Smart Socialism

Inca Kola News looks at Bolivia's 2009 budget. He notes that it's 33 37.5% larger than last year (thanks, Otto!), and full of infrastructure funds, which will help buoy the country's economy in this worldwide sh*tstorm we're all going through now. According to Otto's chart, it looks like a third of the budget will be going to roadwork. That's good, because it not only puts people to work, but infrastructure grows the economy significantly. And roadwork in a landlocked, über-mountainous country like Bolivia is doubly important for trade. (And those Venezuelan soldiers need some way to get into Santa Cruz--kidding!) Here's some Bolivian road building for your viewing pleasure, in which the road crew scraped the top off one mountain, slowly filled in a gorge, and then flattened the resulting surface into a road. Pretty simple! This was between the town of Samaipata and the city of Vallegrande, both in Santa Cruz department.


And now here's a video, from my hometown, Minneapolis, which demonstrates what happens when you don't invest in infrastructure. (And remember: Socialism does not work.) R.I.P. those unlucky 13 who died.