I wrote to President Obama with a suggestion, asked for a reply, but never got one.

[pwb]

I was suggesting that America does away with our 100 year old overhead wires. I mentioned how many jobs it could create, burying the wires, installing new sidewalks and roads. Good jobs all across our country. I also mentioned the safety of such a program. Cars often run into the poles lining our highways, you know the result of that. I mentioned how underground wires would prevent power outages from , snow, wind, freezing rain, hurricanes, tornado's, and others. Preventing future repairs could even pay for this in the long run.
I thought maybe the power company, phone company and cable companies might work together to accomplish this idea, hire all union people so it is done right.
I mentioned how wonderful it would be to look up and not see century old technology, We are America, we can do these things.
New communities already do this, but they suffer the same when overhead wires leading in are down. It is our small cities, towns, villages, and highways that could use attention.
Make a more beautiful America, Why not?

I got no reply.

Maybe if I suggested concrete tires and rubber roads they would have answered me.

PEACE

[Schema Thing]

1. you expected a reply?

[pwb]

2. Well I marked the box that said do you want a reply?

I expected at least a form letter, instead I got an e-mail asking for a donation.

[geckosfeet]

3. It's ok. He was busy.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Jesus

:facepalm:

[bigwillq]

5. It's unreasonable to expect a reply.

or at least a personalized one.
How long ago did you write? They may be backed up in their correspondence and you may get one of those generic form letters back soon.

[Bitwit1234]

6. Me two several times I checked the box for reply and have

never got one....why have the box if they don't want to reply?

[Sheepshank]

7. This is outrageous, I'm upset and disallusioned.

How dare 'they' have a reply box and then not respond to your e-mail. I'm sure your reponse would require only a line or two of a plan they could implement tomorrow. BTW did you check your spam?

BTW...if any home work on the matter was done, it would have revealed an already addressed/considered discussion of a serious need to reconfigure the US's entire power grid.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Do you want to increase your chances of someone considering your idea?

Don't write to just one person.

Consider the areas that your idea could have potential effect.

The following agencies:
1) FCC
2) Transportation
3) FAA
4) Energy

And then the members of the committees in both House and Senate that oversee those agencies.

Make sure you send it to your Representative and Senators. Then follow it up by attending town meetings and bringing it up.

Also, include the cost that ice storms and other weather elements has with overhead wires compared to underground. How much would be saved in utility costs to the consumers, saving lives, production capacity maintained, maintaining emergency response, etc.

[Historic NY]

9. In new developments zoning requires them to be buried here in NY...

most of the lines are privately owned by the utility companies who rape the payee with high bills. I've noticed some 1930's poles finally being replaced locally. I do know if you knock one down in an accident the bill is around 1100 dollars.

[lunatica]

10. There is no lack of imagination in solving our problems

There is, however, a lack of political will. The people holding the purse strings aren't backing anything except what their masters tell them to.

[styersc]

11. Can you imagine the stimulative effect of your suggestion?!?!

The kite industry would explode!!!!!

Got the same "silent treatment" from Santa when I wrote in 1971. You'll get over it. Most days I did.

[denimgirly]

12. Unless your Zip Code is on Wall Street don't wait up for a reply.

Just sayin'

[COLGATE4]

13. The problem with your idea is twofold:

1) undergrounding power lines is almost prohibitively expensive at a per mile cost. If you decide to do it by retrofit (as opposed to doing it fresh in a new sub development, for example) you can just about double that cost again for problems and interference with other utilities, etc.
2) In the event of failure, it is infinitely more difficult to trace and carry out a repair with underground lines as opposed to overhead.

[TK421]

14. Back in grade school we were asked to write a letter to our favorite celebrity

At the time, it was Bill Murray for me ( for Ghostbusters ) So, I wrote him a letter telling him how much of a fan I was of him, and never got a response...the fucking insolent bastard.

After thinking about it a month or so later ( and my Mom even telling me that he probably wouldn't respond ) I just gave up looking for his response in the mailbox...silly,silly me.

Should I continue here?

[Ter]

15. You're talking upwards of 1 trillion

The country can't afford that now.