Keys, money, phone
About seven years ago, then Vice President Biden referred to the condition of La Guardia Airport as that of a third world country. I remember the outrage created by his statement. The Port Authority couldn’t bare the shame of the truth being exposed that it launched a multimillion-dollar renovation of LaGuardia. Other airports were to follow and then the pandemic struck. The pandemic may have created a pause in flights but I’m certain the friendly skies will be filling up soon. I can’t wait.
I never traveled through LaGuardia but I have spent time, sometimes too much time, in other shabby US airports. When I found myself in the airport in Rome, one of busiest in Europe, it was so nice I was almost disappointed that my flight was on time because it was pleasant, quiet and spacious. Comfortable is a euphemism for that item of clothing, the favorite chair or the quirky appliance that has seen better days. We all have at least one, probably in each category. Often this comfort is created out of carelessness. It is not an appropriate adjective for an airport, train or highway.
The problem of our airports, bridges, trains and highways has become only more “comfortable” that is to say inadequate or down unsatisfactory. It takes about four hours by train to go from Boston to Chicago. If the US train system was modernized with a high-speed train similar to the bullet trains in Japan and China, it would cut the trip from four hours in half. How about a day trip to Paul Revere’s house?
Yes, it could be life changing in a very positive way. Many people have re-thought their priorities in the past year and now it’s time to channel our energies in new directions. President Biden has decided that our crumbling infrastructure needs to be addressed. I don’t have to go further than the curb in front of my house to agree with him. My street looks like the corduroy road! I realize the problem is bigger than my own street. Much bigger.
When my daughter moved into a fifth-floor walkup in the East Village she developed a mantra. Keys, money, phone. Keys, money, phone. She realized that one forgotten item meant a five-flight climb. Of course, this is a service that I used to perform for her: got your homework, lunch money, your gloves. We all have similar mantras that change with time and the changing needs. Infrastructure represents the critical cogs that powers our economy and that does mean jobs. The infrastructure that gave us the corduroy roads as a big improvement during the American Revolution is neither the infrastructure nor the jobs that are needed today.
As a teacher, I often felt that the country regarded the teaching profession as a babysitting service. The last year has clarified that concept. During the last year parents left the workforce, as schools struggled to educate children outside of the school building. School is much more than one classroom subject. It is an incubator for the next generation of citizens. In recent decades Americans haven’t valued education as a public good. Is it a wonder that the underpinning of our entire existence is failing?
Among the concerns is that the children will fall behind due to inadequate technology. The need for students to have access to technology became apparent last year. Technology is widely accepted as infrastructure when the topic is homeland security. Schools are a major conduit providing for the safety, health and the nutrition of children. Parents can’t make their contribution to the economy if they are not certain of the safety and supervision of their children.
The children. The same demographic that is described in glowing terms as our country’s future when no government funds are required.
Infrastructure is the breakfast of modern industrialized world. We eat it in our kitchens, on the run, or at our desks. We know we shouldn’t skip it because it’s makes us “hangry,” angry because we’re hungry. Ben Franklin liked oatmeal and I’m sure he would be puzzled with a spinach, tomato and feta cheese omelet or avocado toast but it’s breakfast for many people.
Infrastructure is about avoiding poverty because poverty overloads our basic physical and organization structures. Infrastructure is about people. People make decisions about basic foundation of facilities and services for our economy to function.
It’s time to recognize change and take action to adapt. That ancient sweater may be comfortable but our nation can’t be comfortable with a corduroy road mentality.
Biden can certainly use you on his team. I loved the way you made me think of how we are the infrastructure, the pillars, holding up everything with our tired hands. That photo of the GW Bridge pillars was perfect!
After reading this essay, I realize that one thing we are sadly lacking in our culture these days (always?) is a sense of metaphor, a sense of symbol to carry us. The flag just isn’t enough sometimes, the cross either. They’re not broad enough. This essay gives us a really good metaphor to understand ourselves as a country- the road. All of it. Thanks. I needed that.