I'll try to stay on points raised.  First, I never use the term "Civil War" to describe the War Between the States.  A true civil war is defined as a conflict wherein 2 or more factions are competing to control a country, like what is going on in Syria right now.  Our conflict from 1861 to 1865 was one wherein a number states wanted to leave the Union.  Call it the War Between the States, the War for Southern Independence ( the most accurate description), or the War of Secession - any of those are more accurate than Civil War.

As for our speed limits:  Frist, a bunch of fools have persuaded the gov't that "speed kills", rather than being more correct and seeing that incompetent drivers in less capable cars kill.  Furthermore, until very recently, American cars were junk, incapable of proper handling, and had horrible brakes and steering.  European cars, even less expensive ones, had rack and pinion steering, disc brakes, and tight suspensions, coupled with reasonable size, when Americans were driving 1977 Olsdmobiles as big as a yacht, with steering so loose that you had half a turn of play in the steering wheel, with brakes so poor you couldn't get the thing stopped from even 70 mph in 100 yards, and suspensions so loose that it would roll over if you swerved at speed.
Then our licensing laws were so lousy that most people my age simply learned their father's poor driving skills.  Still today, I know of no regular driver's education teacher who has ever been on a skid pad, nor who has a clue what a four wheel drift is.
But things are slowly getting better - thanks to the global economy, American manufacturers now have to build a decent product that they can sell overseas.  If we ever get any true driver's education, that would be great.
I wish we had speed limits of at least 80 mph on the interstates, in rural areas.
I too spend a lot of time driving, about 30,000 miles per year.  Just this week I went from Columbus, Ohio to Chicago and back.  I find our roads to be in acceptable, not perfect, condition.  Except for that abonimation that they call the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I'm generally pleased with the interstate highways I drive.
When people say how our other infrastructure is so poor compared to Europe, a good part of Western Europe's was destroyed in WW II and was rebuilt in the 1950s.  Some our ours goes back 150 years.

Just over a 1000 miles this week. Very little interstate. Mostly 4 lane divided state highways. South of Poplar Bluff MO and into Northern Arkansas, it’s 2 lane for about 80 miles as the road weaves around rivers and bluffs.  

Now, to the question about infrastructure which is what Midnight and Mpes asked about.  There were only two areas of construction. One was replacing a bridge over the Black River and the other was lane widening outside of Little Rock on I-40. I can’t say the economy is being impacted significantly over that 80 miles of 2 lane. It’s sparsely populated. Spending funds to extend the 4 lane divided highway so there is a straight shot from St. Louis to Little Rock might create a little more economy activity, but it wouldn’t offset the hundreds of millions it would cost to build it. If the towns of Poplar Bluff, Jonesboro and maybe Paragould grew significantly, maybe the demand would be there.

I was also thinking about this often repeated phrase of ‘crumbling infrastructure’. Honestly, I don’t see it. I think this is one of those phrases that has been tossed around so much, it's assumed to be true. Sure, there are projects to be done, but crumbling? I wouldn’t agree with that.

I’ve been selling industrial products to 3 different industry the past 25 years or so and I can’t recall ever hearing anyone use the phrase crumbling infrastructure as a reason or excuse for a project not proceeding. I’ve heard managers tell me industrial plants prefer to be away from population centers because they get cheap, but more reliable labor. Plus, many smell so they would rather avoid the complains. I guess that is an acceptable trade off for dealing with 2 lane roads.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; When the government fears the people, there is liberty. Thomas Jefferson

It took them over 3 years to build a bridge that I use weekly over Hwy 52. Thats rediculous and irresponsible.

So don’t your claims of crumbling infrastructure demonstrate that the US Government (Federal or State) as an organization is incompetent in providing a basic service?

So if that’s true, and by your posts you’ve said that over and over, why in the world are you in such a hurry to turn over to them a basic service that’s responsible for not only your personal health, but 1/6 of the US economy?  

What would make you believe this organization won’t fail miserably, as they are doing with infrastructure,  when they have control of healthcare?

WebsterMark wrote on 11/17/12 at 04:37:39:

Starlifter wrote on 11/15/12 at 15:40:55:

The next one is gonna be worse except you and I will be on the same side this time. Hope you darn yankees can shoot and hide in the woods as good as us ol southern boys. Chill out and listen to some Lynard Skynard LOL.

There won't be a civil war. The nation as we know it will quietly die out. All we have to do is look at California as an example. The big difference is smart and hard working Californians have been leaving that state by the bus loads. The problem is, right now, they can go to other states, Texas for example.

But when the entire nation finally looks like the fiscal nightmare California is, where to from there? It will be over at that point. All nations die out and most from within and so it will be with the US.

Webster do you know what year it is? I'm thankful you dont have to deal with our health care system like I do. I just spent 4 nights in ICU three weeks ago and all they did was give me injections of blood thinner, have blood clots in my lungs. So far I've recieved $12,000 worth of bills and they keep coming in. I have Lupus because one doctor didnt take the time to look and see what drugs another doctor was giving me and I'm dying from it. How more furcked up can a health care system be.