Where were you on the night of November 8, 2016? Still wearing your “I voted” sticker, it’s likely you were watching television or glued to your smartphone, scanning your local channels and favorite cable networks for the latest numbers after polls closed across the US. Regardless of your political affiliation, there’s no denying the needed “fixing” of our nation’s infrastructure and economy. With stagnant wages, good jobs hard to find, and health care becoming less affordable, the direction of our country had to change. And, change is on the way.
My father has always said that the pendulum can only swing so far in one direction; it eventually swings back. And, swing back it did. After witnessing one of the most turbulent and “in your face” presidential races, the voice of We The People was heard across the globe. States once blue turned red. The Rust Belt phrase started trending on Twitter. There were cries of joy and disbelief that rippled from sea to shining sea. The Republican ticket won. Meet President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT
The issues touted on Trump’s campaign trail focused on lowering taxes, reducing federal regulations for companies to do business, negotiating better trade deals for the US, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, and bringing back jobs. The platform targeted a revitalization of the working middle class in America’s rural areas and inner cities. While we wait to see what policies will actually become the laws of the land, here are a few things that could affect the economic landscape.
Infrastructure. “We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We’re going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none. And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it,” says Trump during his victory speech.
On the website, greatagain.gov, the plan for Transportation & Infrastructure says the Trump Administration will invest $550 billion to ensure we can export our goods and move our people faster and safer. During Trump’s campaign, he said he would take advantage of low interest rates to finance an infrastructure program. Two of his senior advisers, Wilbur Ross and Peter Navarro, called it a “totally self-financing” plan that would produce up to $1 trillion worth of projects at no net cost to the government by using federal tax credits to infuse the private sector over the next decade.
Auto Industry. Ford Motor Company isn’t sure what President-elect Donald Trump’s priorities for the US auto industry will be, but CEO Mark Fields says the company will continue to prioritize fuel-efficiency, push ahead with plans for automated driving technology, and invest in its nascent mobility business. It’s also ready to work with President Trump and the new Congress.
It’s a wait-and-see game. Optimism is high as reflected in the Dow that closed at an all-time high on November 10, 2016. There are many more areas that the new Administration has sights on for bringing the greatness back to America. For more on the policies that could shape 2017 and beyond, visit greatagain.gov.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Donna Campbell is editor in chief of Modern WorkTruck Solutions and Modern Contractor Solutions. This monthly column will feature commentary on trending issues for work truck and transportation matters.
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MODERN WORKTRUCK SOLUTIONS: NOVEMBER 2016 ISSUE
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