Infrastructure, what is it? Why do we invest in it?

Infrastructure is the background of any society. It’s the roads and bridges but also record keeping and social supports. We need someone to keep records of birth certificates, deeds and drivers licenses in order to have a functioning economy. Infrastructure is also human capital, schools, childcare, eldercare and everything else that makes it possible for people to live and work, to have orderly commerce and a prosperous society.

What is prosperity? The dictionary says it is a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in financial respects. Most people would agree we were once more prosperous than we are now. What did those more prosperous times look like? How can we bring them back?

We think of the 1950s and 1960s as a kind of golden time. What was different then?

In 1950, 35% of all workers belonged to a union now it’s only 10%. The high percentage of union shops meant that a lot of people were demanding better pay and better working conditions. There was competition among the employers. If the AFL-CIO is forcing Ford to pay a living wage, fund a pension and pay for health insurance other employers have to come up with a plan of their own.

Dwight Eisenhower’s Federal-Aid and Defense Highway Act of 1956 was the greatest infrastructure investment in United States history up to that time. It cost 26 billion dollars. 41,000 miles of pavement linking every city and small town in the country. The highways were not the only Infrastructure improvements he wanted to make. In his January 31st 1955 “Special Message to the Congress Recommending a Health Program.” He said, “Because the strength of our nation is in its people, their good health is a proper national concern; healthy Americans live more rewarding, more productive and happier lives. Fortunately, the nation continues its advance in bettering the health of all its people.” He talked about federal programs to help disabled people develop marketable skills. No doubt he felt sympathy for the disabled veterans of WWII. He talks about investing in our human capital. He promoted funding hospitals, childcare, and education. All sectors of society benefited from this public investment. Most of the Republican party opposed all this, but the average person saw how this would better their lives and they wanted it.

Another thing that was different in 1950 was the tax rate. In 1950 the tax rate on the wealthiest 1% was 50%. The tax rate for the average person was 20% of income. Today the top tax rate is 28.6%. the tax rate on the average person is 15% Tax rates mean nothing when people like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos pay no taxes at all. Elon Musk made $11 billion last year and paid no federal income tax. If he had paid the same tax as you or I he would have contributed $1,650,000,000 to our society. Multiply that by the more than 200,000 people who made over $1 million last year and we can pay for a lot of eldercare and libraries.

Our economy is only part of our society. The human experience is more than how much money passes through your hands. It’s how well we look out for each other. It’s having meaningful work and actively participating in taking care of your circle of support. It’s in learning new things and creating things. We need teachers as much as we need firefighters and police. We need home healthcare workers as much as we need doctors. The Republicans in Congress and the Senate oppose human infrastructure. They don’t see it as the governments role to invest in each other. I say people must be our first priority.

We build roads to improve commerce. We need to also have social programs, art classes, after school programs and home health care.

In Chautauqua County we have three prominent Republicans Andy Goodell (716-664-7773), George Borrello (716-664-4603 and PJ Wendell (716-661-7211). Call each of them and tell them we want to invest in human infrastructure and we want billionaires to pay taxes like everybody else.

We want them to hold the Republican Party accountable to us the ordinary taxpayer.

Marie Tomlinson is a Fredonia resident.