Where was I? Right, the egg sandwich.
Sometimes, something as innocent as the price of an egg sandwich offers greater insight into complicated matters like the U.S. economy than any theory or chart ever could. An economist who spoke at a luncheon I attended was espousing the virtue of American ingenuity as the sole reason why he, and many other economists, believed America would eventually pull out of the recession.
Ah yes, the indomitable American spirit will once again deliver us from our financial predicament. It’s far more effective to apply the common-sense egg sandwich logic to what we see everyday around us than cross our fingers and hope things will get better because they always have before.
We are in for a rude awakening in 2010 when we run out of the stimulus funding that helped fill local and state deficits, such as the more than $40 million Nassau County utilized to plug budget gaps this year. Moreover, I have a complete lack of confidence in how the Recovery Act money is currently being spent. With these funds the federal government claims to have created 655 jobs in New York State where there is almost 9 percent unemployment.
Talk about pissing in the ocean to warm it up.
So where is the money being spent effectively? Recently I had a great opportunity to search for the answer to this question. A couple of weeks ago my father and I took a father/son road trip across the country. In addition to an unforgettable bonding experience, we got a firsthand look at how some of the Recovery Act money was being spent on infrastructure.
First, a little historical perspective. During the Great Depression Roosevelt threw everything in his arsenal against the wall to stimulate recovery in the United States. Spending on infrastructure and the ramp-up to a wartime economy are usually credited as the reasons that America eventually recovered.
This isn’t entirely true but let’s assume that these were at least parts of the equation, which is somewhat accurate.
After failed attempts such as the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other massive infrastructure projects, Roosevelt kept at it with the creation of the Work’s Progress Administration (WPA), which built notable projects like the Hoover Dam and the Lincoln Tunnel. So at first I was heartened at the site of construction crews dotting the American landscape with signs touting the expenditure of money from the American Recovery Act. After passing through a couple of Midwestern states, however, it dawned on me that this money is going to repave existing stretches of highways or create new lanes adjacent to them. The projects, agencies and programs that have succeeded throughout the 20th century did so because they enabled the nation to move new initiatives forward. Temporary job creation of ambitious infrastructure projects is a benefit in and of itself, well, temporarily.
The positive lasting effects of these projects are that they enabled us to move goods efficiently and cost effectively throughout the United States. The speed with which business was conducted through subsequent related gains in technology, and infrastructure allowed us to become more competitive. Frankly, after assessing projects like the east side access, the Big Dig and the Roslyn viaduct I’m not sure we should be building bridges and tunnels anymore.
One of the benefits of the transportation and energy infrastructure enhancements under the New Deal was that it made farmers more competitive. After the disastrous effects of the dustbowl that poured salt in the farmer’s gaping wound, Roosevelt focused a great deal of attention on farm assistance and gains in farming technology. The casual observer on our road trip would have noted the incredible stretches of farmland that we take for granted in our suburban environment. Yet alongside the stretches of highway it was impossible not to notice that the population of the entire Midwest has apparently been taken over by corn.
What’s so interesting about our obsession with corn manufacturing of course is how very little of it we wind up eating. We have figured out how to turn corn into plastic, glue, tires and chemicals. We can even pour it in our gas tanks. The problem with corn as an industrial ingredient has less to do with what it’s being used for and more to do with what it has taken the place of. The agricultural landscape of the farm belt has been dramatically altered due to the federal subsidy programs in place for farmers and the industrialization of corn. As industry finds more uses for this crop, the demand drives prices further down, thereby creating a greater need for farm subsidies. Our insatiable demand for industrialized corn has consolidated smaller farming systems into large conglomerates bent on growing corn on every square inch of land in the Midwest thereby destroying the diversity of crops. This has had deleterious effects on the soil and been partially responsible for the rise in the prices of other commodities that have been pulled out of the ground to make room for corn.
So let’s apply some common sense “egg sandwich” logic to this issue. One novel idea would be to curb the madness related to the corn ethanol, the most inefficient means of producing bio-fuels and actually—stay with me here—feeding the corn to people. I know feeding people is a radical modern day notion but it just might work.
After three days in a pick-up truck we arrived at our destination on the other end of America. It was a great trip. No, it was awesome. I have always wanted to see this great nation of ours, and I’m lucky to have been able to do this with my dad. It’s a true gift. Beyond this, though, I was able to really reflect on the nation’s predicament and think about how it applies to this Island of ours and what we can do to prepare for a hailstorm in 2010 and beyond.
Next week. The Egg Sandwich and Long Island.
If you wish to comment on “Off the Reservation,” send your message to jmorey@longislandpress.com.
One of the benefits of the transportation and energy infrastructure enhancements under the New Deal was that it made farmers more competitive. After the disastrous effects of the dustbowl that poured salt in the farmer’s gaping wound, Roosevelt focused a great deal of attention on farm assistance and gains in farming technology. The casual observer on our road trip would have noted the incredible stretches of farmland that we take for granted in our suburban environment. Yet alongside the stretches of highway it was impossible not to notice that the population of the entire Midwest has apparently beenwas I? Right, the egg sandwich.
Sometimes, something as innocent as the price of an egg sandwich offers greater insight into complicated matters like the U.S. economy than any theory or chart ever could. An economist who spoke at a luncheon I attended was espousing the virtue of American ingenuity as the sole reason why he, and many other economists, believed America would eventually pull out of the recession.
Ah yes, the indomitable American spirit will once again deliver us from our financial predicament. It’s far more effective to apply the common-sense egg sandwich logic to what we see everyday around us than cross our fingers and hope things will get better because they always have before.
We are in for a rude awakening in 2010 when we run out of the stimulus funding that helped fill local and state deficits, such as the more than $40 million Nassau County utilized to plug budget gaps this year. Moreover, I have a complete lack of confidence in how the Recovery Act money is currently being spent. With these funds the federal government claims to have created 655 jobs in New York State where there is almost 9 percent unemployment.
Talk about pissing in the ocean to warm it up.
So where is the money being spent effectively? Recently I had a great opportunity to search for the answer to this question. A couple of weeks ago my father and I took a father/son road trip across the country. In addition to an unforgettable bonding experience, we got a firsthand look at how some of the Recovery Act money was being spent on infrastructure.
First, a little historical perspective. During the Great Depression Roosevelt threw everything in his arsenal against the wall to stimulate recovery in the United States. Spending on infrastructure and the ramp-up to a wartime economy are usually credited as the reasons that America eventually recovered.
This isn’t entirely true but let’s assume that these were at least parts of the equation, which is somewhat accurate.
After failed attempts such as the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other massive infrastructure projects, Roosevelt kept at it with the creation of the Work’s Progress Administration (WPA), which built notable projects like the Hoover Dam and the Lincoln Tunnel. So at first I was heartened at the site of construction crews dotting the American landscape with signs touting the expenditure of money from the American Recovery Act. After passing through a couple of Midwestern states, however, it dawned on me that this money is going to repave existing stretches of highways or create new lanes adjacent to
them. The projects, agencies and programs that have succeeded throughout the 20th century did so because they enabled the nation to move new initiatives forward. Temporary job creation of ambitious infrastructure projects is a benefit in and of itself, well, temporarily.
The positive lasting effects of these projects are that they enabled us to move goods efficiently and cost effectively throughout the United States. The speed with which business was conducted through subsequent related gains in technology, and infrastructure allowed us to become more competitive. Frankly, after assessing projects like the east side access, the Big Dig and the Roslyn viaduct I’m not sure we should be building bridges and tunnels anymore.
One of the benefits of the transportation and energy infrastructure enhancements under the New Deal was that it made farmers more competitive. After the disastrous effects of the dustbowl that poured salt in the farmer’s gaping wound, Roosevelt focused a great deal of attention on farm assistance and gains in farming technology. The casual observer on our road trip would have noted the incredible stretches of farmland that we take for granted in our suburban environment. Yet alongside the stretches of highway it was impossible not to notice that the population of the entire Midwest has apparently been was I? Right, the egg sandwich.
Sometimes, something as innocent as the price of an egg sandwich offers greater insight into complicated matters like the U.S. economy than any theory or chart ever could. An economist who spoke at a luncheon I attended was espousing the virtue of American ingenuity as the sole reason why he, and many other economists, believed America would eventually pull out of the recession.
Ah yes, the indomitable American spirit will once again deliver us from our financial predicament. It’s far more effective to apply the common-sense egg sandwich logic to what we see everyday around us than cross our fingers and hope things will get better because they always have before.
We are in for a rude awakening in 2010 when we run out of the stimulus funding that helped fill local and state deficits, such as the more than $40 million Nassau County utilized to plug budget gaps this year. Moreover, I have a complete lack of confidence in how the Recovery Act money is currently being spent. With these funds the federal government claims to have created 655 jobs in New York State where there is almost 9 percent unemployment.
Talk about pissing in the ocean to warm it up.
So where is the money being spent effectively? Recently I had a great opportunity to search for the answer to this question. A couple of weeks ago my father and I took a father/son road trip across the country. In addition to an unforgettable bonding experience, we got a firsthand look at how some of the Recovery Act money was being spent on infrastructure.
First, a little historical perspective. During the Great Depression Roosevelt threw everything in his arsenal against the wall to stimulate recovery in the United States. Spending on infrastructure and the ramp-up to a wartime economy are usually credited as the reasons that America eventually recovered.
This isn’t entirely true but let’s assume that these were at least parts of the equation, which is somewhat accurate.
After failed attempts such as the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other massive infrastructure projects, Roosevelt kept at it with the creation of the Work’s Progress Administration (WPA), which built notable projects like the Hoover Dam and the Lincoln Tunnel. So at first I was heartened at the site of construction crews dotting the American landscape with signs touting the expenditure of money from the American Recovery Act. After passing through a couple of Midwestern states, however, it dawned on me that this money is going to repave existing stretches of highways or create new lanes adjacent to
them. The projects, agencies and programs that have succeeded throughout the 20th century did so because they enabled the nation to move new initiatives forward. Temporary job creation of ambitious infrastructure projects is a benefit in and of itself, well, temporarily.
The positive lasting effects of these projects are that they enabled us to move goods efficiently and cost effectively throughout the United States. The speed with which business was conducted through subsequent related gains in technology, and infrastructure allowed us to become more competitive. Frankly, after assessing projects like the east side access, the Big Dig and the Roslyn viaduct I’m not sure we should be building bridges and tunnels anymore.
One of the benefits of the transportation and energy infrastructure enhancements under the New Deal was that it made farmers more competitive. After the disastrous effects of the dustbowl that poured salt in the farmer’s gaping wound, Roosevelt focused a great deal of attention on farm assistance and gains in farming technology. The casual observer on our road trip would have noted the incredible stretches of farmland that we take for granted in our suburban environment. Yet alongside the stretches of highway it was impossible not to notice that the population of the entire Midwest has apparently been was I? Right, the egg sandwich.
Sometimes, something as innocent as the price of an egg sandwich offers greater insight into complicated matters like the U.S. economy than any theory or chart ever could. An economist who spoke at a luncheon I attended was espousing the virtue of American ingenuity as the sole reason why he, and many other economists, believed America would eventually pull out of the recession.
Ah yes, the indomitable American spirit will once again deliver us from our financial predicament. It’s far more effective to apply the common-sense egg sandwich logic to what we see everyday around us than cross our fingers and hope things will get better because they always have before.
We are in for a rude awakening in 2010 when we run out of the stimulus funding that helped fill local and state deficits, such as the more than $40 million Nassau County utilized to plug budget gaps this year. Moreover, I have a complete lack of confidence in how the Recovery Act money is currently being spent. With these funds the federal government claims to have created 655 jobs in New York State where there is almost 9 percent unemployment.
Talk about pissing in the ocean to warm it up.
So where is the money being spent effectively? Recently I had a great opportunity to search for the answer to this question. A couple of weeks ago my father and I took a father/son road trip across the country. In addition to an unforgettable bonding experience, we got a firsthand look at how some of the Recovery Act money was being spent on infrastructure.
First, a little historical perspective. During the Great Depression Roosevelt threw everything in his arsenal against the wall to stimulate recovery in the United States. Spending on infrastructure and the ramp-up to a wartime economy are usually credited as the reasons that America eventually recovered.
This isn’t entirely true but let’s assume that these were at least parts of the equation, which is somewhat accurate.
After failed attempts such as the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other massive infrastructure projects, Roosevelt kept at it with the creation of the Work’s Progress Administration (WPA), which built notable projects like the Hoover Dam and the Lincoln Tunnel. So at first I was heartened at the site of construction crews dotting the American landscape with signs touting the expenditure of money from the American Recovery Act. After passing through a couple of Midwestern states, however, it dawned on me that this money is going to repave existing stretches of highways or create new lanes adjacent to
them. The projects, agencies and programs that have succeeded throughout the 20th century did so because they enabled the nation to move new initiatives forward. Temporary job creation of ambitious infrastructure projects is a benefit in and of itself, well, temporarily.
The positive lasting effects of these projects are that they enabled us to move goods efficiently and cost effectively throughout the United States. The speed with which business was conducted through subsequent related gains in technology, and infrastructure allowed us to become more competitive. Frankly, after assessing projects like the east side access, the Big Dig and the Roslyn viaduct I’m not sure we should be building bridges and tunnels anymore.
One of the benefits of the transportation and energy infrastructure enhancements under the New Deal was that it made farmers more competitive. After the disastrous effects of the dustbowl that poured salt in the farmer’s gaping wound, Roosevelt focused a great deal of attention on farm assistance and gains in farming technology. The casual observer on our road trip would have noted the incredible stretches of farmland that we take for granted in our suburban environment. Yet alongside the stretches of highway it was impossible not to notice that the population of the entire Midwest has apparently Where was I? Right, the egg sandwich.
Sometimes, something as innocent as the price of an egg sandwich offers greater insight into complicated matters like the U.S. economy than any theory or chart ever could. An economist who spoke at a luncheon I attended was espousing the virtue of American ingenuity as the sole reason why he, and many other economists, believed America would eventually pull out of the recession.
Ah yes, the indomitable American spirit will once again deliver us from our financial predicament. It’s far more effective to apply the common-sense egg sandwich logic to what we see everyday around us than cross our fingers and hope things will get better because they always have before.
We are in for a rude awakening in 2010 when we run out of the stimulus funding that helped fill local and state deficits, such as the more than $40 million Nassau County utilized to plug budget gaps this year. Moreover, I have a complete lack of confidence in how the Recovery Act money is currently being spent. With these funds the federal government claims to have created 655 jobs in New York State where there is almost 9 percent unemployment.
Talk about pissing in the ocean to warm it up.
So where is the money being spent effectively? Recently I had a great opportunity to search for the answer to this question. A couple of weeks ago my father and I took a father/son road trip across the country. In addition to an unforgettable bonding experience, we got a firsthand look at how some of the Recovery Act money was being spent on infrastructure.
First, a little historical perspective. During the Great Depression Roosevelt threw everything in his arsenal against the wall to stimulate recovery in the United States. Spending on infrastructure and the ramp-up to a wartime economy are usually credited as the reasons that America eventually recovered.
This isn’t entirely true but let’s assume that these were at least parts of the equation, which is somewhat accurate.
After failed attempts such as the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other massive infrastructure projects, Roosevelt kept at it with the creation of the Work’s Progress Administration (WPA), which built notable projects like the Hoover Dam and the Lincoln Tunnel. So at first I was heartened at the site of construction crews dotting the American landscape with signs touting the expenditure of money from the American Recovery Act. After passing through a couple of Midwestern states, however, it dawned on me that this money is going to repave existing stretches of highways or create new lanes adjacent to
them. The projects, agencies and programs that have succeeded throughout the 20th century did so because they enabled the nation to move new initiatives forward. Temporary job creation of ambitious infrastructure projects is a benefit in and of itself, well, temporarily.
The positive lasting effects of these projects are that they enabled us to move goods efficiently and cost effectively throughout the United States. The speed with which business was conducted through subsequent related gains in technology, and infrastructure allowed us to become more competitive. Frankly, after assessing projects like the east side access, the Big Dig and the Roslyn viaduct I’m not sure we should be building bridges and tunnels anymore.
One of the benefits of the transportation and energy infrastructure enhancements under the New Deal was that it made farmers more competitive. After the disastrous effects of the dustbowl that poured salt in the farmer’s gaping wound, Roosevelt focused a great deal of attention on farm assistance and gains in farming technology. The casual observer on our road trip would have noted the incredible stretches of farmland that we take for granted in our suburban environment. Yet alongside the stretches of highway it was impossible not to notice that the population of the entire Midwest has apparently been
