To be fair over 100 million will go to building the infrasture for a few cities (schools, town halls, housing, religious structures, sewer, water, electricity, etc) that are now slums (like Saddam City I believe).


>Funny you should mention this Tracy. This morning I was thinking how there had been remarkably little complaining here (I remember TomW mentioning, but not many others) about the "gift" of $85 BBBBillions to Iraq.
>
>My conclusion then was that people understood where the money would ACTUALLY be going...
>
>More than half is for military salaries/equipment [to which a good portion will go directly to Halliburton for its catering/logisitics/engineering "services" for the military].
>Some 20 Billion is actually for Afghanistan, for similar purposes and a tad of 'rehabilitation' money.
>MOST of the rest really will go to Halliburton and the other big contract 'winner' (name escapes me, but another biggie). That part that doesn't see the big U.S. coffers will be for wages for locals who will do the actual physical labour. They get paid in the realm of $40 per MONTH, so the Corps. won't be hurtin after it's all done.
>
>All this just to say that a whole lot of what goes "out to other countries" doesn't REALLY. The huge percentage of all of it stays right there in the U.S. making the rich richer.
>
>cheers
>
>
>
>>Somewhat related:
>>
>>Today's discussions on talk radio have been mostly about whether or not the U.S. government should bail out California. The majority are saying "NO!" Basically that California has made its bed and now must lay in it. However, I was thinking about the numerous 'loans' that are made to foreign governments. Usually, about 5 years after the loan has been given, many groups are calling for the loans to be 'forgiven' because the foreign government would go broke by trying to pay it back, could not continue to grow and be strong, it would hurt their economy and spur civil unrest, etc. Even though California is the 2nd largest economy in the U.S., I don't agree that the Federal Government should bail it out simply because many states (including NC) have a huge deficit and have had to cutback to survive which cost many jobs and public services (libraries in my county are NOT open after 5pm). If the U.S. bails out California, then it must bail out NC also. Where does it stop?
>>Yet.......what about those foreign 'loans?' We do help everyone but those at home it seems...
>>
>>
>>>>SNIP
>>>>>
>>>>>Our Amtrak trains are limited to 50pmh as our track is so bad that trains tend to fall off. Much of our track is still 40-foot sections of rail bolted together and on top of wooden ties. Americans invented what is called “continuous rail”, steel reinforced concrete ties and much of the technology that is in use today on the world’s fastest trains. It costs money to upgrade and we are too cheap to do so.
>>>>
>>>>Tom,
>>>>
>>>>I wonder if the problem is 'too cheap' or 'share price concerns outweigh sensible business decisions'?
>>>>
>>>>Regulation used to make sure that share price concerns did NOT override quality maintenance and good growth planning.
>>>>
>>>>Sounds like Baghdad may get its power back before Virginia does.
>>>>
>>>>Jim
>>>>>
>>>>SNIP
>>>
>>>Jim;
>>>
>>>There is a mentality that I am personally aware of that will do anything to impress others and not take care of matters at home. Your words, “Sounds like Baghdad may get its power back before Virginia does”, ring true to me. In fact when it was announced how we were rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure I asked everyone around me how we can afford to carry out such a mission while neglecting our own nation?
>>>
>>>I was raised to believe “family first”, then consider “neighbors”. But then I am not a politician. In this case I consider “family” to be the United States and not the state of Texas, and Iraq.
>>>
>>>Tom