The last few months, I've started to really notice how shit the quality of most buildings and infrastructure is in the US. I know a lot of people in the construction industry and grew up in it, and it's really just amazing how everything is built to maximize short term appearance and minimize cost. EVERYTHING, even ostensibly "luxury" housing, is built this way. I used to live an apartment building that was only a few years old but when you looked at the details you could already see the thing was falling apart. I've seen roads get resurfaced only to see a bunch of cracks and pot holes show up the next winter.
So as America enters terminal decline, I fully expect the buildings and infrastructure around us is just gonna fall apart and look hideous. Especially the suburbs. I feel like most suburbs are held together with paper mache and veneer. And of course Americans will deny it's happening and pretend it's totally fine.
Bernie doesn't want to do it exactly for the reason I'm saying. It doesn't make sense to look at how we treat infrastructure and then think plopping nuclear facilities all over the country will go over well, even if one administration lays the groundwork, future admins will set out with the goal of undermining it.
That's not really a worthwhile risk to take considering renewables are cheaper and better for the environment in CO2 cost.