How we built a government that can’t build anything

Key Takeaways

America struggles to build basic infrastructure due to a fundamental tension between centralized power and decentralized input.
Progressive reforms, initially aimed at curbing abuses of power, have inadvertently created widespread obstructionism and project paralysis.
Regulations like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) have evolved into complex processes, significantly delaying critical infrastructure and housing.
Rebuilding public trust requires empowering officials to make difficult decisions, balancing community input with effective action.

Host Sean Illing introduces the core question: Why is it hard for America to build things, from bridges to climate infrastructure?
Guest Marc Dunkelman argues that the nation's dysfunction stems from an inherent tension in democracies, exacerbated by giving too many people the power to say 'no'.
The American system uniquely vacillates between extremes of authoritarianism and chaos, with the current era marked by deep distrust in institutions post-Vietnam and Watergate.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is presented as a successful model of large-scale government action during the New Deal era.
TVA brought electricity and economic development to the impoverished Upper South, a region largely ignored by private power companies.
Despite some environmental and social issues, the TVA demonstrated the potential for effective, centralized government projects.

The bipartisan infrastructure law allocated $7.5 billion for electric vehicle (EV) chargers, addressing 'range anxiety' to boost EV adoption.
Three years after the law's passage, only 58 chargers have been opened, illustrating significant implementation challenges.
Deployment involves complex state-level siting, lease negotiations, and coordination with local utility companies, tasks new to state highway departments.

Robert Moses, a powerful figure in 1970s New York City, built major infrastructure like the Cross Bronx Expressway, displacing thousands despite opposition.
The backlash against Moses' unchecked authority led progressives in the 1960s and 70s to implement checks like environmental reviews and community input mandates.
This reaction shifted progressivism's view of government from a tool for good to a potential menace, making large-scale projects difficult to execute.

The guest argues that while GOP actions contribute to government distrust, progressives have become self-critical of their own reforms that hinder effectiveness.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970, initially a brief environmental impact study, evolved through jurisprudence into a lengthy and complex process.
NEPA now frequently stalls projects by focusing on the thoroughness of the study rather than the project's actual environmental impact.

Complex regulations like NEPA replace top-down tyranny with bottom-up obstructionism, directly contributing to the housing crisis.
Homeowners and renters frequently oppose new development due to concerns about property investments, neighborhood character, or gentrification.
Modern public servants often prioritize navigating complex rules and avoiding lawsuits, leading to a lack of progress on core societal issues.

The guest proposes a model where public servants are empowered to make difficult decisions in the public interest, similar to past eras.
This model advocates for systems that ensure concerns are heard but prevent any single entity from holding absolute veto power, avoiding endless deliberation.
Public trust in government has dramatically declined from 80% in the early 1960s to only 20% in 2022, highlighting the challenge of effective governance.