A modern-day TVA? It makes too much sense.

The lead story on nearly every newscast for most of 2008 has had something to do with the downtrodden American economy: Gas prices are way too high, too many people are out of jobs, the housing market is collapsing, the banking system is crumbling, the dollar keeps dropping against foreign currencies, the auto industry is experiencing catastrophic losses, the rebate checks seem to be working, the rebate checks didn’t work, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

By no means am I an economist, but I feel, simply through observations and a little knowledge of history, I have a fantastically easy, common-sense solution that both infuses the economy with cash and gets people working.

How about, instead of just handing out a couple hundred dollars to every taxpayer (except for me, but that’s a whole different story), we make people work for it? Ever since the Minneapolis bridge collapse a year ago Friday, the media has paid great attention to the deteriorating condition of this country’s infrastructure. There are plenty of capable people who are willing to work, and would be able to do this kind of work, so let’s form a Tennessee Valley Authority-esque national infrastructure improvement commission and pay them to do the job. Plus, you’re not just handing out $100 billion and getting nothing in return.

This is far beyond the scope of my understanding of national economics, but it just seems to make so much sense. Three problems can be wiped out with one stone: The unemployed can be employed again (with a comfortable government job), those same people will have money to spend on things other than gas and America’s roads and bridges (and whatever else needs fixin’) can be brought up to snuff.

I know there’s no way I’m the first person who’s thought this. How come this isn’t something the president and every congressman is pushing for? This is a serious, non-partisan proposal that looks good for everyone involved. I know, it’s strange for me — a libertarian who feels less is more in regards to government — to want the government to bail us out, but the Free Market can’t seem to straighten this itself. A snowball needs a little push before it can start rolling down the hill.