GOP loves construction; why not Obama’s plan?

On Sept. 8, President Obama urged Congress to pass his American Jobs Act: “Pass this jobs bill, and we can put people to work rebuilding America. Everyone here knows we have badly decaying roads and bridges all over the country. Our highways are clogged with traffic.”

Now a question arises: Can Republicans be persuaded to fund infrastructure projects? Perhaps the answer depends on who is asking for funding. Two past projects come to mind:

President Eisenhower’s gigantic Interstate Highway system. Cost was more than $900 billion.

The Fox River Bridge that opened in December 2010. It’s part of the Stearns Road Corridor project that cost $146.8 million. More than half the money came from the federal government — $77 million of Bush-era deficit spending.

Celebrating the opening, Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said, “We are a shining example of our ability in this country to build infrastructure and at the same time protect the environment.” She also gave credit for obtaining federal financing to fellow Republican Dennis Hastert.

Not forgotten was the fact that the project had provided jobs for up to 220 people per day.

A mile downriver from downtown South Elgin stand the stone piers that support the Stearns Road and bike trail bridges. Trail users get a view of the bridges that motorists zipping by overhead miss. Besides seeing the stonework, cyclists and pedestrians can cross to the east bank and read the following on a bronze plaque in which McConnaughay praises Hastert’s support for the bridge.

Apparently infrastructure spending is a good thing when Republicans can take credit.

It remains to be seen whether Republicans will work with President Obama to fund new infrastructure projects. If they refuse, the Hastert plaque may come to be known as The Fox Valley Monument to Republican Hypocrisy.

Thomas K. Johnson

Gilberts