The Facts

Beyond Recovery: America's Public Investment Deficit

By Eric Lotke, Alex Carter, Armand Biroonak
Institute for America's Future
February 10th, 2009
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Author Organization(s): 

Institute for America's Future

Author(s): 
Eric Lotke, Alex Carter, Armand Biroonak
Report: 
http://assets.ourfuture.org/documents/inv-20090210-beyond-recovery.pdf
Publication Date: 
02/10/2009
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Conference

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Main Street Recovery Program

A Substantial, Strategic and Sustained Plan for Economic Revival

By Institute for America's Future
December 23rd, 2008
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Main Street Recovery Program

Our economy now faces the most serious crisis since the Great Depression. The financial crisis that was triggered by the bursting of the housing bubble has now spread to the real economy, and we face a sharp downturn that is spreading across the globe. A serious recession now seems unavoidable in the United States, as well as Europe and Japan. The developing world is already struggling with financial turmoil and economic decline. For the first time since the 1930s, we face a real risk of deep worldwide economic contraction.

Restoring economic growth will require a bold, multifaceted plan. This must begin with a recovery program for Main Street — substantial fiscal expansion to revive the real economy.

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Levees and Dams Falling Apart

Submitted by Armand Biroonak
September 22, 2008

In 2007, the American Society of Civil Engineers found more than 150 levees to be at high risk of failing due to poor maintenance; Over a quarter of the dams overseen by the Corps of Engineers have exceeded the lifespan for which they were designed and need major repairs to ensure their safety.

Source

American Society of Civil Engineers

Associated Press

Army Corps of Engineers

Armand Biroonak's picture

U.S. Bridges Need Repair

Submitted by Armand Biroonak
July 30, 2008

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that nearly 25 percent of bridges in the U.S.—over 152,000 bridges—are “structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.”

Source
Federal Highway Administration

Investing In People

By OurFuture.org Staff
November 13, 2008

Here are some basic facts behind our call for "real investment" in people, assembled from recent government and private studies. We've fallen behind as a nation, but making the right spending choices will yield lasting dividends. more »

Remember Who We Are: The Facts

By Eran Lillestrand (not verified)
October 27, 2008

We have let public good be subordinated to corporate greed.

• Corporate profits have climbed 13 percent a year in the six years after the 2001 recession ended. Productivity has also increased by 11 percent since the recovery of the 2001 recession. more »


In a survey of voters in September 2007, Peter Hart Research found these two frames scored highest out of eight:

- “Over the past five years the Bush administration has spent nearly half a
trillion dollars in Iraq, while saying that we cannot afford to meet our
priorities at here at home. In fact with just one week of Iraq war funding, more »

Source
Peter Hart Research for Americans United for Change, September 2007

In January 2008, Greenberg, Quinlan and Rosner surveyed the “swingiest of swing” voters.17 They voters describe themselves as Independent, or they were Democrats and Republicans who did not support their party candidate in various polls. The survey geography was in swing congressional districts, presidential battleground states and swing Senate states. more »

Source
Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner for USAction, January 22-28, 2008. http://www.usaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=eiJPJ5OVF&b=3892097

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