Buttigieg May Finally Give the U.S. Its Infrastructure Day
As transportation secretary, the former McKinsey consultant's cost-cutting and networking skills are just what the job needs.
To upgrade U.S. infrastructure, first lower costs.
Photographer: Bloomberg/BloombergFormer mayor and one-time presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has been tapped to be President-elect Joe Biden’s transportation secretary. He’ll bring a much-needed dose of managerial competence to an oft-neglected area of government policymaking. By focusing on identifying and remedying sources of excess cost in our infrastructure system, and by helping speed the transition to electric vehicles, he can have a major impact even in an era of political deadlock.
The biggest transportation issue on everyone’s mind is infrastructure. Not only are U.S. roads and bridges perpetually falling apart, but big construction spending is needed as a stimulus to boost the country out of its post-pandemic doldrums. Buttigieg, during his primary presidential run, was one of a number of Democratic candidates to propose a construction spending bonanza.