America Goes Dark

[jjdrury81]

nytimes.com/2010/08/09/opinion/09krugman.html?em&exprod=myyahoo

The lights are going out all over America — literally. Colorado Springs has made headlines with its desperate attempt to save money by turning off a third of its streetlights, but similar things are either happening or being contemplated across the nation, from Philadelphia to Fresno.

Meanwhile, a country that once amazed the world with its visionary investments in transportation, from the Erie Canal to the Interstate Highway System, is now in the process of unpaving itself: in a number of states, local governments are breaking up roads they can no longer afford to maintain, and returning them to gravel.

And a nation that once prized education — that was among the first to provide basic schooling to all its children — is now cutting back. Teachers are being laid off; programs are being canceled; in Hawaii, the school year itself is being drastically shortened. And all signs point to even more cuts ahead.

 

[bbarrick8383]

Thanks liberals!

 

[irishpatrick]

To those given much, much is expected.

Americans forget that simple truth! The land of incredible blessings of grace and prosperity will not continue to be so if we do not learn our lessongs, and quickly.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

nytimes.com/2010/08/09/opinion/09krugman.html?em&exprod=myyahoo

The lights are going out all over America — literally. Colorado Springs has made headlines with its desperate attempt to save money by turning off a third of its streetlights, but similar things are either happening or being contemplated across the nation, from Philadelphia to Fresno.

Meanwhile, a country that once amazed the world with its visionary investments in transportation, from the Erie Canal to the Interstate Highway System, is now in the process of unpaving itself: in a number of states, local governments are breaking up roads they can no longer afford to maintain, and returning them to gravel.

And a nation that once prized education — that was among the first to provide basic schooling to all its children — is now cutting back. Teachers are being laid off; programs are being canceled; in Hawaii, the school year itself is being drastically shortened. And all signs point to even more cuts ahead.

The left has been pleading for this sort of world for decades. Now that they have it, I hope they enjoy it.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just let the paved roads decay, rather than spending money to d-pave them? Most american’s drive SUVs, so a few potholes shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[Teelynn]

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just let the paved roads decay, rather than spending money to d-pave them? Most American’s drive SUVs, so a few potholes shouldn’t be a problem.

Uh…excuse me, but us poor folk do not all in fact drive SUV’s. The potholes in Chicago go all the way down to China, so some of them are pretty dangerous.

Gravel is expensive too…maybe we should go back to dirt roads.

The liberals in fact have been wanting this kind of America for a very long time, the other posters are correct. However, Americans themselves are also responsible for wasteful extravagance and overly lavish lifestyles.

 

[gamewell45]

Gravel is expensive too…maybe we should go back to dirt roads.

I wouldn’t suggest dirt roads, as in rainy weather in particular, they tend to become impassible. I’d take gravel anyday over dirt.

 

[stanmaxkolbe]

To save the environment I say cut power to all liberal households. Let them go back to nature.
Hey they wanted change let’s give it to them.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Sounds like a plan—they’ve been hammering us over those evil flush toilets as well.

Is there no one alive who remembers the Carter years?

 

[Sabda]

I wouldn’t suggest dirt roads, as in rainy weather in particular, they tend to become impassible. I’d take gravel anyday over dirt.

I would too, we have lots of dirt roads here in Oklahoma. Paved roads, even bad ones, are better than dirt any day.

BTW, you can get potholes with dirt roads.

 

[Dale_M]

Thanks liberals!

I don’t understand your comment. I see others echoing it, but also without explanation. Would you be willing to say why you think liberals want teachers laid off, or paved roads turned into gravel?

Perhaps you are only referring to the idea of every third street light being turned off, but that is happening in Colorado Springs, the home of the Evangelical movement, and hardly a bastion of liberalism. The city government seems to be doing it, because they don’t want to raise taxes… isn’t that an attitude more associated with conservatives?

And, with references to teacher layoffs and roads being unpaved, they also seem related to the unwillingness to raise taxes. So, state and local governments can no longer afford to provide the same level of services which they did in the past.

 

[Seamus_L]

Unfortunately the article get’s ridiculous when it tries to explain the causes.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

I don’t understand your comment. I see others echoing it, but also without explanation. Would you be willing to say why you think liberals want teachers laid off, or paved roads turned into gravel?

Perhaps you are only referring to the idea of every third street light being turned off, but that is happening in Colorado Springs, the home of the Evangelical movement, and hardly a bastion of liberalism. The city government seems to be doing it, because they don’t want to raise taxes… isn’t that an attitude more associated with conservatives?

And, with references to teacher layoffs and roads being unpaved, they also seem related to the unwillingness to raise taxes. So, state and local governments can no longer afford to provide the same level of services which they did in the past.

I don’t understand your comment.

You have to wonder why, with all these marvelous tax raises and ‘stimulus’ packages, we’re not all rolling in clover.

 

[Dale_M]

You have to wonder why, with all these marvelous tax raises and ‘stimulus’ packages, we’re not all rolling in clover.

In the absence of particulars, I guess its hard to discuss. But has Colorado Springs or the State of Hawaii actually had tax increases? I’m not sure how much federal stimulus money is going to road maintenance, but I don’t think that can be depended on as a continuous revenue stream.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Liberals constantly beg for redistribution of wealth, but when the consequences of those actions hit, they are the first to complain.

 

[jjdrury81]

The left has been pleading for this sort of world for decades. Now that they have it, I hope they enjoy it.

Oh, Absolutely. The left has long advocated that we let social services and the commons erode.



I have to wonder, watching the current round of analysis by the right if this is merely a matter of delusion or if there is an orchestrated campaign of deceit going on.

 

[Good_News_1]

You have to wonder why, with all these marvelous tax raises and ‘stimulus’ packages, we’re not all rolling in clover.

What tax raises?

Can you show me someone who said that the stimulus package would have local governments rolling in clover?

Can you tell me which party supported more aid to the states, and which opposed it?

This isn’t a partisan issue. We are in a deep recession. The decline in economic activity erodes the tax base. Local and state governments are compelled to balance budgets, and ultimately need to make cuts.

Is it a big deal that some streetlights are going out? I have no idea: I don’t know the neighborhoods. Ditto the roads. So, the fact that this is happening could reflect just smart but unpopular choices in a time of recession, or, if these events represent safety issues and a permanent decline in standards of living, then you could decide it represents a dereliction of duty for someone, but that would probably be the Republicans, who oppose more money to states.

This is the world the liberals want? Where do people get this garbage?

 

[scipio337]

Unfortunately, I don’t see any policies under the current administration that will make things better. Many states (who can’t print their own money) are becoming more fiscally restrained. It will probably get much worse before it gets better.

 

[jjdrury81]

This is the world the liberals want? Where do people get this garbage?

There is a large and well orchestrated right wing propaganda machine that controls much of what people see and hear.

 

[iamrefreshed]

Many states (who can’t print their own money) are becoming more fiscally restrained. It will probably get much worse before it gets better.

And that’s no accident. The best way to twist a states arm is funding. That’s why my congresswoman reveresed her decision and supported the healthcare bill.