About Dick Conoboy

Dick Conoboy is a recovering civilian federal worker and military officer who was offered and accepted an all-expense paid, one year trip to Vietnam in 1968. He is a former Army Foreign Area Specialist for Western Europe and Southeast Asia, counter-terrorism intelligence analyst and information/security manager at the Defense Department. Dick also worked as a resource manager at various government offices to include then VP Al Gore’s National Partnership for Re-inventing Government, now recognized as having been a shamefully neo-liberal “think tank”. He speaks fluent French and a passable English learned through many years of elementary school experience diagramming sentences. Dick owes his writing ability to consuming large amounts of chemical laden and fried fresh water pike and perch fished from Lake Erie in the 40s and 50s near his native Cleveland whose Cuyahoga River regularly catches on fire.

By: Dick Conoboy (325)

Bellingham City Council Resolution on the $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank

Local action in support of a proposal to rebuild nationwide infrastructure

Local action in support of a proposal to rebuild nationwide infrastructure

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If you did not notice on January 13th, the Bellingham City Council passed (7-0) a resolution (See FILES below) supporting congressional creation of a $5 trillion National Infrastructure Bank (NIB). Yes, that is FIVE TRILLION, not a misprint. The Bank will be dedicated to providing low cost loans to public entities across the U.S. for infrastructure projects at a monumental scale, as President Franklin Roosevelt did with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation both before and during WWII. The best part is that the NIB is off-budget and will add nothing to the national debt. See “How the National Infrastructure Bank Is Capitalized” below.

Click to enlarge

I last wrote about this proposal in October, 2024 in an article titled, “How Do You Spell Budget And Disaster Relief?  N…I…B”  Since then, Bellingham City Council Member Lisa Anderson introduced the concept of a resolution in support of the NIB to the council. She effectively demonstrated to the council and mayor the advantages that would be available to cities, counties, and states were an NIB created by Congress. Lack of low-cost financing is one of the principle obstacles to government entities in rebuilding infrastructure, creating affordable housing, and building educational facilities. So a shout-out to Lisa, the Bellingham City Council, and Mayor Lund for recognizing the importance of the NIB. Further information on the NIB, including actions you can take in support, can be found on the website of the Coalition for a $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank. 

[Note: This most recent resolution on the NIB is in keeping with the Bellingham City Council's awareness of the value of public banking. Five years ago, the council passed a resolution in support of a bill to establish a public bank in Washington state. My article on that resolution can be found here: City Council Resolution Supports A Washington Public Bank. The site of Washingtonians for Public Banking provides information on the present status of public banking legislation in Olympia for a state bank.]

Attached Files

About Dick Conoboy

Citizen Journalist and Editor • Member since Jan 26, 2008

Dick Conoboy is a recovering civilian federal worker and military officer who was offered and accepted an all-expense paid, one year trip to Vietnam in 1968. He is a former Army [...]

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Bellingham City Council Resolution on the $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank

By Dick ConoboyOn Feb 05, 2025

Local action in support of a proposal to rebuild nationwide infrastructure

Gabbard and Hegseth.  Why Are They Not Profoundly Ashamed?

By Dick ConoboyOn Dec 01, 2024

To be so manifestly unqualified and yet not be deeply aware of that speaks exactly to the very point of not being qualified.

6 comments, most recent 2 months ago

Veterans Day, 2024.  What Is To Be Done?

By Dick ConoboyOn Nov 04, 2024

Deeds, not talk, count on Veterans Day

2 comments, most recent 2 months ago

VA Health Care for Life?  You Now May Be Eligible.

By Dick ConoboyOn Nov 01, 2024

Phasing in of Veterans Administration (VA) health care under the Pact Act has been eliminated. All eligible veterans can enroll in VA health care…NOW!

How Do You Spell Budget And Disaster Relief?  N…I…B

By Dick ConoboyOn Oct 27, 2024

An off-budget $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank (NIB), along the lines of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) that operated between 1932-1957, means low-cost loans and no additions to the deficit.

Medicare Advantage Open Season And YOU Are The $$$ Target

By Dick ConoboyOn Oct 23, 2024

Medicare Advantage is NOT Medicare. Medicare is there to provide health care. Medicare Advantage is a business, there to make money.

1 comment, most recent 3 months ago

Minimum Wage - Farce or Tragedy?

By Dick ConoboyOn Oct 19, 2024

Or perhaps tragic farce or farcical tragedy might be more apt descriptors. Pick one, or both.

13 comments, most recent 3 months ago

First Murray. Now Larsen. Half Trillion Dollar Theft From Medicare: Not An Issue.

By Dick ConoboyOn Jul 27, 2024

Heaven forbid our reps should attack the main problem, Medicare Advantage, head on. But no. They must nibble around the edges to give the appearance of doing something.

1 comment, most recent 6 months ago

Moral Injury Links Medicare Advantage Physicians To Combat Veterans

By Dick ConoboyOn Jun 16, 2024

Morally significant double binds force doctors and combat soldiers into identical life and death quandaries, damaging their moral centers. To these two groups we can also add law enforcement officers.

4 comments, most recent 7 months ago

Over A Half Trillion Dollars Stolen From Medicare - Sen. Patty Murray Is OK With That

By Dick ConoboyOn Jun 14, 2024

It is time to stop the “Real Steal” from Medicare.

3 comments, most recent 7 months ago

Memorial Day 2024 - Remembering My Friends

By Dick ConoboyOn May 25, 2024

If not killed-in-action, they are still dying from the effects of their service in Vietnam.

7 comments, most recent 8 months ago

Medicare (Dis)Advantage - Even Hospitals Don’t Like It.

By Dick ConoboyOn Mar 31, 2024

If the hospitals are smelling a rat, so should Medicare (Dis)Advantage victims (AKA enrollees).

2 comments, most recent 7 months ago

The $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank Is Looking Better Every Day

By Dick ConoboyOn Mar 27, 2024

With such a bank in place, we would likely not be scrambling around and asking Congress for rebuild monies, as we are now with the catastrophic event involving the Francis Scott Key bridge on March 26, 2024.

Just What We Need - A Bank in Fairhaven

By Dick ConoboyOn Dec 05, 2023

Peoples Bank proposes to tear down the once popular Zane Burger restaurant to build a branch office.

3 comments, most recent 1 year ago

Chutzpah Redefined - Call For Citizen Policing of Medicare Advantage

By Dick ConoboyOn Dec 02, 2023

Biden administration is asking the public to report on bogus advertising claims of Medicare Advantage providers.

7 comments, most recent 1 year ago

Scamming Our Veterans

By Dick ConoboyOn Nov 17, 2023

There seems to be no barrier to the depths to which scammers will go to steal money from the most vulnerable or deserving.

Some Thoughts on Veterans Day 2023

By Dick ConoboyOn Nov 10, 2023

Merely musing about soldiers.

4 comments, most recent 1 year ago

Retirees With Federal Employee Health Care - Beware Of Offers To Switch Drug Coverage

By Dick ConoboyOn Nov 04, 2023

Getting a letter that declares, “An exciting new prescription drug benefit for you!” should activate your BS detector.

7 comments, most recent 1 year ago

Memorial Event for Wendy Harris

By Dick ConoboyOn Oct 19, 2023

Wendy was an intrepid voice for the environment and the humane treatment of animals. May her memory be for a blessing.

3 comments, most recent 1 year ago

Signing On To Medicare Advantage?  Don’t!

By Dick ConoboyOn Oct 18, 2023

Or at least, take a moment to learn about the privatization of Medicare, commonly called Medicare [Dis]Advantage.

1 comment, most recent 1 year ago