Stimulate Defense

IBD Editorials ^ | February 10, 2009

[Kaslin]

Federal Spending: With the money spent on honeybee insurance in the stimulus package, the Army could buy nine utility helicopters and employ 1,200 skilled workers. Have we forgotten that the nation's interstate highway system was a defense project?

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The repairing of the nation's roads, bridges and infrastructure is touted by supporters of the stimulus package as a way of creating jobs that America needs to revitalize its economy.

The interstate highway system initiated by President Dwight Eisenhower is cited as the kind of job-creating infrastructure work we need to do.

What isn't noted is that when Eisenhower announced the program, he announced it as "the National Highway Defense System." He signed legislation in 1956 establishing the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, consisting at the time of a planned 41,000 miles of roads.

During World War II, Gen. Eisenhower saw the advantages Germany enjoyed because of the autobahn network. He also noted the enhanced mobility of the Allies when they fought their way into Germany. President Eisenhower established the Highway Trust Fund to create a funding mechanism that enabled the U.S. to build a national road network similar to the German autobahn.

One of America's great infrastructure projects was in fact a military project to create an American autobahn in the middle of the Cold War to allow the movement of men and materials across the U.S.

[Thunder90]

You really think that the Dims want to stimulate defense? Not in a million years.

[Kaslin]

No, more like distimulate defense