Boehner: We Want Jobs But Not Those Jobs
The House GOP seems very excited about job creation when those jobs involve oil production. But when they involve critical infrastructure like our nation’s highways? Not so much. John Boehner shot down attempts to save the highway trust fund with an increase to the gas tax.
Click here for reuse options!The United States used to be the world leader on infrastructure, and as Reagan’s support for higher gas taxes makes clear, this used to be a bipartisan issue.Those days are over.David Brooks recently argued that there’s a “completely obvious” way to boost American job creation: “The federal government should borrow money at current interest rates to build infrastructure…. The fact that the federal government has not passed major infrastructure legislation is mind-boggling, considering how much support there is from both parties.”And that would be a perfectly reasonable argument, were it not for the fact that support is limited to one party, not two.
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Stuart Shapiro
Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 15:05
the average person does not fill the private and taxfree coffers of boehner
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 16:05
the average person does not fill the private and taxfree coffers of boehner
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 15:26
I was just reading some of the comments over at Mediate..
There are some real lunatics over there.
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 15:48
that place even scares me.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:22
And you’re one tough cookie~!
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 16:24
I went and left rather quickly. Hell I can take the filth laden abuse at C&L but not their
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 15:59
You just noticed…..I go there once every few months just to prove to myself I really am sane..
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:22
I wont be back there anytime soon.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 16:25
Real collection of loons…
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:26
Indeed..
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:25
I made two comments…
and the next thing I know is…
I was suffering from a mental illness..(liberal)
And I was in league with ISIS and Al-Queda..
I barely got out with my life..
Suzanne McFly January 9th, 2015 at 16:26
Well you know they go out without a brain cell, hell, they didn’t have a brain cell coming in lol
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 16:42
That is the latest liberal sin…both here and in France…You are private?? I had to go that way after the troll wars on ET
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:52
I went private this week.
When an old troll from MMfA decided to show up here…
He first posted here under a cloned name I recognized, Bell Bottom Blues,(stolen/cloned name) after him signing off it turned into Ray M…
Beware of that name.(Ray M)
It comes in sheep’s clothing, but is a racist and can and will clone screen names and avatars.
He will pretend to be nice..(dont fall for it)
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 17:01
Thanks for the heads up…I just noticed him
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 17:12
go away … I might be able to help with that. I will keep an eye out.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:15
Please do…
And thanks..
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 17:19
Already done, he has been banned before, now banned again.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:58
Right on..
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:26
I was just reading some of the comments over at Mediate..
There are some real lunatics over there.
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 16:48
that place even scares me.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:22
And you’re one tough cookie~!
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 17:24
I went and left rather quickly. Hell I can take the filth laden abuse at C&L but not their
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 16:59
You just noticed…..I go there once every few months just to prove to myself I really am sane..
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:22
I wont be back there anytime soon.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 17:25
Real collection of loons…
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:26
Indeed..
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:25
I made two comments…
and the next thing I know is…
I was suffering from a mental illness..(liberal)
And I was in league with ISIS and Al-Queda..
I barely got out with my life..
Suzanne McFly January 9th, 2015 at 17:26
Well you know they go out without a brain cell, hell, they didn’t have a brain cell coming in lol
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 17:42
That is the latest liberal sin…both here and in France…You are private?? I had to go that way after the troll wars on ET
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:52
I went private this week.
When an old troll from MMfA decided to show up here…
He first posted here under a cloned name I recognized, Bell Bottom Blues,(stolen/cloned name) after him signing off it turned into Ray M…
Beware of that name.(Ray M)
It comes in sheep’s clothing, but is a racist and can and will clone screen names and avatars.
He will pretend to be nice..(dont fall for it)
Ignore it and hopefully it will go away.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 18:01
Thanks for the heads up…I just noticed him
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 18:12
go away … I might be able to help with that. I will keep an eye out.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 18:15
Please do…
And thanks..
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 18:19
Already done, he has been banned before, now banned again.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 18:58
Right on..
Suzanne McFly January 9th, 2015 at 15:54
“The fact that the federal government has not passed major infrastructure legislation is mind-boggling”
And why is this “mind-boggling”? Background checks had 90% support, most want to keep their health insurance, most are over the “investigations” into the Benghazi attacks, most agree the republicans are corrupt…..and yet bonner continues down his own road ignoring what the majority agree on. It is mind-boggling that anyone would expect him to work on what the citizens want him to work on even though he has not done that since he has been a leader of the Republican Party.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 15:59
The only citizens he is interested in are on Wall Street.
Suzanne McFly January 9th, 2015 at 16:27
Sadly what you said is very true.
Suzanne McFly January 9th, 2015 at 16:54
“The fact that the federal government has not passed major infrastructure legislation is mind-boggling”
And why is this “mind-boggling”? Background checks had 90% support, most want to keep their health insurance, most are over the “investigations” into the Benghazi attacks, most agree the republicans are corrupt…..and yet bonner continues down his own road ignoring what the majority agree on. It is mind-boggling that anyone would expect him to work on what the citizens want him to work on even though he has not done that since he has been a leader of the Republican Party.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 16:59
The only citizens he is interested in are on Wall Street.
Suzanne McFly January 9th, 2015 at 17:27
Sadly what you said is very true.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 15:57
35 permanent jobs Keystone= Gopee jobs program…
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:55
35 jobs on an oil pipeline that will never be built…
The ‘tar sands” mining operation is already losing money…(50 dollars a barrel makes the mining effort a losing endeavor)
bahlers January 9th, 2015 at 18:51
How long will oil prices stay where they are? All it takes is one tiny spark in the middle east and oil is back to over $100 per barrel.
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 18:56
when hasn’t there been a spark in the middle east. You are aware of the many wars and infighting happening right now over there…right?
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 19:24
The Saudi strategy appears to be, to drive competitors out of the market. Best guess is probably 2 years before we start seeing significant rises in the price of oil, unless some crises changes things before then.
rg9rts January 9th, 2015 at 16:57
35 permanent jobs Keystone= Gopee jobs program…
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 18:55
35 jobs on an oil pipeline that will never be built…
The ‘tar sands” mining operation is already losing money…(50 dollars a barrel makes the mining effort a losing endeavor)
bahlers January 9th, 2015 at 19:51
How long will oil prices stay where they are? All it takes is one tiny spark in the middle east and oil is back to over $100 per barrel.
tracey marie January 9th, 2015 at 19:56
when hasn’t there been a spark in the middle east. You are aware of the many wars and infighting happening right now over there…right?
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 20:24
The Saudi strategy appears to be, to drive competitors out of the market. Best guess is probably 2 years before we start seeing significant rises in the price of oil, unless some crises changes things before then.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 16:24
” “The federal government should borrow money at current interest rates to build infrastructure…. ” — That is why the republicans are against it. They want to loan the money government but they want a higher rate of return than what is now offered. The very rich elite on the right want to profit handsomely off the American taxpayer while they sit around doing nothing but counting their dollars. As soon as the interest rates are up and Americans are desperate for repaired roads, the republicans will be all for it. Selfishness rules on the right.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:29
Aren’t the current interest rates right around 0% or just a bit higher?.
Seems like a great time to borrow money from the federal reserve.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 16:36
Road projects are financed by bonds that the government sells. Right now they pay a very low interest. If you are buying these bonds you want a higher interest rate so you can make more money off your money while doing nothing. It is good deal now for the taxpayer, bad deal now for the very rich and large corporations buying the bonds. With higher interest rates the rich get richer and the poor stay poor.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:40
I feel it.
Dwendt44 January 9th, 2015 at 19:38
And since stocks are on a tear of late, bonds are depressed.
It’s a balancing act. When one is up the other is down. It’s not a tight connection, but a general observation that investors follow.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 17:24
” “The federal government should borrow money at current interest rates to build infrastructure…. ” — That is why the republicans are against it. They want to loan the money government but they want a higher rate of return than what is now offered. The very rich elite on the right want to profit handsomely off the American taxpayer while they sit around doing nothing but counting their dollars. As soon as the interest rates are up and Americans are desperate for repaired roads, the republicans will be all for it. Selfishness rules on the right.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:29
Aren’t the current interest rates right around 0% or just a bit higher?.
Seems like a great time to borrow money from the federal reserve.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 17:36
Road projects are financed by bonds that the government sells. Right now they pay a very low interest. If you are buying these bonds you want a higher interest rate so you can make more money off your money while doing nothing. It is good deal now for the taxpayer, bad deal now for the very rich and large corporations buying the bonds. With higher interest rates the rich get richer and the poor stay poor.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:40
I feel it.
Dwendt44 January 9th, 2015 at 20:38
And since stocks are on a tear of late, bonds are depressed.
It’s a balancing act. When one is up the other is down. It’s not a tight connection, but a general observation that investors follow.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 16:39
Remember the I-35 bridge that collapsed several years ago up in the Minneapolis area..
13 dead and 147 injured..
This kind of lack of infrastructure maintenance could be construed as a type of ‘domestic terrorism’ forced on the American peple by the GOP who refuse to maintain our roads and bridges…
It’s a ‘ticking time bomb’ scenario the likes of which the TV show 24 could have never imagined.
StoneyCurtisll January 9th, 2015 at 17:39
Remember the I-35 bridge that collapsed several years ago up in the Minneapolis area..
13 dead and 147 injured..
This kind of lack of infrastructure maintenance could be construed as a type of ‘domestic terrorism’ forced on the American peple by the GOP who refuse to maintain our roads and bridges…
It’s a ‘ticking time bomb’ scenario the likes of which the TV show 24 could have never imagined.
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 17:19
If the right weren’t so committed to obstruction and the Dems had a spark of adventure, there is another way to fund our nation’s infrastructure by using all that idle cash that the largest multi-nationals have stashed offshore.
Funding the proposed “National Infrastructure Bank” by creating above market bonds specifically for a large portion of that cash, with penalties for any remaining offshore, there are tens of trillions of dollars that can be used productively. The Fed guarantees the bonds, as it does with every other Treasury instrument, no Fed money is used, no deficits are incurred. No taxes need be levied, including the Highway Trust Fund taxes, and our national infrastructure is renewed while the multinationals get an above market return on the funds they are using to buy offshore companies instead of investing in our country.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 17:24
Above market bonds?
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 18:23
Yes, a higher guaranteed rate of return on the investment in the infrastructure bank to encourage the repatriation of the offshore funds.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 19:29
I don’t really like the feel of rewarding people that have been taking money out of the economy. I guess it depends on how much above market and how do we know it is repatriated money? It sure sounds like it has the potential for all sorts of corruption. Wouldn’t want the republicans in charge while trying to do something like this, that is for sure.
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 20:11
Not a reward and much better than the tax forgiveness the war criminal administration cooked up in 2005-06 where much of the taxes due were forgiven for promised investments in plant, equipment and employment. Guess what happened? If your answer was dividends to shareholders, you’d be correct.
Keep in mind, they are now using bad tax laws to keep their money offshore, they are not criminals, just greedy and immoral.
Dwendt44 January 9th, 2015 at 19:35
Careful now, you keep making sense like that and people will start to talk..
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 20:25
Sorry, can’t help myself until I pop that wine cork.
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 18:19
If the right weren’t so committed to obstruction and the Dems had a spark of adventure, there is another way to fund our nation’s infrastructure by using all that idle cash that the largest multi-nationals have stashed offshore.
Funding the proposed “National Infrastructure Bank” by creating above market bonds specifically for a large portion of that cash, with penalties for any remaining offshore, there are tens of trillions of dollars that can be used productively. The Fed guarantees the bonds, as it does with every other Treasury instrument, no Fed money is used, no deficits are incurred. No taxes need be levied, including the Highway Trust Fund taxes, and our national infrastructure is renewed while the multinationals get an above market return on the funds they are using to buy offshore companies instead of investing in our country.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 18:24
Above market bonds?
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 19:23
Yes, a higher guaranteed rate of return on the investment in the infrastructure bank to encourage the repatriation of the offshore funds.
mea_mark January 9th, 2015 at 20:29
I don’t really like the feel of rewarding people that have been taking money out of the economy. I guess it depends on how much above market and how do we know it is repatriated money? It sure sounds like it has the potential for all sorts of corruption. Wouldn’t want the republicans in charge while trying to do something like this, that is for sure.
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 21:11
Not a reward and much better than the tax forgiveness the war criminal administration cooked up in 2005-06 where much of the taxes due were forgiven for promised investments in plant, equipment and employment. Guess what happened? If your answer was dividends to shareholders, you’d be correct.
Keep in mind, they are now using bad tax laws to keep their money offshore, they are not criminals, just greedy and immoral.
Dwendt44 January 9th, 2015 at 20:35
Careful now, you keep making sense like that and people will start to talk..
tiredoftea January 9th, 2015 at 21:25
Sorry, can’t help myself until I pop that wine cork.
Angelo_Frank January 9th, 2015 at 19:32
American infrastructure is falling apart. The reaction from Boehner, “What? Me worry?”
Dwendt44 January 9th, 2015 at 19:43
One wonders how bad the roads and bridges have to get before Republicans even notice. Thousands of bridges are already in seriously bad shape and some of those are dangerously bad. Some of the roads in red states are pretty bad from neglect already, very rough. I expect that from GOP run states, but some of the other states are starting to get that bad as well.
Angelo_Frank January 9th, 2015 at 20:32
American infrastructure is falling apart. The reaction from Boehner, “What? Me worry?”
Dwendt44 January 9th, 2015 at 20:43
One wonders how bad the roads and bridges have to get before Republicans even notice. Thousands of bridges are already in seriously bad shape and some of those are dangerously bad. Some of the roads in red states are pretty bad from neglect already, very rough. I expect that from GOP run states, but some of the other states are starting to get that bad as well.
Obewon January 10th, 2015 at 12:18
Imagine the GOP KXL Canadian stimulus reversing GWB’s Great Recession: ‘Republicans created our 35th job this year!’
Chinese Democracy January 12th, 2015 at 20:04
they dont want those jobs .. because any jobs makes it glaringly clear Conservatives are incessant liars
Obewon January 10th, 2015 at 13:18
Imagine the GOP KXL Canadian stimulus reversing GWB’s Great Recession: ‘Republicans created our 35th job this year!’
Chinese Democracy January 12th, 2015 at 21:04
they dont want those jobs .. because any jobs makes it glaringly clear Conservatives are incessant liars
mmaynard119 January 10th, 2015 at 22:21
Hidden within the KXL legislation was a provision to build distilleries in Ohio.
rg9rts January 15th, 2015 at 07:55
For Boner??
mmaynard119 January 10th, 2015 at 23:21
Hidden within the KXL legislation was a provision to build distilleries in Ohio.
rg9rts January 15th, 2015 at 08:55
For Boner??