SHOCKING ABC News on Obama/USA Infrastructure

Ok, let's look at the claims made in the video:

1) Three states, NY, CA, and Alaska each had bridge rebuilding projects which could have provided jobs to Americans and kept the tax dollars here in our own economy.

2) US law states that we must buy American when the bids are reasonably close.

3) CA officials claim their contracts went to Chinese gov't-owned companies because they could do it cheaper and faster than US companies.

4) CA state officials turned down federal funding for most of their 4.2 billion dollar bridge construction.

5) CA DoT spokesman stated that it's too difficult to find qualified welders here that can do the job.

6) Unions cry "foul!"

7) ABC News' Chris Cuomo replies to Diane Sawyer that US firms say they could absolutely have competed for this job for less money and hurried the time frame.

8) Cuomo: "...It's not a level playing field - the Chinese firms are state owned. They don't pay their workers as much. That's why the 'buy America' laws were passed."

9) Cuomo: "If states can get around them, Diane [the buy America laws], we'll never bring America back."

10) Cuomo: "You have to enforce the rules that let American companies play."

Cuomo makes it sound like it's all the fault of the states. We should make states buy American. The unions would definitely agree. In a perfect world, American companies would get the contracts. But California's economy is in the toilet, imho, largely because the state leadership makes lousy choices on taxes and spending. They can't find welders?! They don't have the funds to bring American welders from around this great country, but they can afford to bring Chinese workers and contractor here to do the job faster and cheaper?

Cuomo's point that it isn't a level playing field is correct. But I have to wonder if these aren't actually paybacks to China for buying so much of our debt - or is China now under-righting California's debt somehow?! I don't believe the facts are all out on the table.

Cuomo's conclusion implies that no matter what, states should not be able to decide who to hire; that the contracts will inevitably go to American companies when they are permitted to compete. The report does not say how many American companies bid on the project in CA or how far apart those bids were. After a company loses a bid, they will always say that they could have cut back the cost and time table. The truth is that bids are suppose to be sealed so no one knows what the others have bid. Rarely is there the chance to re-bid. Companies must make their best offer at the start. It's not like a negotiation for a house purchase, where all parties can go back and forth until they agree on terms.

This video isn't exactly news. It's commentary, which does not disclose enough information to make any conclusions. Is it a shame that this has happened? Yes!!! Should Washington DC take away states' rights? No!!! Just as companies can fail and should be allowed to fail, so should legislators and states be able to succeed or fail, but at their own peril, not the entire nation's. We don't need Crony Capitalism, nor do we need Tyranny. A truly free marketplace will iron out these issues. However, other countries do not abide by the same rules. We can put taxes on foreign companies that level the playing field and make it apples and apples, rather than apples and oranges. OR, we can take away some of the unreasonable and burdensome regulations which make our companies so uncompetitive that they have to go overseas to stay in business, Chris Cuomo!!! Ever think of that?!