Tomorrow....who will be the Democratic nominee?

Tomorrow is a big day.  Will the Democratic party unite or will there still be two possible candidates?  Personally, I'd like to see some type of unity happen by Wednesday morning or even Tuesday night.  We will then know who the nominee will be and the election year will start to take shape.

I happened to speak to someone today in Senate Schumer's office about appropriations for MOUSE.  MOUSE is rocking.  New York City wants to double the schools they are in next year...and that is only in New York City.  The other cities and areas they are in around the country are also growing.  Part of running a not-for-profit organization successfully is being saavy enough to get the right funding from the local, state and possibly federal government.  Each state has a part of their budget that they can decide which organizations they want to support.  It is political, for sure, but it is also based on the success of the organization. 

This year is going to be a very tough year for appropriations which are usually the first thing to get cut from a budget.  Why?  Because the infrastructure of the United States has been crumbling for years.  Roads, bridges, sewers, waterways that were built over 50 years ago have been kept up with band-aids.  The daily use they were built for 50 years ago is quite different from the amount of people using each of them today.  As much as Republicans like to talk about smaller government, how can you eke our a profit on a roadway or bridge is generally not as important as the use which is why the government is responsible for this. 

The cash to help the USA rebuild is being sent over seas to namely Iraq.  We have kept our eye off our own countries needs or basically we have ignored them.  Is America slowly making its way down a path of no return?  I certainly hope not.  I hope that new leadership in Washington will look at every line item our country is spending money on.  Although there is always a bit of the private sector to chip in or there?

Perfect example of private money is being used right now at the Highline.  In my opinion, the Highline should be completely paid for with public funds.  The Highline is going to be the most dramatic beautiful park built in NYC over the last 50 years that will change the entire Westside of Manhattan between 14th and 34th street.  This strip of land (train tracks) is already making a mark with hotels, condos, stores being built around the Highline.  The Highline did get some appropriations from the Government but not enough and so the private sector is where the money is being raised.  Other parks around the city have done the same.  The private sector has chipped in to build the park and then endowments are raised to keep the parks up.  Pier 40 should be a Government paid project to create a better park and new facilities for a sorely needed new public High School and other activities.  Instead, it will be private people who will figure out how to get this done by courting public figures and the private sector as the Highline has done, incredibly well I might add. 

Is the private sector going to pay for a new sewage and water system in upstate New York so large companies can build facilities which in turn will create new jobs and a better economy?  I doubt it but based on the Highline maybe more and more smart people in the private sector are going to figure out how we use the private sector to recreate America.  How will the Government react when the private sector builds new highways and then charge prices to drive on those highways that 35% of the people in their community can't afford to drive on? 

Many questions to be answered.  I hope that after tomorrow night, we begin to hear those answers from each nominee be it one Democrat and one Republican.  More debates and more real answers about where is the cash coming from and how are we actually going to fix all the problems and rebuild America and make our infrastructure strong again.