Green Stats: 19,795
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.18.08
Portland Tri-Met's MAX train
8,555 -- Number of jobs created by spending $1 billion on defense.
10,779 -- Number of jobs created by spending $1 billion on health care.
17,687 -- Number of jobs created by spending $1 billion on education.
19,795 -- Number of jobs created by spending $1 billion on public transportation.
According to The U.S. Employment Effects of Military and Domestic Spending Priorities [pdf] via ::Yes! Magazine and ::Gristmill
There are 7 Class I railroads operating in the US (including several Canadian Companies). The combined market cap of these firms is less than the $168Billion Bush rebate checks that are on the way. Instead of building a first class railroad system, we will fund the Chinese factories that fill the shelves at Wal-Mart for a few months. New world, old habits.
I don't think you're using the word "defense" correctly
It costs $10-$100 million dollars per mile of railroad track to build in an urban or suburban environment. $1 Billion won't buld a whole lot of trackage.
We have a first class railroad system in North America, it moves more ton-miles today than it even has in history (far surpassing WWII levels).
As far ar 19795 jobs from $1billion? That is just over $50,000 a person. That seems awful thin considering that does not account for ANY sort of infrastructure costs.
-Lego
Dear Legodragonxp
I don't know if you've heard of the concept of working class, but let me explain that I don't make 50,000 dollars, and I have a graduate degree. (I work in human services as a counselor for kids, and while I don't know everybody's salary I would be willing to guess that the only people in my buidling who make over 50000 are those who can prescribe medicine, and the director) Most bus drivers don't make close to 50,000 dollars, but people who didn't have jobs, and are now capable of being bus drivers, and getting some sort of benefits would be quite content to put food on their table and be able to rent a place. Ditto the people manning subway booths in areas where maybe there are tech jobs, which they are still trying to get an education to get and can't afford school unless they have. Not to mention the contractors who will make more, but will have temporary jobs, and the laborers who will get a decent wage for a while.
There is a lot of positive in this, and I don't think the numbers are that off.
It's number of jobs created from $1 billion spent. It has nothing to do with salary.
Those 19,000 people could all be making minimum wage, or all making 100,000 grand a year. Their salaries would depend on the ability and willingness of their employer to pay them, not on the capital investment from the gov't.