Last nite, my interview with Bob Herbert, former columnist of the NYTimes aired on CUNY TV. Bob last interviewed me a year ago to assess the nation’s infrastructure scene and we held a wide ranging discussion about the perilous state of our roads, bridges, dams and other critical facilities.

This year Bob asked me to again appear on his program and we talked about a wide range of topics addressing the how and why our political world is so polarized and what that means for the near and far time future. As Bob stated in his introduction:

“America was once the envy of the world in terms of our standard of living; our vast, high-quality transportation networks; our unparalleled systems of public and higher education; and our commitment to freedom and democracy. It didn’t matter whether Democrats or Republicans were in power, there were norms and principles and ideals to which nearly all of us subscribed. That all seems a long time ago. What happened? How did it happen? And where are we now headed? I talk about this with my guest, Barry LePatner, an expert on infrastructure and development, and a veteran analyst of power, politics and government in the United States.”