22 ms·
This is half true: European infrastructure construction is almost perfectly decentralized to the point that it's (for the most part) fully centralized at the le
by bhups 9y ago
This is half true: European infrastructure construction is almost perfectly decentralized to the point that it's (for the most part) fully centralized at the level of each member state.
The US half tries to fund and administer infrastructure at the federal level, state level, as well as local level, depending on the state.
As an American, I find the EU to have phenomenally good infrastructure, but I think that's because decisions aren't being made in Brussels, they're being made concurrently in Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, etc.
I feel that the US would do well to emulate the EU, and centralize the funding, regulation, and administration of its respective systems in each member state.
- indoordinosaur 9y agoThis is why I'm not entirely opposed to the Trump infrastructure philosophy of encouraging states and local governments to pay their own way. It also encourages more private investment in infrastructure which is something that has contributed to the success of the subways in Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo as well as the original builders of the NYC subway.
- saosebastiao 9y agoI'm not opposed to that idea, but for it to work, we would have to invert our funding structures, with the majority of our taxes going to states and cities, and not the federal government. And while he seems to be happy to cut taxes, he doesn't seem to be too keen on cutting actual spending, so we're all gonna have to pay for it sooner or later.