"I say we have not even had the decency to maintain the assets that our parents and grandparents built for us - our roads, our bridges, our wastewater systems, our sewer systems; by the way, those weren't Bolsheviks, those weren't socialists that built those things for us - much less build the infrastructure we need for the 21st century"

Michael Bennet’s passage laments the neglected state of American public infrastructure and critiques contemporary society’s failure to honor and preserve the achievements of previous generations. He references essential assets, roads, bridges, wastewater and sewer systems, that earlier Americans constructed with great purpose and collective investment. These structures, he points out, were not the legacy of radical ideologies or fringe movements, but rather the product of a mainstream national consensus. The builders were everyday citizens, guided by a pragmatic sense of responsibility to the public good and to future generations.

Bennet’s words highlight a generational contrast: while the postwar generations invested in durable, shared infrastructure as a matter of public duty, modern society seems to lack the same resolve or decency. The verb “maintain” emphasizes not only constructing but also sustaining and caring for communal resources. Failing to uphold such stewardship, Bennet argues, is more than just a technical oversight; it is a moral failing, a sign of diminished civic spirit and respect for collective achievements.

He uses the reference to “Bolsheviks” and “socialists” to dispel the notion that investing in infrastructure is inherently tied to radical politics. Instead, he underscores the fact that the highway systems, waterworks, and public utilities foundational to American society were built by centrist or even conservative politicians and citizens, united by concern for the common good. By invoking this history, Bennet criticizes contemporary political discourse, which too often reduces necessary government investment to ideological debate rather than a pragmatic necessity.

Moreover, Bennet warns that the inability to even maintain existing infrastructure signals a broader unpreparedness to create new, innovative systems for modern needs. This leaves the country not only failing to honor its forebears but also ill-equipped for the challenges of the 21st century. His words are a call for renewed public investment, civic pride, and a recommitment to serving both present and future citizens.