To repair infrastructure, US must seek foreign $ & partners

FT story that states "US antipathy to foreign investment in its infrastructure threatens to deprive the country of much-needed capital as a time when state and local governments are struggling with rising deficits."

So warns legendary Felix Rohatyn, famed Lazard banker.

Great quote:

This dislike for foreign ownership is Kafka-esque; much of our country was built on foreign capital.

True enough: we were the rising China of the 19th century and got ahead with tons of foreign direct investment.

Recent polls say Americans are 80% opposed, because, I would surmise, the question is always framed in terms of foreign ownership rather than crumbling infrastructure.

Experts say we ned $2.2T in upgrades and repairs in the next half-decade alone.  Meanwhile, lots of cities are pressing ahead with privatization schemes, but even when US financial entities are involved, these efforts have a checkered history.