"Harry and Louise" Promote Infrastructure Spending in New Hampshire Political Ad
The ad features the familiar issue-based formula of husband and wife arguing ask they drive through potholed streets.
"We don't need to spend more money on roads and bridges," Husband argues. In about 5 seconds Wife is able to convince him of the error of his ways but assuring him "earmarks" wouldn't get the money.
The ad is acknowledgment by pro-infrastructure groups that they've done a poor job of winning the meta-discussion on infrastructure spending. Since Barack Obama was elected President, the once-sacrosanct bipartisan consensus that infrastructure spending was, in general, a good thing, has seriously frayed.
None of the Republican candidates for president has offered as-of-yet a detailed plan on paying for infrastructure, though they've all endorsed serious reductions in government spending in general.
BAF has also formed bipartisan coalitions in New Hampshire and South Carolina to campaign for infrastructure spending in advance of early primaries in those states.
Spokeswoman Laura Braden said in an email: "The goal of both coalitions is to educate policymakers and voters on the importance of infrastructure investment and reform. They're participating in a mix of grassroots and media activities including events, opinion-editorials and media interviews. It's important to note that the states were chosen because of the early presidential primaries, which is causing considerable debate on policy issues and priorities – we want infrastructure to be in that discussion."
BAF was founded by former governors Arnold Schwartzenegger and Ed Rendell, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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