Eisenhower's Argument Analysis

Eisenhower cites four main pieces of evidence. He first cites the unfortunately high number of fatalities and injuries on the current highways. Eisenhower argues that the more than thirty six thousand wounded and more than one million injured highway users put a high financial burden not only on the individual family who faces tragedy, but also on the nation. In Eisenhower 's report, he states, “But reliable estimates place the measurable economic cost of the highway accident toll to the Nation at more than $4.3 billion a year.” With this information, Eisenhower shows that with an updated highway system, accidents, and thus costs, could be cut considerably.

Next, Eisenhower cites the poor condition of the current highways. He claims that the highway conditions increase the cost of using a vehicle by one cent per mile. Considering that in 2015, on average, most Americans drive 12,000 miles per year , saving an extra penny for each of those miles every year would make a significant impact. Eisenhower stated that poor highway conditions cost the United States 5 billion dollars per year, and that those costs were suffered not just by the individual driver, but by the entire nation, through transportation costs in the distribution of goods. Eisenhower states,

Eisenhower claimed that in the case of a nuclear war breaking out- a very real threat during the Cold War period-evacuation of cities would be slow and difficult, and many would needlessly lose their lives. “In case of an atomic attack on our key cities, the road net must permit quick evacuation of target areas, mobilization of defense forces and maintenance of every essential economic function.” Eisenhower also states that the current highway systems would make deploying troops and ensuring that war necessities, like factories, were operating smoothly would be next to impossible, and that a new system must be put into place to fix