Our Public Libraries Need A New Deal

"We need to fight the privatization of the public library while at the same time defending and nourishing our existing libraries."

--David Morris, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, "All Hail the PUBLIC Library," 2011

(A sign in Hampshire County, West Virginia, attempts to drum up support for the funding of threatened public libraries. Photo by Brent McKee, October, 2014.)

All across America, our public libraries are in danger. They face the same challenges faced by every other publicly-funded institution designed for the common good: Funding shortfalls and privatization threats. Or, to put it another way, the super-wealthy don't feel like paying any more taxes--even as they gobble up more and more of our nation's wealth--and Corporate America wants to take over our public libraries so it can make a profit by increasing fees, reducing services, and slashing workers' wages, benefits, and retirement security. It's the corporate privatization strategy that we've become very familiar with; the strategy that's been destroying the American Dream for many years now; the strategy that says pretty things in the beginning--like "innovation!" and "entrepreneurship!"--and then slowly but surely scales back services and/or hurts middle-class workers for the sake of profit.

(For two interesting articles, see "Anger as a Private Company Takes Over Libraries" and "Millington library wants to end contract with private operator")

(WPA poster, image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

In 2008, the Fort Worth Public Library took the anti-public library trend in an interesting direction by declaring the word "public" to be a dirty word. In a strange media release, we learned the following: "The word 'public' has been removed from the name of the Fort Worth Library. Why? Simply put, to keep up with the times. In today’s day and age, the word 'public' implies a place that, at one time, might have been viewed as institutional and restrictive. All are welcome at the Fort Worth Library. By removing one word with a potentially negative connotation, the Library aims to appear more welcoming and accessible to all." 

It's not entirely clear what this nonsensical statement means, but they appear to be saying that the word "public" is too governmental ("institutional") and therefore if you're not a bureaucrat or a socialist, you wouldn't be welcome ("restrictive"). So, they've taken out the "restrictive," socialist (!) word. That's about the only explanation I can think of, because "public" means "all"; how the Fort Worth Library came to redefine it as "restrictive" I do not know.

(Ironically, the Oxford Dictionary defines public as: "Open to or shared by all the people of an area or country: 'a public library'")

(In this photograph, formerly unemployed Americans--now working in the New Deal's Civil Works Administration--are on a library construction project on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, circa 1933-34. Photo courtesy of the University of Maryland College Park Archives.)

These bizarre trends--privatizing public libraries and redefining the word "public" to mean "restrictive"--are indicators that our libraries need a New Deal. Indeed, rather than straining logic and changing the meaning of words (in a desperate attempt to protect the tax rates of the super-wealthy) New Deal policymakers created work & construction programs that built more libraries, repaired existing libraries, staffed libraries, and even delivered books--many times by horseback--to Americans who could not reach the library. Why? Because they felt that the public good (oops, forgive my foul language there) was slightly more important than the ability of a super-rich American to buy a 24 karat gold bathtub or a basketball court for yacht #8.

2.1 Trillion Gallons of Water Lost Every Year, As the Political Right Scolds the New Deal

(WPA poster, by artist Charlotte Angus, created in Pennsylvania, between 1941 and 1943. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

 

New Deal policymakers invested heavily in America's infrastructure, creating work & construction programs that installed thousands of miles of new water lines, sewer lines, and storm drains.

Today, our infrastructure is falling apart. For example, NPR recently reported that America loses about 2.1 trillion gallons of water every year "because of aging and leaky pipes, broken water mains and faulty meters."

While our infrastructure has been aging and crumbling, right-wing politicians, pundits, and think tank "researchers" have made a sport out of scolding the New Deal. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) summed up their collective thinking when he said, "we know for sure that the big spending programs of the New Deal did not work." (Also see "Senate GOP blocks $60B Obama infrastructure plan")

So, what is working Mr. McConnell? 30+ years of trickle-down economics, the Forbes 400 adding $270 billion to their personal fortunes over the past year, and letting 2.1 trillion gallons of drinking water leak out of our crumbling pipes? Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to think so, because polls are showing that Americans are preparing to hand Congress, and many state legislatures, over to Republican and Tea Party politicians (see, e.g., here and here) who will, of course, work towards (a) blocking infrastructure repairs and (b) giving more tax breaks and tax loopholes to millionaires & billionaires. 

We're living in amazing times.

The WPA and the Chesapeake Bay

(A view of the Chesapeake Bay from Kent Island. Photo by Brent McKee.)

On April 8th, 1936, it was reported that the "Maryland State Conservation Commission...had recommended that 200,000 bushels of oyster shells be planted on the depleted bottoms in the lower Chesapeake Bay area...providing work for a considerable number of the unemployed of that part of the Eastern Shore" ("Plans For Oyster Planting Pushed," The Sun, p. 8).

In various areas across the nation, WPA workers planted over 8 million bushels of oysters (Final Report on the WPA Program, 1935-43, p. 132).

In 2010, addressing a depleted oyster population, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation recommended that "Maryland and Virginia should work with the federal government to invest sufficient funds to rebuild former reefs with enough shells, concrete, or other appropriate materials to establish successful reef communities" ("On the Brink: Chesapeake's Native Oysters; What it Will Take to Bring Them Back").

Though the oyster population appears to be improving in the Chesapeake Bay, it is still at historically low levels. According to a recent news article, there were 422,382 bushels of oysters harvested in 2013--the highest amount in 15 years--but back in 1884 there were 15 million bushels harvested. The article reports that the oyster population "has dropped precipitously and since 1994 has languished at one percent of historic levels."

Wouldn't it be nice to have a WPA today, to help repopulate the oysters of the Chesapeake Bay?

(WPA workers in Crisfield, Maryland, preparing to plant oyster shells in the Chesapeake Bay, 1936. Photo courtesy of the University of Maryland College Park Archives.)

Old water lines are bursting across America and hurting small businesses. Why has our small-business-loving Congress failed to create a new WPA?

(WPA poster, by artist Vera Bock, created in New York, 1936. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

As anyone who follows news and politics can tell you, it's a right of passage for political candidates to profess their unwavering love for "small business." Like "job creators" and "Obama is a Marxist," a phrase along the lines of "I'm looking out for small business" is a must.

But are politicians really looking out for small business? Or are they more concerned with lowering tax rates and repealing pollution-curbing regulations for political sugar daddies like the Koch brothers? Because, right now, aging infrastructure is damaging small businesses all across the nation and many politicians, especially right-wing politicians in Congress, aren't lifting a finger to help.

The past few days provide some good examples.

In Yakima, Washinton, a pipe that was almost 100-years-old broke over the weekend and harmed local businesses. A man who saw his store sustain $20,000 in damage said, "Businesses are dealing with tough situations anyway in this economic climate. Having this added to it, it just adds more pressure." 

In Bellevue, Washington, an old pipe broke yesterday and caused several businesses to flood, lose their water supply, and close early.

A nearly 100-year-old pipe in Los Angeles broke yesterday, and it was reported that "Business owners in the area were dumbfounded. At the Bombay Grill the owners says 'Here we go again!' Same thing at the corner donut shop, a nail salon and the Subway. The last two closed down early. No business."

Our political "leaders" in Congress could create a new WPA (or, at they very least, increase funding for existing mechanisms) to improve our deteriorating infrastructure-- instead of blabbering on about how they're madly in love with small business--but action takes a lot of effort, whereas empty political rhetoric requires very little. And so, as the senior national correspondent for Time magazine points out, "no matter how much Republicans say they care about infrastructure, they’re not going to accept any infrastructure proposals that come from President Barack Obama...Republicans say nice things about infrastructure but haven’t shown any interest in paying for it. As a result, the nation has failed to take advantage of historically low interest rates to invest more in our overcrowded airports, outdated railways and flimsy bridges." (Also see "Senate GOP blocks $60B Obama infrastructure plan")

(A presentation I made about WPA infrastructure work during the 1930s and 40s. Includes narration, music, and historic photos & film.)

During the 1930s and 40s, New Deal policymakers invested heavily in American infrastructure--and the investment paid off. After World War II, the economy expanded along New Deal roads, across New Deal bridges, and out of New Deal airports. Heck, even Ronald Reagan loved the WPA, praising it in his autobiography. But today, the situation is quite different. Infrastructure spending is now cartoonishly likened to "socialism!!" and "out-of-control, big government spending!!" Today, it seems, only Lenin would have the audacity to replace a 100-year-old pipe.

The WPA's American Family Robinson!

(WPA poster, image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

An old water main breaks in San Francisco and threatens a hospital. A WPA could have prevented that.

(WPA poster, image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.)

 
This past Tuesday, October 21st, a 107-year-old water main broke and reduced water pressure to parts of San Francisco General Hospital. The break was just one of the probable 600-700 breaks that occurred that day in America (see the "Drinking Water" section of the 2013 Infrastructure Report Card).

The American Society of Civil Engineers noted in 2013 that "Significant investments are still needed to address renewal and replacement, maintenance, security and reliability for (California's) water infrastructure."

Republican political strategist Matthew Dowd recently wrote: "...we need to have a well-paying jobs program tied to infrastructure improvements administered locally by cities, counties and states where people still trust government to get the job done. And this should be funded by tax policies at the federal level which put a much bigger burden on the wealthy in this country."

During the New Deal era, the WPA--a federal program--provided funds for locally administered infrastructure projects. In California, for example, WPA workers installed 1,198 miles of new water lines.

Wouldn't it be great if we created a new WPA, and installed another 1,198 miles of new water lines in the Golden State? (Statistic from the Final Report on the WPA Program, 1935-43)

WPA Theatre: The Devil Passes

Above: "The Devil Passes" was a comedy drama written by Benn W. Levy (a member of the British Parliament) and was performed by WPA actors during the Great Depression. The poster above was created by an unknown WPA artist, in California, 1936. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.