AP: Thousands face life-threatening floods from aging dams

[Newest Reality]

7. That's a good point about the impact!

To me, it boils down to interdependence, which has been conveniently ignored. Then, you get results like you noted and I think we could multiply the effects many times across-the-board.

Back when I lived in Chicago, there was a terrible pot hole problem and the City was lax in correcting it. It took a long time and lots of complaints to get the street repairs in order. Meanwhile, many people were breaking axles and having accidents as a result.

Maybe we could say, there is a cost/price factor and it is about WHO is going to pay it, as per your example. When it is ignored, the burden is shifted onto citizens directly by way of damages, injury and death. One of the reasons we pay taxes, of course, is to assure that these repairs and services are provided promptly and they are not and so trust and social contracts are at stake.