Sunday, November 11, 2012

Volunteerism and Rebuilding U.S. Infrastructure

If you study history much of the infrastructure we now enjoy in the U.S. was begun during the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Young men at that time were formed into camps where they were fed and clothed and put into tents to build roads, Dams and much of the infrastructure we now enjoy in the U.S.  It was sort of like the U.S. held a barn raising for the whole nation and got things built.

And in order to renew our infrastructure again likely we will have to do the same in these times as well. Though companies might want big money and big contracts doing all this rebuilding the infrastructure of our nation, we actually can no longer afford to do it that way anymore.

When it costs 34 dollars to make everything here compared to 2 dollars to make the same thing in China we no longer can earn enough money as a nation through exports to be able to actually afford to pay large companies to rebuild our infrastructure unless we want our country to go bankrupt for sure. So, the way to do it is to do two things at once: 'First feeding and sheltering young people who need work and second actually rebuilding infrastructure (Bridges, dams, schools both colleges and public etc.)

So, here is one way to do it, gather together professionals who are engineers and tradesmen and (hire) people who need food and jobs to work for them and make sure they at least get food, clothes and shelter for a start. And also allow volunteers to work who are older or retired to help feel worthwhile and able to contribute their skills as well.

It could work a little like Habitats for Humanity where volunteers build homes for lower income people. There are many ways to make this work. We need bridges and dams and roads rebuilt and repaired but we really cannot afford to pay for it in the ways we did until the early 2000s anymore.

So, lets activate volunteerism on a scale of the Peace Corps. and the Civilian Conservation Corps and rebuild our country. We don't need to fight more wars we now need to rebuild our country or we won't have one anymore. (At least we won't have bridges and roads that collapse one by one because they aren't being replaced as we need them.)

So, let's have a good old infrastructure Barn Raising built through good old American Volunteerism!

No comments: