Debalic wrote:
You don't think that modernizing our infrastructure and improving our educational system is going to give returns?
Ignoring for the moment the question about whether a given view of "modernizing" or "improving" is going to be agreed upon by all parties, that's not the same as "investment" in an economic sense. It's another example of the left taking advantage of a word that
can have a broad meaning, by using it in a context where a more narrow one is expected.
In a very broad sense, you can call any action you take with the expectation of something positive as a result as an "investment". But it's somewhat silly to use that broad sense when talking about the economy and/or fiscal policy. I can say that buying that video game is an "investment in my future", since by enjoying it I'll experience a positive outcome.
Most parents aren't going to buy that and
no one at all would accept it in the context of a discussion about budgets and spending choices. Well, almost no-one.
Let me put it another way:
Explain to me the difference between the forms of investment you're talking about and what anyone else would just call "spending". Is there a difference between investing in infrastructure improvements, and "spending money on" infrastructure improvements? Can you tell me how we distinguish those? And if you can't, then isn't it wrong to use the word "invest", which has a specific "gain money over time" connotation, when the word "spend" would fit just as well and is more correct?