Mark, I agree with some of your post but must respectfully disagree with the "car-culture and rural poverty in the US" argument.
On insurance, the issue is who is liable the driver or the car. If the costs were fairly allocated it would fix part of the problem. Gov't. seems to make problems worse whenever they get involved. I also lived in rural america (Kentucky) and I even lived below the poverty line. These "car, wealthy people, society is the fault" arguments never seem to place any value on the individual decisions made by the people. Its always culture, society, or some other bad guy that caused all their problems. My view is that the only reason anyone in america is poor is by their own choice. I have heard so many arguments against getting education when I lived in rural areas. "you don't need that", "book learnin won't make you smarter", "got book learning but no common sense", "Why you can stay here and work for less than minimum wage, you don't need that college". Having been below the poverty line and having worked my way up to middle class, I have no liberal guilt. I am happy to talk to people about how to resolve this but too many people have bought into the socialist view that the reason they are poor is because someone else took their share of the pie. Personal and individual decisions are a major and possibly the most significant part of this equation. Been there, done that.
