The Nov. 22 letter, “Infrastructure jobs won’t save things,” misstates a point about war-time production. Gearing up for military production did put people to work, but as far as creating wealth, it was the government contracts to manufacturing company’s owners that created wealth for those owners. Military products are not capital investment or infrastructure. No bridges, dams, roads, buildings etc., are created.
These planes, bombs, tanks, trucks and guns were, and are, paid for by taxpayers, then taken out and blown up, producing nothing, no value in the end. The only people who benefit are the owners and stockholders of companies that make this stuff.
Infrastructure investment is essential, not just for putting people to work, but in repairing the stuff we have, and creating new projects that keep this country moving. Government is not the only entity that can do this, but it is the one entity that can coordinate both public and private enterprise to accomplish it.
Michael Dahlstrom
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