Those expenditures are still around: they built the roads, runways and skyscrapers that we all use today.
Why do developing countries spend a lot more on development than developed countries do? That's almost a tautology.
Biggest waste of public funds in a generation. And mostly used to build further infrastructure such as roads, burdening the maintenance budget even more. Instead of helping.
A certain little jaunt through the middle east would like to have a word with you.
I don't think it's as simple as "we're developed now". Is there some arbitrary set point at which a country is completely "developed" and we should just stop doing things? Why is there such an aversion in this society to "spending money" as if it's something that we are losing rather than simply putting people to work and generating economic output. The complete gridlock which has gripped the US over the past 40 years has left vast amounts of the population sick and dying with no hope for anything.