EDITORIAL: Infrastructure bill should focus on infrastructure

The merits of President Joe Biden’s forthcoming infrastructure bill depend on his definition of infrastructure.

One of the amusing subplots of the Trump administration was its many aborted attempts to focus on infrastructure before the president’s fast Twitter fingers changed the subject. The reluctance of Democrats to cooperate with the former president on what could have been a bipartisan win hindered progress, too.

There remains a need to repair many of America’s aging bridges, tunnels, roads and ports. People overwhelmingly rely on personal transportation to get from place to place. Trucks also carry many of the items Americans buy at the store or online. Leftists may dream of a rail-driven future. But that’s a long way off, if it ever happens.

The American Society of Civil Engineers, which admittedly has stake in this, estimates that 43 percent of the country’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition. In a report released this month, it argues the country needs to spend almost $6 trillion on infrastructure over the next 10 years. After accounting for planned funding, there’s a gap of $2.6 trillion.

This should give Mr. Biden the opportunity to showcase his ability to make a bipartisan deal. After all, spending copious amounts of other people’s money is one of the few things on which most politicians can vigorously agree. The unfortunate return of earmarks, better known as pork projects, should expedite the process.

But Mr. Biden’s appears to define infrastructure quite differently than most people. As The Washington Post reported Monday, White House officials are preparing a package packed full of traditional liberal priorities.

The details may change, but what the White House is leaking to reporters is revealing. The $3 trillion bill may include “free” community college and universal pre-K. There could also be another $100 billion for schools and education buildings. There’s expected to be a push to enshrine the expanded child tax credit for several years. This version of the tax credit doesn’t require a parent to work, which turns it into a de facto welfare payment.

The bill is expected to propose $400 billion to address climate change. That will include $60 billion for green transit. No word on if California’s bullet train boondoggle will get an opportunity to waste more taxpayer money. If this goes through, expect many more projects like it, however.

There may even be $200 billion for housing, but who’s counting at this point?

The nation needs an infrastructure bill that focuses on infrastructure — and that means roads, bridges and the like. Unless the Biden administration reverses course, this isn’t it.