One week from today, fiscal year 2015 for the federal government comes to a close, and without some action by the Congress to extend funding, the government will close with it. We know from experience that a few very basic services can and will be continued, at least for a short period of time, but the bulk of government will come to a standstill. Politically, in the short term, it is hard to read. What we do know is a small group in the House threatens funding a budget for 2016 over the issue of Planned Parenthood, something I will discuss more in future blog and social media posts. If they succeed, their victory will very likely be short lived. What really needs the public’s attention is the budget itself on key issues like more funding for research and infrastructure.

Again, I raise the issue of infrastructure needs where in Washington they keep kicking the can down the road, delaying further action needed to properly fund transportation. This is an area going back to President Lincoln, where at least some understood that many major infrastructure projects would only happen with federal leadership and money. For Lincoln, it was the transcontinental railroad connecting east and west and significantly enhancing commerce. For President Eisenhower, it was the highway needs which led to the interstate highway system and one of his major achievements. These major initiatives only made good sense when looked at in the bigger picture with Federal support.

But even if you want to look at projects that could be built within one state, coming up with the money—that is, raising the taxes to do so—all too often is politically impossible. In this case, I’m not just talking about the just say ‘no’ crowd. I’m talking about tax policy that can't ignore what surrounding states impose. Get the sales tax above the competition and you know where at least some are going to buy a new car or with the gas tax, if they live close to a border, where one would fill up. It’s another reason why federal leadership and funding is so important when it comes to infrastructure in particular.

Then from the local officials’ point of view, it is not just the issue of under-funding basic programs like infrastructure at both the state and federal level. In Kansas, we have had the Kansas Department of Transportation resources used by the legislature and the Governor to fill holes created by the tax cut of 2012. With winter coming and local potholes not fixed, be careful about attacking your local officials. The fault likely falls on those above, through short-sighted policy from the state and federal levels. With this irresponsible environment, it is truly amazing we have so many wonderful people serving in local government.

Throughout the past week, the Republican-controlled Congress struggled to extend the current program for transportation infrastructure (check out this article to learn more). Keep in mind, this is just a short extension of an inadequate existing program, not the investment that this country desperately needs. When are the conservatives of today going to face the needs of our infrastructure?

For Kansas, l think of the conservative Kansas Congressional Delegation back in the 50's and 60's who wisely, in my opinion, brought home federal tax dollars to build our reservoir system for flood control, irrigation, municipal water supply, and recreation. Just think for a moment where Kansas, or any other state with similar needs for that matter, would be without help to build that system. I remember the devastating floods in the very early 50’s. Could we have done this on our own? Of course not. It wouldn't have happened.

That is true today as well for much of our current infrastructure needs. So where are we headed? What is it going to take to bring change to how we in this country address our key infrastructure needs? I always used to associate conservative thinking with wisely investing and looking for the most efficient ways to proceed. They understood that unnecessarily delaying action would simply lead to higher costs and inflict avoidable pain further down the road.

When will we have reached the point where we need to do something that involves raising taxes and increasing budgets for infrastructure needs? Studies done by civil engineers, for example, are frightening. How many bridges will need to collapse, needed wheel alignments soar, or accident fatalities escalate for action to be taken just with the highway and road system? Similar concerns could be raised about our aging water and wastewater systems, rail, and others. Keep in mind, as many industry leaders have pointed out, that this would also provide a lot of good jobs as well as a significant boost to our economy.

Walking our neighborhood recently after an unusually heavy rain, I ran into my neighbor, Nelson Galle, who told me he had five and one half inches in his rain gauge. A couple of nights later in the evening paper, there was a front page article titled, “Rising Waters Expected at Tuttle.” Given heavy rains to the North, the runoff coming out of Nebraska was projected to cause the Tuttle Creek Lake to rise some fifteen to twenty feet. For me, that’s a lot of water that the Corp of Engineers will move as quickly as practical to the Missouri, to the Mississippi, to be flushed into the Gulf of Mexico. The question that leaped out for me was: Wouldn't it have been nice if we could have captured and held that water for a much needed time down the road?

With many projections being made that these big rains will become more common yet our total rainfall will not increase, I gave more thought to what it is we should be doing to address that challenge. I don’t see piping desalinated water from the west coast or the gulf as a realistic option, even if it became a practical answer for them. I’ve heard the idea of taking water out of the Missouri river and somehow getting it to where it is needed in Kansas, but that doesn’t seem practical. What I thought at that moment was that we should consider building additional reservoirs for water storage only, filled by flood waters which today help no one, even the ocean which is already rising on its own. Right there, I thought I had a great idea for a blog piece.

Then I had another one of those moments when the light comes on and just as if my Dad was reaching over and snapping my ear, I got the message that this might be really stupid. To confirm, I called my friend Joe Harkins, in my experience one of the very best public administrators with a specialty in water policy. He was polite but to the point in confirming my fear. He said all the good sites for reservoirs are taken, the federal government is not funding such any more, and that evaporation alone would make them unsuccessful. I don’t share this to discourage creative thinking, but a good second opinion is often quite helpful. Who knows, maybe someone reading about this bad idea may come up with something that works.

Below is a video with thoughts on how new ideas can be enhanced through good dialogue that encourages critical thinking without stifling creative thinking. Watch it here or check out all the Leading and Learning Moments on YouTube.

I’m not shocked at the political charges flying in Washington D.C. tied to the serious and deadly train wreck near Philadelphia. In fact, I would have been a little surprised if no one tried to take political advantage of the opportunity. Both sides do it. But the reality is that little or nothing will ever be done if both sides just look for opportunities to make political points and ignore addressing, in a positive and constructive way, the very real problem that exists. In this case it is our rail system, which is second class to many countries around the world, moving us closer to the day where we will be more like a developing country. What we need is dialogue, talking to each other and actually listening. There is a huge gulf between our two extremes from which to work on compromises that are positive in many ways for our country.

An appropriate response would be not just good for those who ride the rails but the economy in general. I know this is not a hot button issue for those of us in the Midwest. Opposing such specific investments is a safe political move. But how are we going to get support for our own needs with that kind of attitude towards the obvious needs of others? We will have needs, and it won’t just be the isolated but devastating tornado that we want and expect help to recover from. It could be the reservoir silting in that, without massive action, will at some point serve little or no purpose or the drought that is devastating to our economy. Yes, it requires resources, but by investing, we not only address a very real need, we also create good jobs and help the economy. For me, that works.

Click here to read a piece printed in TIME Magazine by Ray LaHood, former Secretary of Transportation and Republican member of Congress from Illinois, making the case very effectively.

Below is a story that aired late last year on 60 Minutes which provides more detail on our country’s neglected infrastructure and the political maneuvering that is slowing solutions: