bill...which ONLY included $3.1B in Earmarks?
Disgusting!
If you recall...Alpha Male
August 4, 2007 - 12:25 ET by motherbeltIf you recall...Alpha Male Gore & the "Luoooock Booooox".
That's why I suggested above that we need a "lock box" fund for highway and bridge repair! LOL
Might have worked if anyone had an iota of hope that they would actually do it and sequester those funds.
Just a shell game...
"We have to make those
August 3, 2007 - 20:55 ET by HypocriteHater"We have to make those investments, and they don't come like manna from the sky, you have to pay for it. And you either pay now or you pay a whole lot later."
The f'ing nerve of this guy. Hey Oberstar, why don't you take my hard earned tax dollars that go towards the National Endowment of Arts, PBS, and federally funded museums, and put them towards the things that goverment SHOULD be taking care of (ie: roads, bridges, national defense).
These professional politians don't know the first things about budgets. When my car breaks down or my roof needs to be fixed, I can't splurge on a Gucci handbag worth thousands of dollars. You take care of the necessities first. These idiots in Congress want to buy the Gucci handbag on OUR dime, then bitch at US that we're not giving them enough money. Basically blaming US that we actually wanted to KEEP our tax cuts, which was more like giving something back to us that was ours to begin with. They're trying to pass off the blame for their carless sqandering of our money on crap, and the MSM gives them a pass.
Brother, You are just a
August 4, 2007 - 09:53 ET by pbanks7Brother,
You are just a product of "the greed and excess of the 80's." You just don't want to pay your fair share. ;-)
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Couric: Economic Ignoramus
August 3, 2007 - 21:25 ET by doctorfixit"Cash-starved"? Anyone who isn't a complete ignoramus knows that government finances capital improvements and infrastructure with long term bonds - not cash on hand. Taxpayers are already paying for a first rate infrastructure - but the socialists will not stop siphoning off infrastructure and law enforcement money to pay for ever-expanding nanny government programs. Then the socialists extort more money by saying "the bridges are collapsing, the criminals are taking over, you must agree to higher taxes or else (we will continue to mismanage)". A Hobson's choice indeed. Government's only legitimate functions - infrastructure, law enforcement, for example - are always held hostage to worthless and counterproductive socialist utopianism. The solution: cut the money off and send the pirates packing. Privatize infrastructure development and maintenance and remove the sources of money that the socialist parasites will never stop diverting to unproductive use.
Bee Blogger
Ten Reforms That Will Save America
You're right, doctor.
August 3, 2007 - 22:12 ET by Sonny LykosYou're right, doctor. What's that saying about a fool doing the same thing over and over again, expecting one time to get a different result. That "thing" is socialism. Geeze, you'd think that maybe SOME of them would have studied history.
I know. They don't care. It's all about one word - control.
Infrastructure is not a
August 4, 2007 - 09:55 ET by pbanks7Infrastructure is not a constituency unless it's an earmark.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Spend on the Infrastructure
August 3, 2007 - 22:14 ET by Ole_SargeNot the "arts" and other "liberal" handouts. There was a story locally about how much "State" funding was spent on "little pet projects" mostly arts related, cut the top three of those out of the budget, we have the funds to make the repairs to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. (On the list as needing repairs) There is an estimate that 400 bridges (many in the commuter traffic routes) are in need of repair or replacement.
Ole_Sarge, The entire
August 3, 2007 - 22:21 ET by BlondeOle_Sarge,
The entire subterfuge about "misappropriating" funds....denying funding for infrastructure, is such a lie.
There are dedicated sources of revenue....i.e. the $.50 per gallon in gasoline taxes which are supposed to be dedicated to renewing our transportation infrastructure.
Don't get me wrong, I am appalled about the failure of the bridge in Minneapolis (I lived there once upon a time, for a few months, and know exactly where and how important that bridge is)....but for the liberals and democrats to try to deflect it into another "Katrina" type issue is disingenous, in the extreme.
Having said that....I entirely agree with you about "little pet projects"....arts related and somesuch. Which have nothing whatsoever to do with transportation infrastructure, but which are a waste of my hard work.
If we're not careful, though, these liberals & dems will get all tax crazed over this....which has nothing to do with anything whatsoever in the overall scheme of federal funding (and isn't THAT a mouthful?)
This entire line of
August 3, 2007 - 22:22 ET by SmartypantsThis entire line of reasoning also ignores the fact that revenues to government generally increase with tax cuts. It happened under Kennedy, Reagan and now GWB, and no matter how many times it works liberals will refuse to acknowledge it in any meaningful way. In liberal orthodoxy, tax cut = bad; tax increase = good, period.
Employ teachers and welfare sucklings for Bridge work
August 3, 2007 - 22:43 ET by Lame CherryThere is no need to raise taxes as there are thousands of college educated people already being paid by communities across America on a paid 3 month vacation, they are American teachers who yearly take 90 days off and still earn from 25 to 50 thousand dollar a year.
So with the labor paid for which will include people on welfare already paid for manual work that will take most of the bill for all this bridge work.
Hey America paid for these people and they are our employees, let America put them to work.........I don't get a 3 month vacation and no one else does either.....and for places with year round schools there are plenty of bored teachers sitting around in other states.
Katie employ the loafers.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
American teachers
August 4, 2007 - 06:33 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsAmerican teachers who yearly take 90 days off and still earn from 25 to 50 thousand dollar a year.
Ummm, dunno where you live but in my school district the average annual salary for a teacher is $85,000. Gotta love that teachers union.
Too bad Johnny can't read, though.
D
I don't support our liberals or their mission.
Don't Forget The Pork
August 3, 2007 - 22:53 ET by Wildcatter1980Murtha nabs $150M pork (Link)
Check out the rest of the hundreds of millions of dollars going out as earmarks. In fact, voter disgust over earmarks is perhaps one of the most underreported reasons for the outcome of 2006 elections. And, it will go underreported with regard to the I-53W bridge collapse and maintenance of our country's infrastruture, too
Just my $0.02
Scary
August 4, 2007 - 10:01 ET by pbanks7The House is expected to take up the $459.6 billion defense appropriations bill Friday. It contains 1,337 earmarks, costing $3.07 billion, which is less than half the number and value of earmarks in last year’s bill.
A billion here, a billion there - pretty soon you're talking about real money. And they did nothing but mealymouth regarding reform.
I hope the R's learned their lesson, win back congress and then do some real reform. Sorry - I was just daydreaming.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Cash starved states?
August 4, 2007 - 07:28 ET by Prester JohnI don't think so. As of April of this year 41 different states had budget surpluses, 10 of which had surpluses of over 1 BILLION dollars, to include Minnesota.
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=200234
Wow - I finally have
August 4, 2007 - 09:41 ET by KJ_sezWow - I finally have something in common with the Federal government: we're both starving due to taxes.
Do you REALLY want Hitlary and Kaiser Bill in the White House?
LOL
August 4, 2007 - 10:01 ET by pbanks7Thanks for making my morning.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.