The long running joke was that Presidents Bush (both), Clinton, Obama and Trump all promised a renewed focus on infrastructure. President Trump was just stupid how he kept promising it, whereas we all knew it wouldn't happen.
All it really takes is a government designed to support people's needs - not fight with each other. And the candidates and Presidents all know this, which is why the first 2 primary states are showered with money and a government that wants to help people. That's the end of the main story.
But I think the deeper story is that the American mode of Capitalism is as dead as the Russian form of Communism. American Capitalism (post-1980) fairs poorly in quality of life next to regulated Capitalism, where public goods are valued.
Pretty much everywhere (outside of IA and NH) American Capitalism has screwed people. Up until the 1970s, American Capitalism stressed corporate responsibility and high taxes on the very wealthy. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the top income rates never dropped below 70%. Think of that! Then Regan and others began to run against the idea of "government".
In the 1981, the rate dropped to 50%, under Regan. In 1986 the top rate dropped to 28%. This lead to a massive drop in services the government could pay for, and the quality of government services plummeted. It was invisible to MOST people just like putting off the dentist, doctor or painting the house doesn't show problems immediately. Basic maintenance fell.
Now, prior to 1980, corporations would often step in to support their people and the community (many large corporations like Citibank and John Hancock still reflexively support public goods). But in 1980 MBA-itis and the huge drop in tax rates lead to a self-reinforcing belief that Capitalism's ONLY purpose was to drive profits. That would, the idea went, make the companies richer, AND would make things cheaper and therefore all workers richer in the end. It hasn't worked for many Americans.
To be honest, it has worked great for those of us with a bit of money. It worked great for those of us born before 1970, who had good schools and state supported Universities that we could all afford. It started hurting the poorest and minorities among us. By the 2000s the corrosive effect of all consuming Capitalism was also hurting poorer worked of all races.
We see this in our hospitals, which faired dismally next to other western countries. NOT because of any defect in our hospitals or doctors / nurses / staff. But because our hospitals are designed to make money, not keep people healthy. Public health is NOT seen as a general good. Other countries see hospitals, schools, roads even city historical sites as a public goods available for all citizens. We see these as areas for private investment like charter schools, tool roads and costs of tens of thousands of dollars just to have a baby and NOT stay overnight.
We don't have required sick leave, vacation pay or child care. Most families can't live on one paycheck, and yet we don't have subsidized or free child care.
I'm not complaining here, just stating the facts. I think it is important to cast infrastructure as something NONE of us care enough about to get excited or driven. We complain at our airports, then step of the plane in to - what we assume- is a less developed region only to be greeted by sparkling airports and efficient and polite government workers (London area airports are an exception to the "sparkling and polite" descriptors presented here). We could have that. Or good and cheap schools. Or an electric grid that stays on in the cold. We choose instead to give yet another giant tax break to the richest among us. Because that is American Capitalism.
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