Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The WPA Could Work Today

Back in the 1930s the stock market had just crashed and our nation was plunged into a deep and far reaching depression. Things were tough all over and jobs were scarce. The nation looked to the government for help and lo and behold it came.
That help came in the form of the Works Progress Administration later known as the Work Projects Administration and then simply the WPA. This largest agency of the New Deal was the work of Franklin Roosevelt and his administration and while it was plagued with the usual amount of D.C. graft and favoritism it nevertheless got the nation moving again. It was around for only eight years and was terminated midway through 1943 but it was an overall success.

There were many small sections of the WPA that may seem trivial to some such as helping artists by paying them to beautify post offices and other public buildings or funding actors and their repertory companies performing in communities nationwide but the main function of the agency was to stimulate the economy.

The WPA worked back then and I believe it could work again now.


There are many projects that need doing across America and what better way to get them done than by putting Americans to work doing them? Our workforce is facing massive layoffs and too many good people are out of work. Unemployment is demeaning and can only go so far. Our infrastructure is crumbling as was evidenced by the bridge collapse in Minnesota. And aside from the obvious repairs to our highways and cities we could start new ambitious projects like clearing the way for alternative energy sites such as solar panel farms or wind turbine fields or electricity from the natural wave action of the oceans.


I would like to propose another project that could easily take decades to complete but could greatly affect millions of Americans in a positive way. We could build a network of pipes across the nation to channel and funnel water from place to place. With such a network in place if there was a serious flood in the nations mid section we could merely turn the switch and direct the water to a needy region, perhaps one experiencing a drought. This would definitely be a tremendous project and would take a tremendous amount of time, energy, and talent but who better than the innovative people of America to get the job done?


Our leaders are grappling with ways to turn around the current economic problems but whatever they decide will only be a quick fix. I believe we need a long range plan that should not be ‘party’ specific. Fix the credit crisis but also help those of us here on the ground and save our country at the same time. What could be better for America?


Please feel free to pass this along to your congressmen. And look up the WPA yourself to see how well it worked.

I’m Bruce Resch and I approved this message!!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In a few hours there is going to be a big shindig (spelling???) going on at Hofstra University. I believe you should be on stage debating on how to turn our economy around. If you ran for president I would definitely register to vote. I think you need to have this blog published somewhere where the idiots who run our nation can get an idea on how to straighten things around.

Anonymous said...

In a few hours there is going to be a big shindig (spelling???) going on at Hofstra University. I believe you should be on stage debating on how to turn our economy around. If you ran for president I would definitely register to vote. I think you need to have this blog published somewhere where the idiots who run our nation can get an idea on how to straighten things around.

Reschzoo said...

Thank you but even though it seems like a good idea I would probably be branded a radical or a commie or just a lunatic for suggesting it. Then they would look into my past and find out that I once looked at another woman or peed in the woods or farted in public. In politics it's not what you know but who you know, you know?
Somehow any good idea that could actually help those of us here on the ground, and below always loses out to the ideas that help the wealthy. But this plan could work if only it was given a chance.

Reschzoo said...

I was told by another friend that this plan could never happen in America today because unions would not allow it to work. In other words everyone wants to get the country back on it's feet but a relative of NIMBY kicks in as it might affect a union member.
It is a sad commentary for our country when groups of people get together to stop progress unless they are paid off. Something as selfish and short-sighted as that type of thinking used to be reserved for politicians and CEOs.