President Obama to propose huge public works project in budget

[IDemo]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

The $4 trillion budget that President Barack Obama sends Congress on Monday proposes higher taxes on wealthier Americans and corporations, and an ambitious $478 billion public works program for highway, bridge and transit upgrades.

The grab-bag of proposals, many recycled from past Obama budgets, already is generating fierce objections from Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress for the first time in his presidency. They will move ahead on their own, mindful they eventually must strike a deal with Obama, whose signature is needed for the budget to become law.

The spending blueprint for the 2016 budget year that begins Oct. 1 emphasizes the same themes as Obama's State of the Union address last month, when he challenged Congress to work with him on narrowing the income gap between the very wealthy and everyone else.

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2015/0201/President-Obama-to-propose-huge-public-works-project-in-budget

[Padiddle]

1. So sad when I think Eisenhower was a Republican

...and his administration oversaw some of the biggest public-works improvements in American history.

Including this very Internet that we're using right now.

All funded by a shared commitment to the nation's well-being and infrastructure.

But then, Eisenhower was much lighter in complexion than Obama is, so of course the GOP wouldn't oppose any of his proposals...

[Thinkingabout]

2. Now this is a serious jobs bill, it would provide long lasting jobs and upgrade and repair

Our crumbling infrastructure.

[JDPriestly]

3. Good. Maybe we will get some of it through Congress -- if it will be situated in the districts

of the Republicans (which tend to be in less populated states than those of the Democrats but where prices tend to be lower).

At the very least, Obama is finally learning how to negotiated.

We need a lot more light rail in our cities. It saves energy and makes energy and oil and gas cheaper in rural areas where the oil and gas are really needed.

Los Angeles built the Gold Line (light rail) on the east side of the city. It has helped everybody who lives near it. Traffic is a bit lighter. Parking would be better if the building of the line hadn't caused a rise in the demand for housing near it. It's just the greatest. A lot of cities that have grown over the past 20 years need to build more light rail. It would profit everyone in the country. But the people in rural areas do not understand this and so we don't get these projects.

But I am very happy to see Obama trying to rebuild some of our infrastructure.

China and Russia are building fast rail between their countries. We could do that with Canada and Mexico. That would be a smart thing to do.

[Peacetrain]

4. An interesting problem for Republicans don't you think..

They have suddenly decided they are concerned for the middle class.. this is truly a put up or shut up move by the President.. will be interesting to see what the heads spin

[forest444]

5. That's all good and well

But I think we all realize that Republicans would rather sacrifice their first-born (a lot of them probably already have), than do anything that might benefit the public at large - least of all something that Obama could take credit for.

Still, I'm glad he put it out there. With a little bit of luck the next Democratic president could dust it off a little and actually get it passed.

[calimary]

10. Welcome to DU, forest444!

Glad you're here! I'm glad he put it out there, too. MAKE 'EM DENY IT!!!! Put 'em on the spot. They'll probably say no just because it's HIS proposal. Spoiled brats that they are.

[forest444]

11. Thank You, Calimary.

And yes, that pretty much describes today's Republicans: disloyal opposition, playing scorched-earth politics at the taxpayers' (enormous) expense. Sad.

Great moniker, btw. A good pun takes talent!

[delrem]

6. That was one of his platforms in '08.

Never happened.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Jeez--

Did I just wake up in 2009?

[delrem]

8. You can fool all of the people some of the time

and some of the people all the time, but that doesn't matter because with big money backing and a tweedledum/tweedledee slate you can win every election every time, then forget about those fake promises until the next time they need to be trotted out.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. 1936, maybe?

Gov't jobs bill seems to be admission we are ...still...in a bad recession, in real life.

[Munificence]

15. What is

"real life"? Do you think any of our politicians on either side understand "real life".

And why propose a jobs bill when 5.5% unemployment rate is considered "Full employment" and we are at 5.6%? - I mean it's party time based on the "numbers" (wink wink). The "real world" was saved already, this is so 2008-2009-ish.

[ALBliberal]

12. Hurrah President Barack Obama!

Thank you for putting forth these proposals to improve America's infrastructure!!

[zeemike]

13. Something he should have done in his very first year.

When he had the congress and the people behind him...just think how many for closures would not have happened because people were working.

Now he drags it out knowing full well the congress will not pass it...but he makes us think he cares.
I for one won't fall for that again.

[Chemisse]

14. Finally! Now let's see how badly Republicans can shoot themselves in the foot over this.

Because of course they will say no with every fiber of their nasty, mean-spirited beings.

And yet a huge, infrastructure + jobs bill is exactly what we all know we need.