NPR: Why the White House hasn't benefited much from investing in infrastructure

[Dennis Donovan]

NPR - Why the White House hasn't benefited much from investing in infrastructure

November 15, 2024
3:10 PM ET

Joel Rose



WASHINGTON — Three years after President Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure law, his administration has a new name for it: the "Big Deal."

It is, indisputably, a lot of money: more than a trillion dollars in spending on roads, bridges, airports, railroads, ports and more.

But for all that investment, the White House has seen surprisingly little political benefit.

"You know, I don't think it did," said Ray LaHood, a Republican who served as Transportation Secretary during the Obama administration. "I was shocked."

During the first Trump administration, infrastructure week became a running joke in Washington. President Biden took it seriously, betting that voters would reward his administration for delivering where others had not.

But this month, that bet fell flat with voters, who didn't seem to give his Democratic party much credit.

/snip

[moonscape]

1. Even I am frustrated and annoyed by all the orange cones and

I know better, secretly glad to see them.

Sadly, those will be disappearing during the next admin, with the results in full view, and they will get the credit for it.

[elleng]

2. Because it takes TIME to build and repair, you think???

[brush]

3. trump will take all the credit for the jobs and infrastructure improvements...

just as he did for Pres. O's economy that all the low-info voters thought was trump's doing.

They conveniently forget how trump fucked up the pandemic and blame that downturn of Biden/Harris.

[underpants]

4. Air Rail and water is out of sight for most people. Roads and bridges are an inconvenience to a lot of people

I remember when Obama was saving the country, there’s was a law passed in Virginia (still GOP controlled) and other states forbidding signs letting people know where the funding came from.

We drove as a family, 5 of us, to my cousn’$ wedding in Ohio. We got held up due to a paving operation but there were the big green signs saying it was from the ______ Act.